Abstract

The goal of this Master of Design thesis is to take a transdisciplinary approach towards fostering a deeper attunement of human individuals of the physical world around them. In particular, my aim is to stimulate a conversation pertaining to contemporary Irish place. Ireland has experienced significant political, social, and physical change over the last two-or-so decades, yet certain stereotypical narratives that have long been perpetuated about the country may still be discerned, even in its own official rhetoric and imagery.
This thesis explores the efficacy of taking design as a point of departure to engage with, and contribute to, an updated conversation about Irish place by visualizing and materializing the variety of narratives that may be teased out of Ireland’s topography and built environment. Using the premise of critical, speculative, and dark design ​Seeping into Stones—​which consists of a series of research-creation projects as well as this thesis—reimagines and re-engages with selected perceptions and narratives about the Irish built and natural environment, and displaces them by contributing and contemplating a series of “deep maps” of specific locations and environments that I visited during my master’s-level research trips. Reaching beyond the discipline of design, the thesis also builds upon my previous academic formation in photography and it moves into the area of literary criticism to focus on the writing of one astute observer of transformations of Irish culture and society, the award-winning author Kevin Barry.
Seeping into Stones c​ontributes additional layers to the collective “deep map” of Ireland as well as another perspective from which to speculate towards a more diverse future.
Keywords: deep mapping, research-creation, critical and dark design, materiality, Irish studies, interdisciplinary, Kevin Barry, photography.