kaskdesign

Throwback, was happy to host a workshop at last Februari.

The students discovered how to build a participatory practice inspired by traditional crafts and heritage practices, and how an emotional bond can be shaped through crafted textile connections. More than ever before, ‘connection’ is put forward as a starting point in the creation of new objects.

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Design & Connections, a design dialogue between & on 23/04/25 a cirque

Verity-Jane Keefe, visual artist, explores the complex relationship between people and their environment in her work. Through moving images, text, and installation, she examines public space not only as a physical location but also as a place of stories, memories, and interactions. Her practice focuses on urban redevelopment, questioning how art can contribute to making both existing and often invisible communities more visible and empowered.

In this lecture engages in conversation with Irish graphic designer , who approaches graphic design as a critical tool to unravel the complexities of contemporary culture.

During this Design Dialogue, both speakers explore the connections between art, design and urban development, the role of creativity in building meaningful connections, with a focus on interactions within communities, in a time when the relationship between people, space, and culture is constantly evolving.

Design Dialogues is a collaboration between en

Some results of the projectweek workshop ‘Do Not Come to Ghent’ of Ruben Pater ()! collaboration between &

During the projectweek Ruben Pater () gave the one day workshop: ‘Do Not Come to Ghent’

The debate around tourism has reached a self-critical phase, where the city of Ghent invites tourists in an ironic campaign titled ‘Do not come to Ghent’ and ‘Don’t be a tourist’. It seems to suggest Ghent’s tourism is good tourism. Still the result of a rise in tourism is often higher rents and higher prices which ultimately displaces the least wealthy citizens outside of city limits. This process process of gentrification (or ghentrification) is in reality more complicated than ’tourist go home’ and ‘affordable housing now’. Many of us are both occasional tourists and citizens.

During this workshop the students and alumni researched the process of gentrification in Ghent; who benefits from tourism, and what has happened to prices in which areas. Based on the more realistic analysis of gentrification, participants were asked to design messages and/or souvenirs for desired behavior of tourists and citizens that goes beyond simplistic good or bad messages. The result of which is to make the city more livable for everyone.

‘Anti-souvenirs’ were created using the medium of a souvenir as the commidifcation of gentrification; T-shirts and buttons were produced to reflect and question gentification and the role design and consumption play in that process.

Pictures by Merel Dekeyser

03.04.25, 19:00, Boekvoorstelling en Q&A Danah Abdulla, Design Otherwise: Transforming Design Education in the Arab Region

Danah Abdullah stelt haar nieuwe boek Design Otherwise: Transforming Design Education in the Arab Region voor in Kunstenbibliotheek. Ze gaat in gesprek met onderzoeker Sofie Verclyte. De boekvoorstelling is een initiatief van en de vakgroep Design en vormgeving van KASK & Conservatorium i.s.m. .

Hoe kunnen we design bestuderen en onderwijzen op een manier die kritisch, sociaal geëngageerd en plaatsgebonden is? In dit boek daagt Danah Abdulla ons uit om ons een ontwerpopleiding en -cultuur voor te stellen die verder gaat dan het blindelings lenen van Eurocentrische modellen en kaders. Op basis van lessen uit het werk met designstudenten, docenten en ontwerpers in de Arabische regio, met een bijzondere focus op Jordanië en met voorbeelden uit Libanon, Egypte en de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten, creëert Abdulla een dialoog met degenen die het meeste belang hebben bij onderwijs om ons voor te stellen hoe we een collaboratief, contextueel gebaseerd en maatschappelijk relevant designonderwijs kunnen ontwikkelen.

25/03/25
Design & Politics with Ruben Pater, moderated by Liesbeth Huybrechts

What is the responsibility of designers in the climate crisis? In a time when the most important communication platforms are owned by a handful of billionaires, and fake news is simply a business model? As a graphic designer and researcher, Ruben Pater explores this question. In his books The Politics of Design (2016) and CAPS LOCK (2021), he investigates the historical connection between capitalism and design, as well as possible alternatives. How can designers contribute to the public good with a view to a livable, sustainable, and just future?

Together with Professor Liesbeth Huybrechts , who has researched the relationship between design and politics, Ruben Pater examines local examples to explore how a conscious design approach and caring design skills can help visualize, shift, and activate relationships—not only between people but also between humans, the built environment, and nature. This lecture is an invitation to critically reflect on the role of design in a time when cultural sensitivity and political responsibility are more urgent than ever.

Design & Play, a lecture by , moderated by

Can the focus on "play" in design and architecture change the way we experience objects and spaces? In this Design Dialogue, Ghent-based architect Theo De Meyer invites you to explore the potential of play in architecture and design. Under the title “State of Play” he collaborates with Stefanie Everaert to examine the role of play in the design process. Together, they investigate how play uniquely combines form, function, and meaning. Their approach goes beyond pure amusement; the element of play fosters creativity and makes design both accessible and meaningful.