What we do

Design Matters is currently devised and delivered by staff at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design.

We see Design Matters as a portfolio of tools that can be arranged into a number of different activities and events depending on the requirements of our audience and partners. Activities such as a week long summer school allows students to experience all of the key tools that we use to introduce the process of designing for the built environment.

As we aim not to enter into partnerships that only provide one short point of engagement with young people, most participants take part in more than one type of session with us or have access to other opportunities through the partnerships we make. This helps to build their confidence as well as their design expertise and offers a means for progression.

For example we have delivered:

  • Half day sessions based around visits to galleries, museums and key events in the design and architecture calendar that introduce discussions about design and architecture. These generally lead onto a week-long summer school
  • Two day workshops which combine ‘behind the scenes’ research visits to spaces such as the Olympics site with a studio workshop session. These points students onto further activities such as experiential portfolio advice sessions
  • Half day studio workshop session/s that lead onto a (pop-up) exhibition of the work created
  • A three day condensed summer school session, focused on responding to a particular issue, such as youth spaces

All activities are documented to provide a record a digital portfolio of work for the young people. This also helps to provide a visual diary of for the project of activities to date.

You will find more details of the tools and activities within the Design Matters publication, Drawing on Windows.

design studiosides