The Glasgow School of Art
School Link: http://www.gsa.ac.uk
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Address: 167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, Scotland
Product Design at the GSA
Originally referred to as 'industrial design', the practice of Product Design first emerged during the first half of the 20th century and is traditionally described as the giving of form to 'useful artefacts'. Closely tied to industrial processes and the economic opportunities afforded by mass production, the product designer's field is broad and diverse. From toothbrushes to trains, cd players to sofas, our practice both informs and reflects the trends, social phenomena and technological innovations of our time. The function, form, material & technology of these artefacts represent our shifting cultural values and aspirations.
Above all, the product designer is an interpreter - our job is to manage the creative link between technology and society to develop products, services and things whose form, function and content is rich, intuitive and meaningful.
Product Design has been taught at The Glasgow School of Art since 1948. Over 5 decades the course has developed a strong international reputation for producing a body of designers whose common strengths lie in a combination of practical skills and creative synthesis.
In recent years two factors have come to the fore in the field of Product Design education; the first being a growing consciousness of the environmental impact of mass-production. The product designers of the future must develop a responsible attitude toward material resources and production techniques, and practice design strategies that are both sustainable and environmentally 'friendly'.
The second factor is the expansion of the 'service-based' economy in our society. While the physical world remains very much the product designer's realm, today's product designers are also operating in the age of information technology, where intellectual capital and continuous innovation are key. In order that the designers of the future are equipped not only to react to, but also to anticipate, propose & give 'form' to invisible products- such as systems, services, interactions & organisational behaviours- we need to expand the definition of the term 'product'; the product designer of the future must be equally at home within the world of emerging technologies.
Students
2007-2008
- Angelo Becker (KISD)
- Thibaud Gentil (Politecnico)
- Lukas Golyszny (KISD)
- Hazel Saunderson (GSA)
- Joanne Tauber (GSA)
2006-2007
- Cecilia Alessandrini (Politecnico)
- Pia Drechsel (KISD)
- Jochen Edling (KISD)
- Mikael Syrjälä (TaiK)
- Alyn Griffths (GSA)
- Ji-Hye Park (GSA)
- Simon Tsang (GSA)
- Tan Ying Tsao (GSA)
Italics denote home students returning for final year.
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