This case study focuses on the planning and support of student learning through the use of workshops in design education. The teaching context revolves around the concept of workshops as spaces for collective and collaborative learning, where students engage not only with materials and techniques but also with each other’s ideas, values, and perspectives. Through hands-on experiences, students are given the opportunity to critically examine the process of making, which allows them to question the role of design in a fast-paced, consumer-driven world. Workshops, as spaces for critical inquiry, push beyond technical proficiency and allow for the exploration of ethics, sustainability, and social responsibility.
Workshops in design education have long been associated with the development of craft and technical skills. My personal experience studying at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), a school deeply influenced by the Bauhaus, illustrates how workshops were historically situated within a design guild system. These spaces were once primarily concerned with mastering technical execution and craftsmanship. However, as design education has evolved, workshops have shifted from being mere spaces for individual skill development to more complex environments where students can engage with broader, interdisciplinary, and socially conscious design practices. As Paeva (2022) notes, “the power of the co-workshop space lies in its ability to challenge individual practices through collective engagement” (p. 34). This shift reflects the ongoing transformation of design education, where the emphasis is no longer just on the production of objects but on rethinking the relationships between designers, manufacturers, and consumers.
In the context of today’s fast-paced, consumer-driven culture, workshops provide an opportunity to rethink the ethical, environmental, and social dimensions of design. As Cramer (2022) highlights, critical making—an approach that invites students to reflect on the processes and implications of their work—has become increasingly important in design education. In a world driven by efficiency and mass production, where objects are made with little consideration for their environmental and social impact, workshops encourage students to slow down and think critically about the materials they use, the processes they follow, and the broader consequences of their design decisions. The tension between commonality and contrast in design education reflects a deeper need for cooperation, not just between students but between designers and the systems that produce and consume their work.
In addition to engaging with the materiality of design, workshops provide a unique space for face-to-face encounters, offering more direct and collaborative modes of learning. In an increasingly digital world, where technology often mediates our interactions, the workshop acts as a counterbalance to the passivity of screen-based communication. As Groten (2022) suggests, workshops offer “a grounding space for collective learning and personal engagement” (p. 112), where students can exchange ideas, critique each other’s work, and learn in a more embodied and relational way. These interactions, facilitated by the physicality of the workshop, help break the passive relationship many students have with technology, encouraging active participation and deeper engagement with the material aspects of design.
The implications of these insights for design education are significant. Educators must recognize the value of workshops as spaces not only for making but for thinking critically about the ethical and social dimensions of design, but also about critical making. As Cramer (2022) points out, “critical making allows designers to interrogate their work, reconsidering how objects are made, and to what end” (p. 68). By incorporating these critical approaches into workshop practice, educators can help students develop a more responsible and reflective design practice. This involves not only reconsidering the materials used but also examining the production cycle as a whole, from manufacturer to consumer, and exploring the moral responsibility designers have in that cycle.
The action plan for integrating these practices into workshop environments involves creating spaces where students can engage in both making and critical reflection. Workshops should challenge students to question their design choices, encouraging them to think about the social, environmental, and ethical impact of their work. As Paeva (2022) notes, these spaces provide an opportunity for students to “step outside the fast-paced culture of technological efficiency and rediscover the value of slow, mindful making” (p. 56). In addition, educators should use workshops as a platform for fostering face-to-face collaboration, offering students the chance to engage in deep, personal interactions that go beyond the digital realm.
Ultimately, workshops in design education should evolve from being mere spaces for skill development to environments where students can critically engage with the implications of their work. By focusing on the ethical and social dimensions of design and encouraging active participation in the material aspects of creation, educators can help students develop a more thoughtful and responsible approach to design practice. As design education continues to evolve, the workshop must remain a central space for both making and thinking critically about the world around us.
References:
Paeva, V. (2022). Workshop Matters: How Can Access to Co-Workshop Spaces Change a Designer’s Practice? In: Commons in Design. Amsterdam: Valiz.
NanO’Sullivan, (2021). Our Everyday: The Intangible Yet Tangible Tensions Between Commonality, Contrast, and Co-operation within Design Education. Available at: https://openaccess.wgtn.ac.nz/articles/conference_contribution/Our_Everyday_The_Intangible_Yet_Tangible_Tensions_Between_Commonality_Contrast_and_Co-operation_within_Design_Education_/22650766 [Accessed 2 Feb. 2025].
Cramer, F. (2022). Artistic Research and Critical Making. In: Wesseling, J., Cramer, F., & Florian, eds. Making Matters: A Vocabulary for Collective Arts. Amsterdam: Valiz.
The Responsible Object: A History of Design Ideology for the Future. Amsterdam: Valiz.Figuring Things Out Together: Exploring the Workshop as a Concept and Format for Collective Learning and Publishing. Amsterdam: Hackers and Designers.
Metropolism (2022). Researching Collectivity as an Individual: How Is That Going to Work? In: Conversation with Anja Groten. Amsterdam: Metropolism.
The Art of Critical Making: Rhode Island School of Design on Creative Practice. (2022). Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Art_of_Critical_Making.html?id=7ZV4AAAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y [Accessed 2 Feb. 2025].