About
OBJECTIVE
No one knows better than you that this phase of the information age has cast a shadow over the publishing industry we once knew. There seems to be, however, an enlightened and renewed focus on the reading experiences on both the analog and the digital platforms.
Today, we are facing the blank slate of the iPad platform which unlike the early browser platforms comes to us with some clear and tested definitions of how it can be used. What the iPad doesn't come prepackaged with is a blueprint for how a book that is simultaneously pedagogical and highly visual can live up to its full potential. I refer to the need to explore this cultural and chronological coexistence as tabula rasa. This Moving Design is interested in leading these early phases of investigation and discovery surrounding the possibilities available for the well-designed design book experience.
COLLABORATORS
Moving Design
Recently Rick Valicenti and John Pobojewski's professional and personal energies have focused toward expanding the culture of design, by both mentoring the next design generation, and leading the discourse within our profession. To insure that these professional goals come to life and grow sustainably, we have co-founded a research initiative called Moving Design.
Moving Design is a new model of passionate pedagogy residing at the intersection of experimentation, experience, and education. In the spirit of fusing design research and art, we create initiatives that bring together organizations, professionals, and students from different disciplines to present relevant new ideas that shape the public's point of view.
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
Beginning 24 August 2010, moving design will lead our next studio class of interdisciplinary senior and graduate students at the highly respected University of Illinois in this thought-provoking initiative. Under the direction of Rick Valicenti, these students devote a large portion of this semester to researching, exploring, and designing with, on, and about the iPad Book Experience in our initiative called Tabula Rasa. Throughout this intensive three months of research, twenty five students will conceive, model, and envision the reading experience with commercial potential and will engage in creative research that explores the expressions and impressions of a fresh vision for the future.
SPONSOR
Rockport Publishers
Tabula Rasa is priviledged to have Rockport Publishers sponsor the broadcasting of Tabula Rasa to the international design community as a reflection of how much they value the future of design and design education.
In addition, Rockport will provide:
- Two Rockport Scholarships ($1500 each) awarded to students within the initiative who demonstrate the most dynamic work ethic and output.
- Two iPads for research
In return, our class will offer published archives of the design process and results of our research on this site within the week of development in order to further shape the professional and public point of view.
Tabula Rasa's intent is two-fold. Most importantly it is a workshop environment designed to evolve the next generation of designer into a self-motivated, innovative, thought leader. Secondly, our collective work will enhance Rockport's public global presence with a very fresh vision for the future of the reading experience.