Speculations on The Future Design School Structure — Introduction to Design Education — 2022-12

Chapter written with Ben Stopher exploring four potential future scenarios for the design school of the future and the studio. The pieces explore contemporary thinking on automation and data-driven processes in education, immersive environments and radical alternative modles including pop-up schools and decentralisation. The chapter is part of Stephen Faerm’s Introduction to Design Education; Theory, Research, and Practical Applications for Educators. 


Within the context of the design school, it is likely that post-COVID-19, the changes that will happen in national, regional, political, economic, and socio-technical contexts will directly impact the institution. It is important to acknowledge that allof these factors move slower than technological innovation. This chapter will explore four near-future speculations looking at different ways in which these factors might shape design education’s future. These speculations, of course, are partial and bound by the authors’ experience in the context of UK higher education. We do not think each—if any one—will happen, but they are archetypes and imaginings already discussed and referenced in the design education community, and thus deserve closer examination.

On ResearchGate