Foreword by Dr Kate Hislop

I write the foreword to this edition of the catalogue as a letter to our students. Under the weight of crises unfolding relentlessly in the world around us we must not forget the power, purpose, poetry and promise of human ingenuity and creativity. Imagination is central to this School’s courses of study, as are the propensities for innovative and critical thinking, for analytical exploration, and integrative resolution. We learn, teach, research, study and practice in fields that rely on these abilities to sustain themselves.

A recent trip overseas brought this home to me with surprising and welcome force. Amongst a plethora of iconic and everyday marvels visited, a handful of objects and places of the past replenished my optimism for the future. The Weissenhofsiedlung housing estate (Stuttgart 1927), Barbican Complex (London, by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon 1965-76), and Munich Olympic Stadium (Gunther Behnisch and Frei Otto, 196872), are remarkable for the way that they were expansively envisaged, planned and designed environments. These have endured through crises and change for generations, underlining the constancy of human imagination and ambition, the importance of detailed consideration and empathy, and the transformative potential of creative works. Equally, the Soane Museum (London, Sir John Soane, 1808-12) and a few of the highlights at the Louvre (as well as the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samoth Race and the Venus de Milo) revealed something deeply life affirming – that for centuries people have been engaging in the social, cultural and technical acts of creating art, buildings, memorials, landscapes and places.

In a similar way, the work of our students gives confidence that the creative spirit is ever-present and fundamentally an optimistic force with the capacity to shape futures that will be sustaining (and sustainable). In this catalogue we see a sample of the intellect, the poetry and the care that informs their work. I hope you see it too yourselves. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to invest time and energy into pursuits that bring joy, meaning, shelter and security to our societies, although there is always more to be done.

My thanks as always to the School of Design staff who led units, mentored projects and supported students. And huge thanks once again to the team of Lara Camilla Pinho, Andy Quilty and Samantha Dye for producing another fabulous issue for the Exhibition Catalogue collection.

Dr Kate Hislop

Dean/Head of School