Hi Ken et al
Ken Friedman <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>Mathematics was not taught in the craft-based schools of art and design from
>which contemporary art and design schools descended.
I think they started teaching maths to design students at HfG Ulm.
From what I've read the school - intended by some to be Germany's 'New Bauhaus'
- was originally founded on craft-based principles (directed by Max Bill, the
first architecture students helped to construct the school's buildings).
However, later on theoretical courses were introduced including scientific
method, mathematics etc. - (by Tomas Maldonado, Horst Rittel)
A split developed between the theoretical and studio courses - The theorists
and practitioners could not get along and this contributed to the school's
eventual collapse.
However, my view is that design practice needs theoretical foundations
(including maths) ! But theory should be introduced in a way that complements
practice - the two should intermesh.
I think it's like great jazz musicians who require a phenomenal theoretical
knowledge of music (chords, scales, harmony etc) in order to be able to
improvise and play along with other musicians. Sometimes the theoretical
knowledge is explicit, sometimes it's tacit
Best wishes
Peter
The story surrounding collapse of HfG Ulm is described in:
Friemart C and Bruttel T (2003) 'Tomas Maldonano: From Buenos Aires to Ulm' in
'Form und Zweck No 20' pp 15 -21
Also discussed briefly in Buchanan, R (1995) 'Wicked Problems in Design
Thinking' in 'The Idea of Design' Margolin and Buchanan (eds) MIT Press
Peter Walters
PhD Student
Sheffield Hallam University
http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/cs/cri/adrc/research2/peterwalters
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