The Craft of Design: In Celebration of the Maquette

The Craft of Design is a research project initiated and conducted jointly with Anthony Quinn that aims to articulate the intellectual and visual currency of ‘designing through making’. It describes the act of realising an idea in a three dimensional maquette: What Constantin Boym has described as a “disappearing craft”.

This is of particular relevance in the face of the development of CAD CAM technologies. To interrogate our concept within the design world we visited the Milan Furniture Fair 06, where together we conducted an extensive series of interviews with leading designers. These included George Sowden (co-founder of Memphis), Satyendra Pakhale, Renny Ramakers (co-founder of Droog), Shin Azumi, Kuno Prey, Maxim Velkovsky, Constantin Boym, Ana Mir and Emili Padros, all of whom discussed ‘designing through making’.

We were subsequently commissioned by Vicky Richardson, editor of Blueprint to write an article based upon the transcriptions of our interviews. Jointly written, the article was published in the Produce section, a new initiative within the magazine, which seeks to interrogate the design process in more depth. To illuminate the importance of this investigative aspect of practice, the article included a number of illustrations contrasting working models with finished products by the chosen designers.

Kathryn Hearn

Research Interests

Development and production of limited edition ceramic decorative vessels, use of moulds in a more fluid state, specifically sand casting, working with Jasper clay in collaboration with Wedgwood

Current Research

During the last 5 years my research work has included the development and production of unique and limited edition ceramic decorative vessels. They fall into three categories: Long term development of working with cast porcelain, using a range of colours in combination to produce pots for exhibition. This work is a celebration of the material, is informed by the techniques and processes and also by the natural and built environment; The use of moulds in a more fluid state, specifically sand casting, which is usually a metal casting process but adapting it into a ceramic context enabled me to produce larger and one off pieces; The collaboration with Wedgwood which has involved working with the Jasper clay body in both small and large scale. The research has also provided me with an opportunity to challenge the notion of Jasper as a decorative medium in a more contemporary idiom. I have completed work for their Prestige range.The use of ceramic bodies, in colours and qualities to explore form and surface in decorative ceramics. Chiefly using porcelain but also other ceramic bodies that have intinsic individual qualities that are able retain identity when being manipulated. This exploration is often undertaken in collaboration with the production industries in order to challenge convention of expected norms in aesthetic, production and context

Anthony Quinn

Research Interests

Ceramic design, bone china, porcelain and lead crystal, products for the interior

Current Research

I am a freelance designer to the tableware, glassware and giftware sectors, my clients include British Airways, Debenhams, Wedgwood, Leeds Pottery, Studio Levien and Design Ideas Inc. I work in a range of materials from Porcelain, Bone China, Glass, Plastic and metals, designing everything from plates, cups and wine glasses to cutlery, napkins and menus. Whilst I have a strong background in manufacturing most projects will involve some degree of conceptual or strategic design.

Recent projects include:

Pierced collection for Leeds pottery: inspired by in-depth research at the V&A ceramics, glass and silver collections a collection of oven to tableware and cooking items was developed, which re-invent the concept of functional decoration. The Hothouse principal supported the development of the project using 3d printing and CADCAM technologies. Leeds Pottery manufactures the collection using hand-making techniques that have been used since 1760.

In-flight Dining for British Airways Club World: a project, which examined the way we are served and consume food whilst in the sky. A strategic re-design of the entire food delivery system in line with the Cabin refit. The project looked at redesigning the experience of dining and the way we eat, the times we eat and the experience of dining through the implementation of a new menu and the introduction of a new dinner service, which increased the notion of domesticity whilst in the sky.

The Ceramic Design Course for Thames & Hudson: A new introduction into the canon of "how to" books. This book aims to approach a well documented subject matter in a new and enlightening way. Looking at Ceramic design as a design methodology and examining the potential for conceptual development through an in-depth study of new work with in the field.

• http://www.ceramicdesign.org.uk/asset/cr...
• http://www.anthonyquinndesign.com/index....