Death of the designer

This paper describes a paradigm for critical observation (or watching skills) in design and technology. This kind of study benefits from an understanding of linguistic theories and interpretation of text – beyond structuralism and semiotics – that moves towards a consideration of the ‘other’ or ‘difference’ in textual analysis. It is this that is explored as a paradigm for developing critical thinking about buildings and the spaces between them in design and technology. ‘The reader or critic shifts from the role of consumer to that of producer … The work cannot be sprung shut, rendered determinate, by an appeal to the author, for the ‘death of the author’ is a slogan that modern criticism is now confidently able to proclaim.’ (Eagleton: 138) Augé’s concept of supermodernity (Augé, 1995), exposes the effect of information overload on our perceptions of space. ‘Solitary contractuality’ confines the user to what the designer wants them to do in a particular space – the designer is at the flight deck controlling uniform connections in a ‘non-place’. Moving away from solitary contractuality into socially organic observation of the built environment is the main theme of this paper – observing how users are productive making place.