Dr Matt Malpass
Title
Reader- Course Leader MA Industrial Design (MAID)
College
Central Saint Martins
Email address
Tags
Researcher Research

Biography
Matt Malpass is a designer and theorist working to advance design’s agency through critical design practice. He is a Reader in Critical Design Practice at University of the Arts London: Central Saint Martins where he leads the Industrial Design Programme. His research works to contextualize the field of critical design practice by considering the approaches used to establish the critical move through design. He advocates design’s agency in tackling complex social, political and environmental problems through critical, speculative, empathetic, plural and participatory design practices. His work explores the role critical and peripheral design practice plays in expanding design’s disciplinary purview. Matt is an experienced Principle Investigator, PhD supervisor, examiner and editor. He has led a number of AHRC and EU funded projects. He is regularly called upon to comment on design issues in academic contexts, design press and popular media.Grants and awards
(Figures indicate amount awarded to UAL)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK Design: Public Services, £42,466.00, (2020-2020)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK Design: Public Services, £42,466.00, (2020-2020)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK Design: Public Services, £42,466.00, (2020-2020)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council, Design Fellowship - Design Research in Public Services, £42,465.48, (2020-2020)
- Erasmus+ - Key Action 2 - Knowledge Alliances, Open Design and Manufacturing: OD&M, €984.86, (2017-2019)
Research Outputs
Article
- Malpass M. Critical Design Practice: Theoretical Perspectives and Methods of Engagement (2016)
- Malpass M. Review: Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming (2015)
- Malpass M. Criticism and Function in Critical Design Practice (2015)
- Malpass M. Between Wit and Reason: Defining Associative, Speculative and Critical Design in Practice (2013)
- Malpass M. Between Wit and Reason: Defining Associative, Speculative and Critical Design in Practice (2013)
- Gamman L, Thorpe A, Malpass M, Liparova E. Hey Babe – Take a Walk on the Wild Side!: Why Role-playing and Visualization of User and Abuser “Scripts” Offer Useful Tools to Effectively “Think Thief” and Build Empathy to Design Against Crime (2012)
Book
- Malpass M. Critical Design in Context: History, Theory, and Practices (2017)
Conference, Symposium or Workshop item
- Malpass M. Perspectives on Critical Design: a Conversation with Ralph Ball and Maxine Naylor (2010)
- Malpass M. Consequences of use: design proposals (2009)
Report
- Tabarés Gutiérrez R, Bartolomé Campino T, García J, Martelloni L, Marmo D, Martínez R, Malpass M, Gregson A. Higher education in the making: reinvigorating learning institutions throughout cross-academic collaborations (2020)
- Malpass M, Salinas L. AHRC Challenges of the Future: Public Services (2020)
- Willcocks M, Malpass M, Toylan G. Graffolution D2.1 - Graffiti vandalism in public areas and transport report and categorisation model (2014)
- Malpass M, Thorpe A, Follows C, Read T, Haywood P, Munro Kerr R, Griffith C, Gunasekera P. Open Design and Manufacturing: UAL Overview
Thesis
Teaching
Current research students
- Xavière Bouyer, The role of Transdisciplinary research and design in Making public at CCI - Pompidou Centre (Lead supervisor)
- Maja Grakalic, Critical and Progressive Design in former Yugoslavia. (Lead supervisor)
- Russell Merryman, Interactive Television: Red button services and the development of digital audiences in the UK. (Joint supervisor)
- Oonagh O'Hagan, The Never-Ending Object: considering theories on desire, could anti-counterfeiting techniques and related technologies influence the design of fashion objects and develop our relationship with them? (Lead supervisor)
- Megan Rowden, The bond between maker, material and the audience (Joint supervisor)
- Christina Skarpari, Design tools which facilitate inter-communal dialogue and activate engagement with local vernacular culture, for better coexistence (Lead supervisor)
Past research students
- Roxanne Alves Leitão, Technology-facilitated intimate partner abuse: addressing the issue through codesign with survivors and support workers (Lead supervisor)
- Carla Capeto, Space Dramaturgies; Performative Environments in Interactive Art. (Lead supervisor)
- Giorgio Salani, Towards a taxonomy of artisanal ceramic tableware: a practice-led enquiry into qualities and values in contemporary British and Japanese pottery. (Lead supervisor)
Subjects
3D design and product design