Craft, collaboration & the future of design
David Knight, Director at Cake Industries
Availability
Online only
Location
Online
Price
€ 50.00 (Standard)
€ 25.00 (*Students)
*Note: You are only eligible for student rates if registering with your University of Malta, MCAST or American University of Malta email addresses.
The construction industry is changing rapidly; new technology has changed the process of design and the emergent use of AI based systems threatens to alter what we see beyond recognition. David will examine some of the challenges and opportunities of new technology and how design might develop, whilst also looking at how this can be married with the pressing concerns of the climate emergency and the role of climate ethics. By using some examples of recent built projects, he will look at the interplay between design and fabrication and what designers can learn from making. before expanding on the process of craft and how it applies to designers as well as makers.
Explore the changing construction landscape with a focus on technology's impact on design, including AI. Examine challenges, align design with climate ethics, and learn from recent projects' interplay between design and fabrication.
Difficulty Level
A general appreciation of the subject, as well as an understanding of how the subject may affect, or integrate, with other subjects.
Prerequisite
None
Who is this for?
- Design professionals unfamiliar with the evolving construction landscape and emerging technologies.
- Professionals seeking an architectural perspective on conceptual design within the construction sector.
- Experienced practitioners aiming to update and refine their conceptual design mindset in response to industry advancements and ethical considerations.
- Individuals interested in exploring the intersection of technology, climate ethics, and design in the construction field.
Meet your instructor?
David Knight is a chartered structural engineer and designer, and has managed and designed a variety of award-winning projects on both a large and small scale. Recently, he was project director for the construction of Cody Dock Rolling Bridge, project director and lead designer for Bracklinn Falls Footbridge, and in July 2023 he was awarded the IABSE Early Career Prize in recognition of his work in the industry to date. He delights at working closely with architects to design and project manage bridges, buildings, sculpture and moving structures. He is Director of Design and Engineering at Cake Industries, and has been responsible for the creation of a design and engineering team within the multi-material fabrication business, as well as a stand-alone structural engineering consultancy Cake Engineering. He serves as Chair of the Executive Committee of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineers (IABSE) British Group. David is an effective engineering communicator and has appeared on BBC News, ITV News, the Discovery Channel and Al Jazeera.
Lecture aims
Learning Outcomes
What people say
★★★★★
"The session with David was fantastic and definitely exceeded our expectations. We learned a lot and got a deeper understanding of the topics. Thanks for setting it up!"
Raissa Pluchino / Perit
★★★★★
"Inspiring"
Simona Cepelakova / Architect
★★★★★
"I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to attend the lecture, and I found the subject discussed to be most informative and inspiring for my envisaged future career as an interior designer. Although Mr. Knight had only an hour to present his work, it was well-prepared and well-balanced between the technical and artistic aspects, which made it much easier to follow and understand. I have found this to be much more helpful than I thought as it opened my mind to more possibilities and what we are all able to do together. I hope to be able to attend another one soon!"
Marija Mifsud / Student at G.F. Abela - Junior College
105 Valley Road
Birkirkara, BKR 9011
Malta
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