| The traditional design studio model, as practiced in contemporary design agencies, reflects a range of constraints to creativity imposed by commercially commissioned work. In order to address these constraints and conceive of alternative design practices, a method is here introduced by which the contributions of anonymous urban actors have been integrated into a daily routine of provocation, documentation, and re-mediation on the part of the designer. The approach is presented as a form of communicative spatial practice, making use of urban and performance theory. It focuses on engaging with communities through graphic design to foster a form of catalytic, co-creative activity. A sequence of performative actions—printing in public—create a working methodology replacing the traditional hierarchical roles of studio practice. This thesis is intended as a strategy for rethinking the role of the graphic designer in the larger context of design, research, and practice. While it values many aspects of traditional design studio methods, it also provides new methods, envisioning an expanded field of practice for graphic designers, and in turn, for the future of graphic design. |
