Researchers at Loughborough University and Tongji University have been successful is securing a £250,000 grant from AHRC, as part of the UK/China Creative Economy programme, to explore the ways graphic objects facilitate our experience of urban heritage. Dr Robert Harland (PI) will be joined by other colleagues in the School, including Professor Paul Wells, Andy Selby, and Johnny Xu to work in collaboration with academics at the College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, Shanghai. ‘Repositioning Graphic Heritage’ is a two year project that will develop new perspectives on the historical, contemporary and future significance of graphic design for urban heritage. The grant will support the further exploration and dissemination of ideas outlined in Dr Harland’s critically acclaimed book ‘Graphic Design in Urban Environments’, published in 2016. The project will provide guidance on how participatory design approaches enhance urban graphic heritage, and inform future urban planning policy in China and the UK.
9th April 2019