Symposium The Design of History and the History of Design


London College of Communication
15 September, 2025



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SpeakerS and Abstracts:

Huda Almazroua
Alberto Atalla Filho
Russ Bestley
Kevin Biderman
Silvia Bombardini
David Cross
Dora Souza Dias
Sam Gathercole
Ian Horton and Ian Hague
Jennifer Hankin
Zarna Hart
John-Patrick Hartnett
Fenella Hitchcock
Abbie Vickress and Sakis Kyratzis
Christopher Lacy
Timothy Miller
Danah Nassief
Jesse O’Neill
Nina O’Reilly
Patrick O’Shea
David Preston
Cheryl Roberts
Rebecca Ross
Antoin Sharkey
Andrew Slatter
Kate Trant
Vanessa Vanden Berghe
Judy Willcocks
Christin Yu



A symposium for UAL’s Design History research community


The Design of History and the History of Design is a one-day symposium that maps research into, through or at the boundaries of design history at UAL. While design history may underpin our teaching across different disciplines, research in design history across UAL is somewhat hidden. This symposium aims to share and make visible the work of researchers (staff and students) at all career stages across all UAL colleges.

Exploring the intersections of historical narrative and design practice, it examines how history is constructed, represented, and mediated through design, and how the discipline of design itself is shaped by its evolving historiography.

The symposium will serve as the starting point for a Design History Network at UAL, bringing together researchers from across the university. It also lays the foundation for a welcoming research community in design history, with potential for ongoing events, collaboration, publications, and curriculum development.

If you have any questions or would like to be involved in future activities, please get in touch with the convenors:

Rujana Rebernjak
r.rebernjak@lcc.arts.ac.ukTai Cossich
t.cossich@lcc.arts.ac.uk
Please also sign up for the UAL Design Histories Newsletter





    10:00–10:15


    Welcome Address
    Lecture Theatre B    Welcome Address
    Lecture Theatre C
    10:15–11:45

    Material Traces, Mediated Histories
    A panel about objects and environments as sites of cultural memory, identity, and power.

    Cheryl Roberts
    Patrick O'Shea
    Nina O'Reilly
    Vanessa Vanden Berghe

    Moderation: Rujana Rebernjak
    Lecture Theatre B 




    Practicing History, Designing Methods
    A panel about how design, making, speculation, and practice become ways of doing history differently.

    Alberto Atalla Filho
    Sam Gathercole
    David Preston
    Huda Almazroua

    Moderation: Tai Cossich
    Lecture Theatre C

    11:45–12:15    Break 

    12:15–14:00



    Shaping Design: Pedagogy, Institutions, and Histories
    A panel about the forces, pedagogies, institutions, and narratives that shape design and its histories.

    Dora Souza Dias
    Andrew Slatter
    Ian Horton and Ian Hague
    Judy Willcocks
    Kate Trant

    Moderation: Cheryl Roberts
    Lecture Theatre B     Resistant Practices, Contested Narratives
    A panel on how alternative voices, subcultures, and radical practices challenge dominant narratives.

    Fenella Hitchcock
    Russ Bestley
    Kevin Biderman
    Abbie Vickress and Sakis Kyratzis
    Jesse O'Neill

    Moderation: David Preston
    Lecture Theatre C 
    14:00–14:30    Break

    14:30–16:15



    Designing Worlds, Rewriting Histories
    A panel about design as a way of constructing worlds, histories, and identities.

    John-Patrick Hartnett
    Antoin Sharkey
    Christin Yu
    Zarna Hart
    Danah Nassief

    Moderation: Rujana Rebernjak
    Lecture Theatre B 
    Disputed Histories, Emerging Futures
    A panel about reframing, reimagining, and re-authoring design histories across labour, ecology, institutions, and media.

    Christopher Lacy
    Timothy Miller
    David Cross
    Jennifer Hankin
    Rebecca Ross

    Moderation: Tai Cossich
    Lecture Theatre C 

      16:15    Closing Plenary and Concluding Address
                          Lecture Theatre B