The Royal Designers Summer School Dartington Hall, Devon · Thursday 5 – Sunday 8 September 2013 Introduction

A unique chance for 24 young designers and 12 wildcards to step from the everyday world into a four-day collaborative design experience in Devon; with food, drink, travel and accommodation, all for £200.

The 2013 Royal Designers Summer School will run from noon on Thursday 5 September to mid-afternoon on Sunday 8 September.

Exhibitions and interior designer, Dinah Casson RDI, and engineer, Chris Wise RDI, will be directing the School. Who takes part?

Royal Designers have designed, amongst other things: the iPhone, the Harry Potter film sets, the mini-skirt, the Millennium Bridge, the London taxi, and the World Wide Web.

In addition to the many Royal Designers attending, there are places for 24 young designers. Those with between 5 and 15 years of professional experience are eligible to apply.

There are also places for 12 wildcards: people without a design background whose career or life intersects the design world in some way, for example as commissioners, clients, educators or users. Where does it happen?

Dartington Hall occupies an 880 acre estate near Totnes in South Devon. Originally built in 1388 for John Holand, half-brother to Richard II, it is the largest medieval house in the West of England. With its collection of 20th century modernist buildings, the estate has been architecturally famous since the 1930s and encompasses one of the finest gardens in the UK with woodland and riverside walks. At the centre is a 14th century medieval courtyard which houses the Great Hall.

The estate was bought in 1925 by visionaries and entrepreneurs Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst as the base for an experiment in rural regeneration. Their vision for a sustainable community laid the foundations, and created the spirit, upon which present day Dartington is based.

Dartington operates as an independent charitable organisation and social enterprise. The estate comprises various schools, colleges, and charitable and commercial organisations, includ- ing Schumacher College and the Dartington School of Social Entrepreneurs. www.dartington.org What happens while we’re there?

Well, that would be telling.

What we can say is that everyone works together equally: young designer, wildcard, Royal Designer.

The only prerequisite is an open mind. Getting there

The Summer School will provide complimentary transport from the RSA, London to and from Dartington Hall.

We are unable to cover other travel costs to the event. If you are travelling independently by rail, Totnes is the nearest train station with a regular taxi service. For all car journeys, directions are available on the Dartington Hall website. Registration fee

The Royal Designers have secured funding from a number of supporters and colleagues, allowing us to maintain our original intention of offering each summer school place as a gift to pass the torch to the next generation of creative and talented people.

As such, we can offer this four day residential event for a registration fee of £200. Reflections from past Summer School students

‘ A booster jab of optimism for the strength of collective creative thought and action.’

‘ Never in my life as a teacher and journalist have I come across an experience that was so complex, enriching, surprising, affirmative, and life-changing. And never have I come across a professional training course that held the potential to have such a dramatic effect on the profession it related to, and, by extension, the community the profession serves.’

‘ As professionals we are not given opportunities like this often. As the waves calm after the event, I hope to use the inspiration and knowledge gained to keep listening and evolving as a designer. I feel lucky and humble to have been included.’

‘ The summer school was without doubt one of the most exhilarating and at the same time challenging cross-disciplinary collaborations I’ve been involved with. It is no hyperbole to say that the creative vitality of this country hinges on ventures of this kind.’ How to apply

If you would like to join the RDI Summer School this year, please apply via our website at: www.thersa.org/summerschool

If you need further information, please contact Melanie Andrews, Manager of the Royal Designers at the RSA at [email protected] or telephone 020 7451 6892.