Professor Daniel Charny
- Kingston School of Art
- Department of 3D Design
- School of Design
Professor of Design
About
'The role of designing and making in our future lives' with a focus on social sustainability is at the heart of my practice. My research as Professor of Design at Kingston School of Art is practice-centred. I have a keen interest in new formats and programmes that enable creativity, design innovation (especially if it's for social and environmental benefit) and learning. As curator, my major works include Power of Making (2011), Future of Fixing (2014) and Design Maker User (2016). Notable projects as founding creative director include The Maker Library Network (2014-2017), Central Research Laboratory (2015), and the ongoing Fixperts learning programme (since 2012).
Design education is a constant strand of my work, including a significant period as a full-time Senior Tutor at the RCA. Since 2012, I've been interested in open-source design teaching and learning formats and developed the Fixperts framework, which has been taught in over 40 higher education institutes across 20 countries. In 2020, it was acknowledged with the Sir Misha Black Award for Innovation in Design Education. In 2022, I was awarded an MBE for services to design and creativity.
I've devised and delivered courses, workshops, think tanks, seminars, and talks internationally, including in China, Denmark, Spain, Turkey, and Mexico. As an expert advisor, I contribute to EU research projects, including the Horizon2020 CAPS MAKE-IT, Creative Europe Fund DDMP, and the Fab City Global initiative. I'm a member of the Design Museum Curatorial Committee and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the V&A Museum.
Currently, I continue developing new formats alongside Fixperts for schools. These programmes are developed and run by Forth, a community interest company that believes in the power of creativity as a tool for social change. We are also a partner on Make It Open, an EU Commission research project for open schooling through science learning and maker education.
Qualifications
- MARCA (Industrial Design)
- FHEA
- BA (Industrial Design)