Facilitate (Path Foundry)
How does one design a context whose main function is facilitating other designers?
Born out of frustration and aiming for bliss, the project explores how a networking structure can be designed to bridge the gap between academic studies and professional life. Navigating the contradiction that is in an industry reliant on networks while higher education institutions struggle with effectively promoting their graduates, and even finding professionals’ emails requires a minor investigation. Based on this, the project is a response to the demand for a more visible display of professional role models.
The goal of the fictive organization, Path Foundry, is to celebrate designers with a connection to the Gothenburg area and provide people with the opportunity and means to reach out, make connections and learn from others. It explores what designed artifacts could help meet these needs and does this through a multi-faceted approach combining digital and analog techniques.
While Path Foundry’s main focus is the website, it has also taken physical form.The Bragging shelf, built for public spaces with connections to the design industry, is a display shelf housing design related publications. The bookshelf with the catalogs can be found in a digital version on the website as well. On the website one can also dive into indepth studio reportages, sort through the curated archive of designers and apply to be featured in it.
If networking isn’t going to be a socio-economic class issue, making creators accessible and their work visible is pivotal.
@josefine.g
josefine.irre@gmail.com
