Design Histories
Research Hub


The UAL Design Histories Research Network is now officially recognised as a Research Hub based at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. We will set up a dedicated online presence for the hub on Elements, as well as work on building the hub's visibility on the official UAL/LCC website. We hope this will further support our aim to make research in design history visible across UAL.

Open to all across the university, the hub aims to connect those researching, teaching, or practicing at the intersections of design and history.

If you’d like to be more closely involved in organising or shaping upcoming activities, please get in touch with the convenors:


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








Call for Papers: Teaching with Archives


The Design Histories Research Hub invites contributions from within and beyond UAL for Teaching with Archives, a one-day symposium taking place online on Friday 19 March 2027. Read more


New: Writing Group 


We are launching an online Writing Group. The group will meet once per term for a two hour session where colleagues can work together to develop and share ideas. The group is open to UAL students and staff. Join the sessions if you're keen to find a dedicated space to develop your writing and discuss your work in a friendly and supportive environment.

Thursday, 19 November 2026, 14:00–16:00. Sign up

Thursday, 4 February 2027, 14:00–16:00. Sign up

Thursday, 15 April 2027, 14:00–16:00. Sign up



Past events

2025–26
WiP Lunchtime Seminar Series


The seminars ran online from 2–3pm every third Wednesday of the month during the 2025/2026 academic year. Structured as informal presentations of 20–30 minutes, followed by discussion, the seminars provided an opportunity to receive feedback from colleagues on projects engaging with design history.

The programme below lists the confirmed speakers who took part in the series. Thank you to everyone who presented and contributed to the discussions.

18 March
◆ Joumana Ibrahim ◆ Lecturer in Graphic Branding & Identity at LCC shared her work Urban Surfaces and the Politics of Traces.

18 February
◆Keyi Zhang ◆ PhD Candidate at CSM shared work about her ongoing doctoral research: Constructing the Post-Socialist Body in Globalising China: The Visibility and Materiality of Tracksuits from the Socialist Era to Reform.

17 December
◆ J.P. Hartnett ◆ shared an update from the research project What’s a (Typographic) World?, originally presented at the symposium.

26 November
◆ Rujana Rebernjak ◆ shared work about her monograph titled Designing Modern Yugoslavia: Everyday Life and the Material Culture of Self-Management, 1945–1990.

2025
Symposium





Visit the symposium webpage for more information and to view selected presentation slides.