Design is a broad term relating to the creation and planning of objects, systems, buildings, interiors, roads, art, sound, food, fashion, vehicles, machinery, virtual reality, websites, mobile apps and much more.
The meaning of design can greatly vary from one field to another depending on its application.
Design schools describe design as much as an art as it is a science.
It’s not just about making things look, sound and feel good but also about how things work without failing.
At the Valletta Design Cluster, we believe that by engaging in activities that improve social well-being we serve better our communities and fulfil our role as a platform for empowerment and exchange. We are looking for people hailing from different backgrounds including artisans, those interested in robotics and technology and any other people hailing from different backgrounds, who are eligible to use the space.
To this effect, our understanding of design is informed by principles of inclusivity, co-creation and experimentation. Cultural practice, sustainable enterprise, and socially-engaged initiatives can be important contributors in translating this vision into reality.
Inspired by these principles, the working definition of design that guides the Valletta Design Cluster, in engaging with its community of users and members, is the following:
‘Design is a user-centred approach to problem-solving that can be applied across the private and public sectors to drive innovation in products, services, society and even policy-making by putting people first.’
This working definition is based on the work developed in Design4Innovation, an Interreg Europe project of which the Valletta Design Cluster has been a partner since 2017. Further to this, the Valletta Design Cluster has been engaging locally and internationally with design practice and design policy for the past five years.
The Valletta Design Cluster has been a full member of the Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA) since 2016. It has also been engaging with the Design Justice Network, with a view to developing and applying an understanding of design and design practice that is empowering, inclusive and relevant to today’s challenges and opportunities.
The Valletta Design Cluster, a new creative and cultural space dedicated to design in the capital run by the Valletta Cultural Agency, has recently launched its Membership Scheme. For full details visit the Valletta Design Cluster ‘Become a Member’ page.
