Visions for Future Cities from the Royal College of Art’s Intelligent Mobility Research Centre
The Royal College of Art’s Intelligent Mobility Design Centre (IMDC) is hosting a research symposium ‘Transformation – Arts <> Cities <> Mobility <> Products <> Services <> Technology’, which is taking place in the Senior Common Room at the RCA on 4 July, 9.30am – 3.30pm. This one day event offers the opportunity to hear guest industry speakers – including Pratap Bose, Head of Design for Tata Motors – and RCA researchers, designers and practitioners explore the complex challenges of future urban mobility from a range of disciplinary perspectives.
Professor Dale Harrow, Chair and Director of the IMDC, will deliver a keynote presentation and there will be panel discussions with guest industry speakers, including: Pratap Bose, Head of Design, Tata Motors; Dr Ben Watson, Innovation Leader, 3M; Dr Melanie Flory, founder of MindRheo; and Steven Kennedy, Associate Principal at Grimshaw.
The discussions will be grouped around three themes – ‘Transforming Cities and Society’, ‘Transforming Creativity and Practice’ and ‘Transforming Mobility and Technology’ – and will address the challenges of future urban mobility from varied disciplinary perspectives, including robotics, intelligent mobility, city design, neuroscience, engineering, curation, public art, fashion and soundscapes.
Dr Cyriel Diels, Deputy Director, IMDC, commented: ‘The mix of technological maturation and largely environmental imperatives has led to unprecedented innovations in mobility. We have seen entire industries being disrupted and can foresee a transformation of our lifestyles and cities. The symposium showcases the collaborative and interdisciplinary approach of the IMDC and the wider RCA engaging in a critical discourse exploring the role of art and design.’
As the event demonstrates, the issue of how people move around cities cannot be solved simply by transportation specialists, there is a need for global interdisciplinary expertise and insights from all sectors of society. At a time when the highest percentage of the population is living in cities, art and design are interpreting and providing solutions in a unique way. New concepts are starting to be imagined and tested, such as the sharing economy, circular services and expanding the scope of designing for disabilities to better serve the whole population.
Guest presentations at the symposium include:
Pratap Bose – “Connecting Aspirations through Design”
RCA alumnus Pratap Bose is Head of Design for Tata Motors, leading a team of 180 creative staff in three global design studios in India, UK and Italy, that are responsible for the design of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Before joining Tata Motors in 2007, Pratap worked in international companies such as Piaggio&C SpA, Italy, Mitsubishi Motors, Japan, Mercedes-Benz, Japan.
Dr Ben Watson – “New Models for Innovation”
Ben Watson is Innovation Leader, 3M, where he leads global research and development, to commercialise intelligent transportation systems technology. He has more than 20 years of global design experience and design leadership, is passionate about human centred design (with a PhD in Human Centred Systems Design), and has made developing new growth platforms a top priority.
Dr Melanie Flory – “Brains in the City: Neuroscience and Urban Design”
Melanie Flory is the founder of MindRheo, a neuroscience-based consultancy that works with innovative individuals, thought leaders, designers and entrepreneurs to build the new capacities needed for sustainable futures.
Steven Kennedy – “What do SMALL projects give BIG architecture?”
Steven Kennedy is an Associate Principal at international architecture studio Grimshaw, where he is expanding his experience on a diverse portfolio of projects, collaborating with clients to achieve innovative design solutions. He is also a director of Scale Rule – a collective of architects and engineers promoting diversity, community participation and public engagement in the built environment.
Alongside the guest speakers there will also be contribution from academics across the RCA. This includes: Rama Gheerawo – Director Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design; Dr Sina Sareh – Academic Leader Robotics; Professor Ashley Hall – Professor of Design Innovation; Dr Chris Thorpe – Acting Head of Intelligent Mobility MA Programme; Rebecca Heald – Tutor, Curating Contemporary Art; Dr Matt Lewis – Research Tutor, Digital Direction and Information Experience Design; and Dr Chris McGinley – Research Fellow Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design.There will also be presentations from research students across the RCA including: Bruna Ferreira Montuori – School of Architecture; Nigel Garnett – School of Design; and Marina Hadjilouca – School of Arts and Humanities
Professor Stephen Boyd Davis, Professor of Design Research and Professor Jeremy Myerson, Helen Hamlyn Chair of Design, will also be chairing panels at the event.
Transformation – Arts <> Cities <> Mobility <> Products <> Services <> Technology
4 July 2019, 9.30am–3.30pm
Senior Common Room, Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU
Register to attend the event here.
The Intelligent Mobility Design Centre is currently open to applications from PhD students, find out more about the centre here.