Category: DES

Recent graduate, Catriona Brown had long thought the ubiquitous plastic tree protector was a shocker on the landscape. So she set out to design an alternative. Here she tells the story of Shroom, her newly designed tree protector made of mycelium.

Beautifully crafted, frequently flamboyant yet functional affairs, drinking fountains were a once a common sight across Britain. Now DES is setting out to bring back good-looking fountains and here reveals its latest fountain collaboration with Mirrl of Glasgow.

Christina Gaiger was recently appointed the youngest president, to date of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. Here she talks to Andy Summers about her career path, cycling routes & activism in architecture.

Jack Brindley opened Pavilion Pavilion last year in Glasgow. Both a studio for his own practice & a gallery, it’s a place where the territory between contemporary art & objects of use is explored. July 2020

Archie Brennan was arguably the most inventive tapestry weaver of the 20th century. Here designer, Beca Lipscombe celebrates his work & spearheads a fundraising campaign lead by Edinburgh’s Dovecot Studios and the Art Fund, to present a show of Brennan’s work.
July 2020

‘Our fingertips contain a density of nerve endings and their differentiation is almost comparable to our eyes . . ’
Stuart Bennett explores touch in our new touch-adverse era. July 2020

‘Spatial practitioners’, Daniel Fernández Pascual & Alon Schwabe founded Cooking Sections in 2013. Here they discuss Climavore, their project on the Isle of Skye & why what we eat should focus our minds on food supply chains & ecosystems.

Episode Four – Bute Fabrics, its history and very contemporary collaborations with artists & designers including most recently, Ilana Halperin. Helen Voce reports from the island set in the Firth of Clyde

Kate Morgan writes about the process and practice of chair caning, and how this newly-learnt skill is offering sound, rhythm and vision within a quiet Glasgow interior.

Thanks to support from Outset Contemporary Art Fund through their Outset Transformative Grant, Inverleith House, which sits at the heart of the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, is to be transformed in to Climate House. Emma Nicolson tells us more.

Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen this year present a Virtual Degree Show. Here we are guided to the work of some stand-out graduates by artist Brandon Logan, product designers, Yellow Broom and Neville Rae of designer makers, Old School Fabrications.

This year’s degree shows aren’t in happening in physical spaces but they are very much alive & kicking online. So go explore! Here Briana Pegado, Rachel Adams & Harry Morgan lead the way to ECA’s Graduate Showcase.

DES signposts interesting things to do . . . sit on a park bench, enjoy the view & visit Scotland’s degree shows online. August 2020

Architect Jude Barber discusses thinking afresh, motivation & her recent candidacy to become president of the Royal Institute of British Architects. July 2020

For her final dispatch on place & making, Helen Voce has travelled online to view Scotland’s degree shows to report of contemporary responses to location.

Episode 5 In her latest dispatch looking at place & making, Helen Voce heads to the Outer Hebrides to explore the history & the success of Harris Tweed

Explore Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design’s Graduate Showcase with Lucy Byatt of Hospitalfield & Agency of None.