Shortly after my arrival in Aotearoa to take up my new role as Director of Design in the Elam School of Fine Arts & Design at Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland, I was interviewed by Margo White to explore some of my past work, interests and ideas for the new Design Programmes that were beginning to take shape. Here you can read the full article online: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2021/08/31/angus-campbell-grassroots-design.html
Designing the New Normal
I was invited to write the Thought Leader column for the Lexus Life Magazine July/July 2020 issue where I reflected on “Designing the New Normal.” You can access the article in print on page 2 of the magazine here: https://lexuslife.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Lexus_19_final.pdf “Designing the New Normal | From cars to furniture, housing, clothing, equipment – TECHNOLOGY from here on out is going to need to be considered holistically. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has fuelled an unprecedented rate of change. Many people have taken this forced pause as a moment to reflect on what the new normal might be. This in itself is the crux of design – an opportunity to transform our existing situations into preferred ones. Most people’s homes have become a refuge – and working from home has shown that a more flexible work-life balance is possible. The extended time spent in the home environment has brought about growing … Read More
UJ Cloudebate™: Obsolete or absolute? The Academic Thesis in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is currently leading the 4.0 conversation in Africa. One of the ways in which UJ brings 4.0 and the implications it has for society into public discourse is through UJ Cloudebates™. They are “designed to bring together experts from: business, academic faculties, legal practice, the arts and technology together to engage in thought provoking and insightful discussion about how our world is changing and what part we all have to play in this future.” The debates were initiated last year and take a 4.0 topic and unpack it for virtual audiences through experts who participate in the discussion. I am honoured to have been formally invited to be one of the experts for the next theme – “Obsolete or absolute? The Academic Thesis in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” The Cloudebate™ will take place on Wednesday, 10 April 2019 from 18:00 – 19:00 and you will … Read More
Educating Citizen Designers In South Africa
Another book in which I have a co-authored a chapter, this time with Ivan Leroy Brown, has just been released! The chapter, no. 5 in the book, explores “A Potential Difference Model for Educating Critical Citizen Designers: The Case Study of the Beegin Appropriate Technology Beekeeping System” (pp. 89-108) and features Ivan’s incredible Beegin beehive. “Educating Citizen Designers in South Africa is the first book of its kind to appear in postapartheid South Africa and it is therefore both overdue and extremely welcome. The book aims at sharing critical citizenship design teaching and learning pedagogies by including contributions from a range of design educators, and one student, who work in different design disciplines, such as architecture, graphic and product design. Critical citizenship education is explicated in relation to a range of theories and new and existing models. Numerous contemporary case studies and examples of design projects from a range of South African Higher … Read More
TEDxJohannesburg Salon – Hacking the Farm
I will be speaking on the design of situated technology for urban agriculture at the TEDxJohannesburg Salon – Hacking the Farm on March 1 2018. From http://www.tedxjohannesburg.co.za/hackingthefarm.html : “The nature, texture, and complexion of the farm are changing. The gates are opening—slowly if not surely—to many who were previously excluded. Land reform promises to deliver tangible justice to those who’ve been deprived for far too long. Human population is projected to reach an astounding 9.7 billion by 2050. Every mouth will need to eat, and do so well. Climate change remains a challenge. But human ingenuity is hard to beat. Strategies and tactics will emerge. They must emerge. Business models are shifting—the farm is transforming into a high performance, high growth enterprise. It’s adding value to crops, turning commodities into products, and moving up the supply chain. The modern farm is a brand, with a USP, and a target audience. It … Read More
World Information Architecture Day 2017
I will be speaking at World Information Architecture Day on Saturday, 18 February 2017 The topic of my presentation is “Exploring Human Activity: Technology Innovation on the Periphery” Professional designers often disregard users’ design agency. Negating the power of “lay designers” thus, is arguably at the cost of the relevance of a final design for its intended users. This is nowhere more evident than in so-called “developing” contexts where people have always been driven to design and innovate due to inequality, poverty, and unmet needs. Utilising the framework of activity theory, I will explore exceptional examples of grassroots innovation in South Africa. The aim of this is to encourage expert designers to shift their gaze and align their skills to amplify the efforts of lay designers in order to result in more sustainable and appropriate change. Tickets for the event can be bought at: https://worldiaday2017-johannesburg.eventbrite.com – General admission: R200.00pp (includes lunch, snacks … Read More