Society. Spaces. Screens

Abstract

“Given that buildings are some of the largest objects made and experienced by humans, it was surprising to find that the designers of these objects were so far removed from the craftsmanship of making them.” (Thomas Heatherwick, Making, 2012). The influences of handmade craftsmanship and digital fabrication on digital innovation and the future of spatial practice are topical discourse and research themes. However, the integration of digital handmade techniques, including advanced manufacturing technologies like 3D printing and laser cutting, in interior design education remains relatively underexplored. This paper explores the synthesis of handmade craftsmanship and digital fabrication in design production. It explores activities such as folding, tessellating, and sectioning, merging them with digital fabrication and prototyping to foster problem-solving and critical thinking in design education. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution increasingly intertwines digital technologies with daily life, design students are emerging as key players in innovating with these technologies. This paper presents a case study on digital fabrication and making within interior design education, emphasising the need to equip students with technical skills for designing, making, and constructing using new technologies. It presents a third-year interdisciplinary interior design project where students conceptualise, develop, and fabricate a multifunctional structure that integrates ‘the handmade’ and digital fabrication. Students explore craft-making techniques such as origami and macramé, advanced manufacturing technology and materials technology, including recyclable materials, envisioning the final product as a movable membrane within a contemporary interior space. The incredible positive design outcomes from this approach prompt questions about how the digital handmade can guide the evolution of design production and how digital-era technologies will shape future emerging pedagogies.