Design Archives: Sustainable Solutions for Young Designers in Valencia, Spain

Abstract

Design education is practical and theoretical; however, it does not usually include the study of cultural heritage. Nonetheless, relations with academia have been strong since the 18th century, when the need to educate designers spread across the continent to improve design and make it competitive in the market. In this paper, we recover that spirit and act as mediators between heritage and young people to create links and preserve cultural heritage. A case study was conducted at the Public Valencian Design School with 31 product design students. The methodology applied was based on iterative processes that allowed students to discover design and silk heritage when they proposed innovative ways of approaching it. A qualitative survey was used to evaluate the case study. The results showed that students increased their appreciation for cultural heritage (by more than 90%) as well as their willingness to preserve it and reuse it in their future creations. Collaboration between cultural heritage and design might foster sustainable conservation and mark the future steps of ongoing collaboration.

Technological Tools for the Conservation and Dissemination of Valencian Design Archives

“…A place to preserve, protect and disseminate the legacy of Valencian designers, the history and evolution from the applied arts and product design, with a markedly future-oriented character through the enhancement of the collections and their dissemination thanks to an intelligent computational system featuring cutting-edge technologies to improve our understanding of Valencian and European design. However, it also aims to become a national and international reference for future generations [49], an engine of economic and sustainable development for the Valencian industry and an agent of innovation [50]. Our aim is to become an international reference for future generations, an engine of economic and sustainable development for the European industry, and an agent of innovation [51].…”

“…UNESCO set the preservation of "culture and cultural pluralism as tools for more resilient and peaceful societies" [50], as central social qualities in resistance against old and new crises. The AVD contributes to raising awareness of culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development (in addition to the traditional three, environment, economy, and society) and to the EU Council's understanding of cultural heritage as a "strategic resource for a sustainable Europe" [51].…”

“…The bottom-up approach has proven particularly successful in reaching all social groups, including the most disadvantaged. This will be achieved by involving young designers in the project activities through activities created specifically for them, and working with the EASD has already proved to have some positive results, especially when working with heritage and innovation [50].…”

Photo Archives: Preserving Memories

“…Another study entitled Design Archives: Sustainable Solutions for young designers in Valencia, Spain focuses on the relationship between three elements, namely design education, cultural heritage, and technology [4]. Several studies have combined these three elements, showing archives' role in designer curriculum development.…”

Virtual Vistas: Exploring the Evolution of E-Design and Virtual Design for Sustainable Assessment

“…Through this approach, our aim is to cultivate a more profound comprehension of these disciplines and ignite forthcoming advancements. The exploration can be conceptualised as a multi-faceted work that encompasses various components and stages [3]- [6]. These components include planning, preparation, execution, and analysis.…”