Mr Peter Davis
Profiles

Mr Peter Davis

Associate Head of School - International

School of Art, Design and Architecture (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business)

Mr Peter Davis can be contacted through arrangement with our Press Office, to speak to the media on these areas of expertise.
  • Design
  • Design culture
  • Design history
  • Sustainable design
  • Transformative design
  • Art-architecture design
Biography

Biography

Associate Head of School ADA 
Peter works within the school of ADA  - Art, Design and Architecture and Music, Theatre and Performance.
He is part of the leadership group who managers internationally acclaimed practitioners who teach across the creative disciplines.
With an extensive career working in Art and Design Higher Education, Peter’s experience covers the delivery, development, validation and examination of courses from Undergraduate to Masters and through to PhD level. He works with students at local, national and international level, through to research activity, as well as connecting with local and national organisations through the Knowledge Exchange network.
Within the School of ADA, Peter coordinates the Design Knowledge Research area with Message and iDAT.

Qualifications

Peter has received degrees from Cardiff College of Art and Design under the stewardship of Tom Hudson, two further degrees and scholarships from the Royal College of Art, under the stewardship of Peter Kardia and later John Stezka and Patrick Kiellier. He has received a PGCE and is a fellow of the Higher Education Authority, the RSA and the Design Society. Peter has been awarded a fellowship in Materialising Data from the South West Creative Technology Network and has directed and delivered many externally facing projects in Art and Design.

Professional membership

Member of the Higher Education Academy, Design History Journal, Design Society, Design Research, Writing Pads, RCA Alum, Learning Institute, Fellow of Royal Society of Arts, Group for Learning in Art and Design, Research Drawing Network, RSA, Craft Action Network, European Academy of Design and DRS. InnovateUK and NCACE. UK Universities International and Cumulus and ELIA networks.

Roles on external bodies

  • Reviewer for the Journal AMPS
  • Associate Editor for volume 5 of Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal
  • Panel member at IADE Lisbon
  • European Academy of Design Conference Convenor
  • External Reviewer at BIAD
  • Visiting tutor Royal College of Art
Teaching

Teaching

Teaching interests

Broad teaching interests are within the arts, digital practice, sustainability and social regenerative areas. Using design and art as a creative force for positive outcomes and change. Peter has further interests in innovation through teaching and regeneration through art, architecture and design. Since receiving research funding through the South West Creative Technology Partnership, Peters research informed teaching has developed to include 'material data' data collected through digital scanning and fabrication, particularly focused on place-making and digital heritage.

Staff serving as external examiners

  • External Examiner for Middlesex University: MA Design, MA Interior Architecture and MA Graphics.
  • External Reviewer BIAD Design
  • External Examiner for Grays Aberdeen University: BA Fine Art/Design
Research

Research

Research interests

Peter’s research interests are transdisciplinary, they form hybrid connections to design, art and architecture and other creative disciplines. Focused interests include, notions of place, in terms of transformation, identity and memory and particularly the understanding of data. The rapid technological development needs of design and designers who raise and investigative the critical questions about technological and societal development are a key theme, and who contributes to developing and proposing concrete solutions about what kind of an increasingly digital world we want to live in.'Digitisation has become an integrated part of our lives and society. Design in a post-industrial era is no longer only about the material form, but also about design in immaterial and cross-material contexts. We are witnessing a shift from traditional industrial design to a design space where computational interaction and product design are increasingly prevalent, and where products are created, produced, distributed and consumed in new ways – through new service layers and contexts, and via new interfaces – from the visual to the graphical to the tactile, from the functional to the playful and playable. Design is no longer a case of either/or, but of both/and – and to an increasing extent, we have to see the digital as a material on a par with physical materiality'.

Research groups

Other research

Peter’s research concerns reflect the multiple contexts of art and design as it has evolved through the twentieth century and into the twentieth first century. The research reflects a high level of relativism, contextualization and pragmatism. He has published on the nature of creativity/drawing/and the design process; the new practices emerging in sustainable design debates and how this relates to the education for design and its relationship to universities, cities, markets and business. He is interested in ideas of personal identity/how this contributes to place-making, artifact manufacture and the understanding of heritage, through the industrial and post-industrial ages. He is currently exploring digital processes through 3Dscanning and how this data can be transformed into new and exciting area’s pf practice. He also works outside the university in other sectors, schools, forums, councils and institutions.

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

Peter has completed many supervisions for MRes students, Post Graduate Design students and has completions for PhD's, in the areas of design identities, the post-human, place-making through heritage, visualising new paradigms.

Grants & contracts

Peter has completed research fellowships for CSF funded by HEFC and has been awarded funding from the excellence cluster for innovative work in schools and the connection to universities. Grants in Sustainability and Resilience in Art and Design and has worked on many funding applications. A fellowship for the South West Technology Partnership in data was completed in 2021.

Creative practice & artistic projects

www.quinndavis.uk
Publications

Publications

Key publications

Key publications are highlighted

Journals
Articles
Roth N & Fletcher J (2018) 'International Journal of Writing in Creative Practice (JWCP) Guest Editor Writing Pad with Nancy Roth and Jerome Fletcher. S/W 2011'
Davis P (2018) 'The Heart of Cities seen through the Making of Objects' AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CRITIQUE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Arizona USA Publisher Site Open access
Davis P (2015) 'The value of design research in practice and its relationship to the academy' EAD:  EAD: ParisEAD: Paris –Reviewer (conference proceedings) Two papers: Thevalue of design research in practice and its relationship to the academy. 2015 ISBN 978-1-84387-393-8, (ISBN 978-1-84387-393-8) Publisher Site
Davis P (2012) '5th International Journal of Design Principles and Practices,  (Why Design Matters) Quinn Davis  2012' 5th International Journal of Design Principles and Practices,  (Why Design Matters) Quinn Davis  2012
Davis P (2011) 'DESIGNERS RESPONDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR AGE' Multi: The Journal of Diversity and Plurality in Design RIT 3, (1)
Quinn Davis P (2011) 'Design as a Catalyst for Change and Progress: Design Matters' Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal—Annual Review 5, (4) 235-246 , DOI
Davis P (2010) 'The International Journal of Design (Activating Expectations, Emotions, and Experiences of the Customer with regard to Service Design) Quinn Davis 2010' The International Journal of Design (Activating Expectations, Emotions, and Experiences of the Customer with regard to Service Design) Quinn Davis 2010
Davis P (2010) 'Issue 2 Journal of CRAFT RESEARCH (Changing Attitudes towards Craft Makers and Education in the 21st Century) Quinn Davis 2010' Issue2 Journal of CRAFT RESEARCH (Changing Attitudes towards Craft Makers and Education in the 21st Century) Quinn Davis 2010. (p)
Davis P (2010) 'Journal V! RUS, Issue 5: edited by the research group Nomads.usp, University of São Paulo, Brazil. DESIGNING Coexistence (NECESSITY IS MOST DEFINITELY THE MOTHER OF INVENTION) Quinn Davis 2010' Journal V! RUS, Issue 5:
Davis P 'National Institute of Design: Insight Journal: : 'NID Insight: India INSIGHT 2015, paper constitutes sharing of knowledge and perceptions on art/design research culture, methodology, framework, practice, collaboration and its dissemination' NID Insight:' Insight NID
Books
Davis P (2011) Edited  and complied catologue 'Cabinet Changing Perceptions' ISBN 978-1-84102-281-9 2011: ISBN 978-1-84102-281-9. 3000 Exeter UK ISBN 978-1-84102-281-9 2011: Buddy Creative 1 Author Site Publisher Site
davies J; duff L (2005) Drawing the Process. Intellect Limited
Conference Papers
Davis P (2019) 'Conference: Making together is key: A comparative analysis of co- creation in action. Herron School of Art + Design Indianapolis, USA AIAG' Conference: Making together is key: A comparative analysis of co- creation in action. Herron School of Art + Design Indianapolis, USA AIAG Open access
Davis P (2018) 'The Experience of Making New Continents' MAKE AIGA Conference Indianapolis USA 6-/-0/20186-/-0/2018
Davis P (2018) 'Experiencing Porcelain as a Landscape' Transimage2018 Edrinburgh UK 4-/-0/20184-/-0/2018Open access
Davis P (2017) 'Design Uncertain' Balance Unbalance 2017 Paper 8-/-0/20178-/-0/2017balance unbalance Open access
Davis P (2016) 'Designing Critical Messages' Design Critical Messages University of Plymouth 2-/-0/20152-/-0/2015Plymouth Saltash Publishers
Davis P (2016) 'Value to Inspire not Specify- Art education is no longer a space of difference but of academic equivalence' The Value of Research: The 11th International Conference of the European Academy of Design Paris, 22-24 April 2015 Paris France May 2016 EAD ISBN 978-1-84387-393-8 Publisher Site
Davis P (2013) 'The International Cumulus Conference Oslo 2013 'Expectation: Art and Design Change' paper and journal' CUMULUS Oslo 2013 The 2nd International Conference for Design Education Researchers 14-17 May 2013, Oslo, Norway
Jones P, Davis P & Rowe A (2013) 'Design & Craft (Crafting the Education of Design) conference track/call co-author and chair' Crafting the Future the 10th International Conference of the European Academy of Design Gothenburg University 4-/-0/20134-/-0/2013
Davis P (2012) 'Design Challenges' China and UK International conference on Up-cycling and Sustainability: Paper entitled Design Challenges: Guangzhou. China 2012 Sino-UK Higher Education Collaboration with the British Council: Book: Published by The Peoples Printing Plant. Guanyzhou China 2012.
Davis P (2011) 'THE ENDLESS END The 9th International Conference of the European Academy of Design. Porto, Portugal. Refereed Paper (Design Redefined and Focused on an Uncertain Future) Quinn Davis 2011' THE ENDLESS END The 9th International Conference of the European Academy of Design. Porto, Portugal. Refereed Paper (Design Redefined and Focused on an Uncertain Future) Quinn Davis 2011 Porto: Portugal 4-/-0/20114-/-0/2011
Davis P (2011) '5th International Conference on Design Principles and Practices, Rome (Why Design Matters) Quinn Davis Feb 2011' 5th International Conference on Design Principles and Practices, Rome Rome 2-/-0/20112-/-0/2011
Quinn Davis P (2010) 'All Our Futures: Design Matters: University of Plymouth' All Our Futures 2 (Design Matters) University of Plymouth 9-/-0/20099-/-0/2009
quinn davis P (2009) '‘Architecture and Property’ University of Edinburgh Press 2008' ‘Architecture and Property’ University of Edinburgh Press 2008 (published journal and paper) Edinburgh 2008 2-/-0/20082-/-0/2008
Davis P '‘Reconstituting the Four Quarters: Porcelain Surfaces and Embodied Identities’' ‘Reconstituting the Four Quarters: Porcelain Surfaces and Embodied Identities’ DMU Leicester 3-/-0/20183-/-0/2018' APPARITION THE (IM)MATERIALITY OF MODERN SURFACE ‘ Open access
Davis P 'Changing Perceptions' 13 International Artists, Designers andArchitects. Published essay 'Changing Perception' 'Your local my local museum' Page 42:2011: ISBN 978-1-84102-281-9' 'Changing Perception' 'Your local my local museum' Plymouth 4-/-0/20114-/-0/2011
Davis P 'Role of HEI in Cultural Capital ‘Activating HEI in the Creative Hearts of Cities’' Role of HEI in Cultural Capital ‘Activating HEI in the Creative Hearts of Cities’ University of Southampton (March 2010) 3-/-0/20103-/-0/2010
Davis P 'Design Microconference' Design Microconference, 5-7 Sept 2018, Design School Kolding, Denmark Open access
Davis P 'EAD European Academy of Design (Sweden) " Crafting Art and Design Education' Conference Organiser 2012' EAD European Academy of Design (Sweden) " Crafting Art and Design Education' Conference Organiser 2012
Davis P 'MAKE (Dialog/AIGA)'
Exhibitions
Four Continents 2. V&A London 20/09/20204
Four Continents. TAC: Dutch Design 18/10/201916
44AD Digital Takover 2017 (Digital Tube). Bath. UK 44AD 17/10/2017one Publisher Site
Balance Unbalance. Atlantic Studios Plymouth UK 02/08/20161 Publisher Site
London Craft Week 2016. OXO studios London 02/05/2016one
ENVELOPE: Valuing what designers value. Peninsula Art Gallery Plymouth UK 14/02/201650
4AXIS CNC Stools for the Cookworthies. Milan Salon Furniture Fair 15/05/20154 Publisher Site
Design Latitudes Canada 2015. Alberta: Canada 12/05/20158
Design Latitudes: Alberta Canada. Alberta Canada 12/05/20151 Publisher Site
Dutch Design Week 2014. Endihoven Holland 14/10/20148 Publisher Site
'Cabinet Changing Perceptions' 13 International Artists, Designers and Architects. 2011: ISBN 978-1-84102-281-9. Penisula Arts Plymouth UK 01/02/20113
Presentations and posters
Davis P Davis P 'AMPS Proceedings Series 12. Critical Practice in an Age of Complexity'
Personal

Personal

Conferences organised

  • All Our Futures 2 with the kind support of CSF at the University of Plymouth.
  • Cabinet: 'The Role of Museums and Universities' UOP May 2011.
  • EAD 'Academy of Design' Sweden Sept 2012.
  • Design Critical Messages (with Sarah Teasley (RCA/V&A) 2015: Plymouth.
  • The Role of Value in Design alongside ENVELOPE 2016: Plymouth.

Other academic activities

Audi Design Foundation 'Sustain our Nation' (national campaign 2009) Through 2009 and 2010 Peter has worked in partnership with South West Design Programme Teach-In 2012: 'Eco-literacy in Design Education' at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.October 2009. He has curated and organised a major project and exhibition with Plymouth City Museumand UOP School of Architecture and Design, detailing the responses of twelve architects and designers to the museum’s collections. He has won an International Design Award,competition in Guangzhou, China, award winner 2012. Shown work in Karst: International Exhibition Specular: Plymouth 2012 Dutch Design Week 2013-2014 International Design Exhibition (Trac-Arts Centre) Envelope major exhibition featuring 50 of the world’s best designers, responding to the idea of Value. 2015: Pen Arts Plymouth. Showing work in Milan and Dutch Design fairs -2014-15-16: Exhibition: Design Latitudes– Alberta, Canada 2016. Bath Digital Festival 2017-Atlantic Studio's-2017. He continues to show regularly around the world.
Peter has won several awards for design, sustainability,research and curation in the UK and abroad.

Links

www.quinndavis.uk