Design

Our research environment combines artistic and scientific approaches and working methods. This allows us to develop design research that moves between exploratory design, critical thinking, empirical investigation and co-creation to reach new insights, knowledge and solutions.

Profile and keywords

Our research profile is focused on sustainable development in a broad sense. We study how design can contribute to optimising social and environmental aspects and to making visible and managing goal conflicts. We strive for research that makes a difference for the environment, people, organisations and society. Issues of the environment, diversity and accessibility are central, with a particular focus on universal design – a critical perspective that challenges entrenched categorisations and strives to create environments and systems that work for everyone, without reducing people to "us" and "them".

Doctoral students and ongoing research

Anna-Sara Fagerholm, who researches universal design and recycling.

Linda Maria Thompson, who researches artistic design with a focus on photography.

Semra Sahin Haglund, who researches universal design, equity and pelvic floor health.

Research in two tracks

The research structure takes place through two parallel tracks:

Internal resources: we support employees who want to start doctoral studies, strengthen research at the senior level and establish new roles such as research designer (a similar role to a research engineer) to be able to conduct research in the ways we believe in.

External collaboration: we build strategic alliances with other researchers and organisations, prioritise publications that strengthen our visibility, and strive to be the initiators of collaborations and networks. Every year we arrange the Design Day, a full-day event that combines lectures, the opening of the year's degree projects and the final design mingle.

Connection to education

The link between education and research is central. Our programmes and courses in photography, graphic design and industrial design are strongly rooted in the artistic tradition, while at the same time opening up to scientific methods and theory formation. This duality – combining art and science – gives our students the ability to analyse, shape and change. In the same way, it gives our research relevance, rigour and reach, where different disciplines and creative and analytical dimensions interact.