Ralf Michel Libros

Design is becoming a recognised academic discipline, and design research is the driving force behind this transformation. Design Research Now – Essays and Selected Projects charts the field of design research with introductory essays and selected research projects. The authors of the essays, all leading international design scholars, stake out positions on the most important issues of design research. They locate the significance of design research at the interface with technological development, describe what makes it a necessary ingredient of the continued development of the design disciplines, and assign it a seminal role in the relevant developments of society. The essays are supplemented by the presentation of recently completed research projects from universities in the Netherlands, the UK and Italy.

Design reflects social developments in those issues which are also embraced by design researchers. A key concept for how designers position themselves in the future, according to the editor's thesis, may well be integrative design. This term denotes design's potential for the integrative development of a society, a potential imperatively linked with economic and political positions. The book Integrative Design collects basic essays on aspects of integrative design, including design after ownership, inclusion, design as an interface with society, the integration of design and technology, and the political agenda of design. The associated website documents current and recently completed research projects that expand on these aspects.