Among its missions, ECAL leads activities of research and development (R&D) at various levels:

• design and experimentation of original and innovative artistic contents in the fields of visual communication, product design and visual arts
• project methodology
• history and theory of visual arts and applied arts.

OBJECTIVES

R&D activities aim at:

• deepening theoretical and practical knowledge in the disciplines taught at the ECAL
• widening the teaching, particularly at Master level, to new topics, artistic practices and techniques
• stimulating interdisciplinary experiences and practices
• developing collaborations and exchanges with academic, professional and institutional circles on a regional, national and international scale.

To achieve its goals, the R&D department of ECAL initiates and coordinates different kinds of research:

Theoretical research

It is a research that mainly concentrates on the theoretical aspects of art and design in the particular fields of history, aesthetics and methodology.

Research-project or Applied research

It is a research that consists in doing a creative project that satisfies an explicit and rigorous theoretical and methodological framework: question of research, working hypotheses and validation system of the results.

Research-creation

It is a research that supports a creative process in product design, visual communication or visual arts. It is a research that contributes to the culture of the discipline.

Finally ECAL encourages creative activities which, although not originally identified as R&D, can lead to original research problems in the fields of visual and applied arts.

R&D department maintains narrow links with regional and national bodies. He is a member of the Réseau de Compétences Design et Arts Visuels de la HES-SO (RCDAV), the Swiss Design Network (SDN) and the Swiss Art Research Network (SARN).

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT
Fornari Davide

PROJECT LEADER
Soldini Laurent

TEACHER RESEARCHERS
Barbieri Chiara
Bellet Alain
Bergeron Luc
Blin Camille
Bovier François
Keller Patrick
Koivu Anniina
Kropf Stéphane
Moisdon Stéphanie
Vacheron Joël
Walter Thibault

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Banchi Margherita
Barbon Federico
Flückiger Cédric
Guberan Christophe
Mager Simon
Margel Serge
Mey Adeena
Normand Vincent
Pollien Maud
Quaresima Niccolò
Serra Stéphanie

Archer Luke
Augay Maxime

Ayer Julien

Baier Lionel
Balgiu Alexandru

Berta Renato

Blanc Jean-François
Brunner Thilo Alex
Cachin Giliane

Chalas Charles

Dupraz Lucile

Egger Philippe

Fantys Pierre
Fischer Ulrich

Fronsacq Julien

Früh Roland

Garcia Tristan

Gemma Erol
Guignard Christophe

Guillaume Fred

Guillaume Sam

Heinz André-Vladimir

Hochuli Andreas

Jacquier Vincent

Keshavjee David
Klein Sarah
Koivu Anniina

Langton Lucien

Lavoyer Tristan
Lehni Jürg

Meldem Guy

Moisdon Stéphanie
Niebling Carolien
Paradis Louise
Pittet Florian
Puckey Jonathan

Rappo François
Raymond Patrick
Rhis Tatiana
Scott de Martinville Augustin

Sigudarson Brynjar
Tavelli Julien
Udry Nicole