River of Change / Research

By digging into archives, I have investigated the visual remains of the department’s change from dormant potential to a vibrant research platform that explores design to achieve changes towards sustainable futures. The expectation is that students, staff, and other interested will find knowledge and inspiration for future branching of change research and projects in this river delta of change.

Ten years ago, in 2013, the department of design was undergoing transformation after the merger to Linnaeus University. Head of department Sara Hyltén-Cavallius led the work to create new, research-based design programmes via training and recruitment of staff. Sara had a strong vision that design education could be at the forefront of the transition to sustainable futures. This attracted me and I accepted the assignment as deputy head of department.

After four years, I took over as head of department with Ola Ståhl as deputy head (later Zeenath Hasan took over the role), by this time the bachelor’s programmes Design + Change and Visual Communication + Change had started, we had a research platform and the first external research funding had landed. Professor Mathilda Tham had, and still has, a great focus on involving everyone in the development of the department’s research – a good start was the joint construction of the physical research platform and the invitation to everyone at the department to participate in the article “Metadesigning Design Research – How can designers collaboratively grow a research platform?”.

Since 2022, Zeenath Hasan is the one who leads the department’s work with Tobias Svensén as deputy head. When Zeenath asked me earlier this year to compile the department’s research, the result was River of Change/Research, based on the more comprehensive River of Change (contains all the department’s operational areas) developed by Sara Hyltén Cavallius and me with contributions from staff in the spring of 2023.

Allow me to proudly present River of Change/Research:

The Department of Design was an underdog on the design and research scene. We started a co-creative process to explore how our interests and skills could contribute in a local and global society.

We explored our research directions by physically making a shelf together – focusing on + Change as our overarching identity.

Workshop with Åbäke and Thomas Bush. Collaborative exploration of ‘Curious design change’, designing and building the shelf.

We adopted and developed the metadesign nested design framework to emphasise agency beyond the product.

We designed and offered two research courses on design research in practice to support all staff to take the step into research.

The co-creative process led to identification of four research areas.

We invited everyone to collaborate on a paper about our process of co-creating the research environment, to encourage everyone to step into writing and disseminating.

We launched our research platform in the faculty and region with a co-creative workshop exploring potential collaboration points. This led to the establishment of Småland Living Lab, which achieved membership in European Network of Living labs.

Regional launch of Småland Living Lab.

We achieved our first external research funding from Tillväxtverket, EU Regional Development Fund. Project leader of BOOST Metadesign Mathilda Tham, with Sara Hyltén-Cavallius and Åsa Ståhl. With Smart Housing Småland, SP, Jönköping University and Träcentrum.

Yearly research day with students and staff, here theme Potato.

Yearly research day with students and staff, here theme Volcanoe.

After 6 years as Head of Dept, Sara Hyltén-Cavallius start as a PhD student in collaboration with Lund University and supported by the Faculty.

Our first post-doc fellowship, in Transgender and Design, Anthony Wagner arrives.

Getting staff and student training in Nonviolent Communication.

Un/making Matters – maintenance, repair and composting, funded by VR, Project leader Åsa ståhl, with Kristina Lindström, Malmö University.

Petra Lilja, Anthony Wagner and Ola Ståhl performance/presentation at VR conference in Piteå

We received funding from Vinnova for the project Transnational Living Lab for Active Ageing, in collaboration with Tokyo University. Project leader Mathilda Tham with Sara Hyltén-Cavallius.

Yearly research day with students and staff, here theme Waste.

Research communication, PODD: We’re shopping Mother Earth to death and we need to change our approach to consumption.

Integrating research and education. The results of the 2nd year BFA course Design and Pedagogy win Form award at Stockholm Furniture Fair.

We share results of BOOST Metadesign in a hybrid toruring performance/lecture/exhibition and in a Home ecologics recipe book. Mathilda Tham, Sara Hyltén-Cavallius and Åsa Ståhl.

Our two PhD students within Home and sustainability start, in collaboration with MAU and supported by The Bridge. Sara Gottschalk and Juliana Restrepo.

Integrating research and education. In their very first course, 1st year BFA students explore collaboration with different species, together with Kultivator.

We start working on a shared + Change archive, facilitated by Christina Zetterlund.

Lära om arkivet, funded by Statens kulturråd and Region Kalmar Län starts. Project leader Christina Zetterlund.

From two generative work sites, comprising the Food Lab on campus and an urban farm called TheDirt off-campus, students and staff conduct research explorations. Project leader Zeenath Hasan, with students and in collaboration with Växjö Kommun.

Earth Logic fashion action research plan was launched at London Fashion Week in 2020, and led to new policy, industry, education and media initiatives. Mathilda Tham and Kate Fletcher, UAL.

Digital research seminar involving BFA students and alumni within project Reimagining Living with Others, collaboration with Kolding School of Design and Aalto University, funded by Nordforsk. (Mathilda Tham and Åsa Ståhl, DE)

“Waste stories”, Stephanie Carleklev, Stephan Hruza, Anna-Karin Arvidsson preparing for Biennial International Conference for the Craft Sciences: Craft in action, University of Gothenburg.

he project Troll perceptions in the Heartlands begins, funded by VR. Katarina Bonnevier, Mariana Alves, Therese Kristiansson.

Funded in a collaboration between Formas, Public Art Agency Sweden, ArkDes, the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning and the Swedish National Heritage Board. Project Leader Åsa Ståhl, with Stephan Hruza, Mathilda Tham and Svenja Keune.

Regenerative Energy Communities, funded by the Swedish Energy Agency. Project leader Eric Snodgrass, with Helen Pritchard, Miranda Moss and Daniel Gustafsson.

Forest Meetings – cross-disciplinary and sectoral online seminars exploring tensions and possibilities around the forest. Project leader Mathilda Tham, with Åsa Ståhl, Juliana Restrepo, Jorge Zapiko, and +Change alumni Miranda Moss and Nasra Rashiid.

Staff at VR Conference in Luleå.

Yearly research day with students and staff here theme care, community and communication.

Conference supported by funding from Regenerative Energy Communities, and the Institute for Experimental Design and Media Culture (IXDM), Switzerland.

Funded by The Swedish Research Council, project leader Åsa Ståhl in cooperation with HDK-Valand, Malmö University and Umeå University.

Our second post-doc fellowship, in Valuing Water, within The Bridge. Juan Velasquez.

The exhibition is produced by Designarkivet and summarizes the three-year project LÄRA OM ARKIVET run by the exhibition’s curator, Christina Zetterlund.

Earth Logic Design as cultural entrepreneurship, within InKuis, funded by Kamprad Foundation starts. Project leader Mathilda Tham, with Åsa Ståhl and post-doc fellow Maja Frögård.