The 2019 edition of the summer school was the most attended edition so far – 24 participants from 17 countries. As usual, the diversity of the participants – aged between 21 and 49, and including a wide range of backgrounds – from design students to educators to professional designers – contributed to the plurality of interests and outlooks.

Most of the first week was once again focused on small practiced-based exercises, talks by Andrew Howard, Hamish Muir and Ronnie Fueglister, and in general people getting to know each other and the city.

Towards the end of the first week the main project was initiated in which participants were given a literary text – a short novel – which served as the basis, and the starting point for, a series of collective group publications. Much more than simply a ‘redesign’ of the novel as a straightforward type and layout project, participants were instead asked to create a new version of the book that contained additional information, creating a new original work.

The chosen literary text was ‘Jesus’ Son’ by Denis Johnson, which consists of a series of short stories narrated by an unknown central character. They are tales that follow characters who are seemingly marginalised beyond hope, drifting through a narcotic haze of languor, failed relationships and petty crime. Theirs is a world on the edge in every sense including the locations they inhabit.

It is a facet of design’s narrative scope that casts the designer in a role similar to that of a film director, of someone responsible for the ‘mise-en-scène’. It is also a facet that contrasts with the perception of graphic design as a process of visual organisation that is neutral in relation to the generation of meaning; a task usually associated only with authors in the traditional sense. In supporting this facet of design we ask participants, both individually and collectively, to seek and develop relationships and/or connections within the content, not simply working towards a literary understanding and analysis but in also adopting a particular attitude to it in collaboration with others involved in the work. Four groups of six were formed tasked with producing four collective works.

The second week saw the arrival of the guest tutor Nikki Gonnissen, co-founder along with Thomas Widdershoven, of the Amsterdam based design studio Thonik. Nikki gave a talk about the studio and her experience and approach to design practice before lending her skills and experience to the development of the group projects.

Discussion and the exchange of ideas is a constant objective of the course, in particular in response to the various formal solutions that are produced, which are in themselves responses to discussion. This is a recognition that thinking and making are not alternatives to each other, they are part of a reciprocal process and are interdependent – one cannot take place with the other.

The emphasis on the act of making – the transition from thought to action – is a fundamental component of the summer school and the production of print-based work is always a priority (we have also had screen-based outputs in the past). This year we decided that the four publications in addition to being printed would also be professionally bound and so enlisted the skilful services of Catarina Azevedo who runs the Porto book-binding studio ‘Alfaiate do Livro’.

Adding to and expanding discussion and exchange, this year we also organised an informal editorial design evening with the participation of Porto friends and fellow designers from the studios Non–Verbal Club – João Martino, Miguel Almeida, Susana Almeida – and Studio Dobra – André Cruz and João Guedes. We thank them for sharing their work and experience.

Finally, we would like to express our appreciation to all the participants for their dedication and commitment, and for the spirit of openness and warmth that they endeared, making the two weeks, once again, a rewarding experience for all.

(images documenting the publications produced will be posted at a later date)