JOUR FIXE with Karmen Franinovic

At the time in which the adjectives “interdisciplinary” and “transdisciplinary” appear in the subtitle of almost every creation-based research project (be it in art, design or architecture), it is necessary to question those notions through concrete examples, and explore a variety of qualities that emerge in cross-discplinary work. In this talk, I will open some of my architecture, art and design projects for discussion, exposing the ways of working and collaborating with other fields, such as psychology, sociology and engineering. From strict psychoacoustic experiments to an inspiring exchange with stroke patients, from urban play and disobedience to carbon powdered hands in material science labs, we will navigate through questions of methodology, scientific rigor, unlearning, experiment and exploration.

 

Karmen Franinovi is Professor of Interaction Design at the Zurich University of the Arts and the co-founder of Zero-Th, an independent research organization exploring social and sensorial interactions in public space. Working at the crossroad between design, architecture, art and science, she publishes on topics of responsive environments, sonic interaction, enactive theories and methodologies. Her first co-edited book, “Sonic Interaction Design”, is coming out in Spring 2013 on MIT Press. Previously to moving to Zurich, Karmen taught interactive arts at Concordia University in Montreal and interior design at NABA in Milano. She also worked as an architect on large scale public buildings with AltenArchitekten (Berlin) and ArchA studio (Torino). Her projects have been presented at and commissioned by Ircam/Centre Pompidou (Paris), SF Camerawork (San Francisco), Miami Bienal, MoMA Ljubljana, DEAF (Rotterdam), The Junction (Cambridge), Fondazione Sandretto (Torino), Fondation Verdan (Lausanne) and others. Karmen holds the Laurea degree with Honours in Architecture from IUAV, (Venice, Italy), the Master’s degree from Interaction Design Institute Ivrea (Italy) and the PhD degree in Art and Media from University of Plymouth.

 

"Jour Fixe concept"