Hi João,
I read The Craftsman when it first came out and I remember I enjoyed it, but I would need to read it again as most of the details have escaped me by now. I see the connection between Sennett and Schön (I can't remember if Sennett actually mentions Schön?), but when reading it I actually wondered if he borrowed the concept of craftmanship from David Pye's work. Does anyone read Pye anymore? I think his writings are quite brilliant for the very convincing, matter-of-fact style of writing and his clear argumentation.
All the best,
Melle
Sent on the move.
> On 27 Jan 2017, at 19:01, João Ferreira <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Ladies and gentleman, brothers and sisters, comrades and friends,
>
> Previous note: Having been indirectly referred in Ken Friedman's original post in the Our New Age of Contempt thread, I felt obliged to make a modest — and fundamentally improvised — contribution to gear discussion on this list (as Mauricion Mejía remarked) back to “design research and PhD design education discussions”. I have said before that being a member of this list is an extraordinary privilege; the way some outstanding authors engage in frank and generous (to all of us reading) discussion is a joy.
>
> Anyway, on with the show.
>
> I have the impression that Richard Sennett’s "The Craftsman" (2008) is seldom cited in journal papers about design. I wonder why that is.
>
> I have read it a couple of times and found his concept of craftsmanship interesting in itself (as a way to describe all human endeavour) and quite insightful for design. At first reading, I gathered that Sennett's idea of craftsmanship interestingly parallels Donald Schön’s conception of design as reflective-practice. Similarly to Schön, Sennett also concentrated on the professions as a whole, and stated that all human activity involves a sort of craftsmanship that the author defines as “the desire to do a job well for its own sake” (p.9). But while the latter is often (and rightfully, I would add) cited the former is (it is my perception) thoroughly ignored.
>
> I find it interesting to note the similarities between Sennett’s description of practice where “every good craftsman conducts a dialogue between concrete practices and thinking; this dialogue evolves into sustaining habits, and these habits establish a rhythm between problem solving and problem finding.” (p.9) and how Schön (1983) defined designing:
>
> I shall consider designing as a conversation with the materials of a situation. A designer makes things. Sometimes he makes the final product; more often, he makes a representation—a plan, program, or image—of an artefact to be constructed by others. He works in particular situations, uses particular materials, and employs a distinctive medium and language. (p.99)
>
> I would also highlight Sennett's critical analysis of the problematic of the predominance of CAD in architecture studios as insightful for anyone interested in design (and drawing in particular).
>
> Therefore, I would at least expect to see Sennett's name pop up every once in a while, but perhaps his work is still recent?
>
> To the design teachers on this list: is The Craftsman referenced in your classes at all? Do you find his conception of craftsmanship a useful framework to understand design?
>
> Sennett, R. (2008). The craftsman. Yale University Press.
>
> Schön, D. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic books.
>
> 'best,
>
> João Ferreira
> PhD candidate TU Delft
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> João Ferreira
> 00351 967089437
> 0031 0619808750
>
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