Which should the role of a design school be, in facing the
emerging ethical, social, economic and environmental concerns
related to human activities? How do design communities interact
with society at large, and the planet? What is the ultimate goal
of the learning experience? What kind of training should be
expected for a (future) designer?
This article develops ideas that can help to address these
questions. First, with a short review on the relations between
academic communities and their environments in a series of relevant
design schools of last century. The review sets the field on
which XXI century design training is grounded, and opens the
reflection on how to develop their values, concerns and practices.
Later, through the experience at ELISAVA, Barcelona School of
Design and Engineering. A series of cases are deployed, with
the concurrence of BA Undergraduate programs with Research
Masters, traditional design disciplines with emerging programs
as the Master in Creative Process, showcasing the wide and transdisciplinary
nature of learning experience.
Triggered by the school’s particular background and environment,
and stressing the importance of interactions, context
and materiality, a series of threads are suggested to nurture the
discussion on design education.