Integrating Craft and Community in Design Education

Abstract

Fraternity of Design is a dynamic field that provides a multidimensional understanding, imbibes creativity, and enables an individual’s dynamic skills. In times of globalization, individuals, society, and the world are undergoing dynamic changes where the definition of context is becoming relative. The pedagogy of learning design needs to be periodically evaluated to comprehend how the impact of the same shall contribute to addressing the changing needs in meaningful ways. India is a country with a rich cultural history where many craft practices have originated from diverse communities and are still in practice. These artisans have evolved the craft forms while answering the social-cultural-economical, functional needs of the society. The sensitivity towards the selection of materials, and innovation of techniques suggest the sustainable approach in designing the product where the wastage is the bare minimum. Moreover, the craft forms ranging from pottery to textiles, to artifacts are made with enriching motifs, patterns, and carvings; signifying the visual and aesthetic values glorifying the culture and context of their origin. Learning about crafts from these traditional communities provides holistic development, from the origin of the idea to its realization through tangible forms. The pedagogy cultivates empathy amongst learners towards the culture and cultural bearings of the craft community. Further, the methodology fosters design thinking enabling problem-solving to address arising challenges. The innovative approach with sensitivity towards the community, provides the creation of new platforms to expand the craft forms. The paper investigates the role of craft and community through empirical research methods.

Presenters

Foram Bhatt
Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, ANANT National University, Gujarat, India

Jasmine Gohil
Professor/Associate Dean Academics, School of Architecture, Anant National University, Gujarat, India

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Design Education

KEYWORDS

Craft, Community, Culture, Tradition, Sustainability, Design Thinking, Pedagogy