FACULTY OF CULTURE AND SOCIETY | Seminar
Laura Popplow: Learning from 'aesthetics of access'

Learning from 'aesthetics of access': engaging in participatory design as a relaxed performance

Join us for an engaging talk by professor Laura Popplow from Köln International School of Design that is part of the Imagining and Co-Creating Futures public talks series Future Thoughts.

This presentation delves into the intersection of participatory design, theater theory, and accessibility, as exemplified in an ongoing web project collaboration with Un-Label e.V., cultural accessibility experts, and theater producers. The project endeavors to prototype a web platform for cultural institutions that embodies inclusivity and ease of use by integrating the principles of participatory design with the concept of a 'relaxed performance'.

This framework is associated with making theater more accessible by reducing sensory intensity and creating a more welcoming atmosphere. We extend this concept to the participatory design process and prototype testing, emphasizing flexibility, adaptability, and participant comfort to ensure diverse voices are heard and valued.

Rooted in the political origins of participatory design, which emerged alongside the codetermination laws aimed at democratizing workplace decision-making, the presented project proposes to draw inspiration from the paradigm of 'aesthetics of access', an approach that aims to create access not as an afterthought, but as an integral aesthetic component of creative work, realized by people with dis/abilities backstage and frontstage. This talk will outline our project's practical and theoretical foundations, share insights and challenges encountered, and invite peer feedback to enrich the ongoing dialogue.

Laura Popplow (kisd.de)