Emile De Visscher, PhD
Emile De Visscher is a Designer, Engineer and Materials Scientist. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Université de Technologie de Compiègne (FR, 2009), and Design at the Royal College of Art (UK, 2012).
He then obtained a PhD in the SACRe doctoral program at Paris Science et Lettres and École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, in 2018. Entitled »Technophanic Manufactures«, his practice-based PhD explored the conditions for innovative manufacturing processes to become public and shared.
Emiles work focuses on the invention of small-scale production tools. His projects include a new recycling machine for thermoplastics (»Polyfloss«, together with C. Machet, A. Gaulard and N. Paget) or a process to transform paper and cardboard into stone (»Petrification«). In 2015, he also initiated and since then directs an independent design publication called Obliquite.
As an Research Associate at »Matters of Activity«, Emile will develop new production processes in the field of biomaterials.
Cluster of Excellence
»Matters of Activity«
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Sophienstr. 22a
10178 Berlin
De Visscher, E. 2018. Manufactures Technophaniques. PhD thesis, SACRe doctoral program, PSL University, prepared at EnsadLab, ENSAD. Paris: Université Paris Sciences et Lettres. https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-02269867
De Visscher, E. ed. 2018. Obliquite #2 - Process. With Glithero, Guberan, C., et al. Paris: Les Presses Pondérées. www.obliquite.com
De Visscher, E. ed. 2015. Obliquite #1 - Paradigm. With Seng, J., et al. (contributors). Paris: Les Presses Pondérées. www.obliquite.com
Monographs & Books
De Visscher, E. 2018. Manufactures Technophaniques. PhD thesis, SACRe doctoral program, PSL University, prepared at EnsadLab, ENSAD. Paris: Université Paris Sciences et Lettres. https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-02269867
Edited Volumes & Exhibition Catalogues
De Visscher, E. ed. 2018. Obliquite #2 - Process. With Glithero, Guberan, C., et al. Paris: Les Presses Pondérées. www.obliquite.com
De Visscher, E. ed. 2015. Obliquite #1 - Paradigm. With Seng, J., et al. (contributors). Paris: Les Presses Pondérées. www.obliquite.com
Articles in Edited Volumes
De Visscher, E. 2021. »Approcher les modes de fabrication par le design.« In MàJ, Design, environnements techniques & pratiques exploratoires, edited by Bertrand, G., Favard, M., Lartigaud, D.O. Saint-Etienne: Cité du Design, 1-8.
Conference Proceedings
De Visscher, E., Guiducci, L., Rešetar, I. 2021. »The Materiality of Resilience.« Cumulus conference proceedings. Presented at the Design Culture(s) Conference, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Architecture and School of Industrial Design, Rome, 9 June 2021. in press. https://cumulusroma2020.org/
Research Objects
Rešetar, I. (Coordinator, Designer), De Visscher, E. (Designer), Project »Material Form Function«, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, NODE Berlin Oslo (Designer) 2020. »Diagram »Material Form Function«.« Presented at »Material Form Function« presentation at the Cluster Retreat 2020. https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/research/projects/125/material-form-function
Contributions to Exhibitions
De Bie, M., De Visscher, E. »Énergies Communes.« At the exhibition: Designer(s) du Design, Lille Metropole World Design Capital 2020. Tri Postal, Lille, 7 September 2020 - 1 December 2020. https://www.designiscapital.com/programme/designers-du-design
De Visscher, E. »Petrification.« At the exhibition: De la Pensée au Visible. Design as a Large Ring. French Section of the XXII TRIENNALE DI MILANO: Broken Nature. Geel, C. (curator); Carrel, L. (coordination); Lejault, M. (executive producer); Adenis, M.S.; Bihanic, D. et al. (contributors). Triennale Museum, Milan, Funded by Institut Français. 28 February 2019 - 1 September 2019. https://triennale.org/en/events/de-la-pensee-au-visible.-design-as-a-large-ring/
Kassung, C., De Visscher, E. »Animal/Culture«. Panel Presentation at Lecture Series »im/Perfection. Im/perfect Figurations in Nature, Culture and Technology«. Organized by Löffler, P., Ribault, P., Müller, M., Department of Cultural History and Theory, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 16 May 2019.
Talks & Presentations
Bodart, C. , Le Coguiec, E. , Pihet, V. (organisers), De Visscher, E., et al. (contributors) Penser la recherche dans le champ politique de l'enseignement supérieur. Panel Presentation at Conference. the ACFAS 88e Research Congress, Sherbrooke and Bishop's Universities, Quebec. Virtual. 4 May 2021. https://www.acfas.ca/evenements/congres/programme/88/300/311/c
De Visscher, E., Guiducci, L., Rešetar, I. The Materiality of Resilience. Talk at Conference. Conference Design Culture(s) Roma 2021, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Architecture and School of Industrial Design, Rome. Virtual. 9 June 2021. https://cumulusroma2020.org/
De Visscher, E. Le design de processus, ou proposer des futurs techniques autres. Talk at Conference. the conference »Post Design, Alterproduction«, TALM, Angers. Organized by Enon, D. together with Rigot, E., Geel, C., Oroza, E., Testevin, P., Thwaites, T., Coccia, E. Hybrid. 11 March 2021. https://www.davidenon.net/Post-design_Alterproduction.pdf
De Visscher, E. Technodiversity. Talk at Internal Colloquium. the Lecture Series "Domestication", Ecole Normale Supérieure - Saclay, Paris. Virtual. 8 April 2021.
De Visscher, E. We are Fluids. A quest to design life forms with electrons. Panel Presentation at Conference. the DGTF Annual Conference »Material Trajectories/Designing with Care« held by Held, M., Kimpel, K., Mareis, C., Sauer, C., organized by Perraudin, L., Winkler, C., Cluster of Excellence "Matters of Activity", Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin. Project panel with Müller, M.; Tikka, E.; Arhensfeld, V. Virtual. 8 May 2021. https://materialtrajectories.dgtf.de/
Fétro, S., De Visscher, E., Maudet, N. (panelists), Chomarat-Ruiz, C. (organizer) Quelle éthique pour les outils, machines et manufactures? Panel Presentation at Colloquium. the Lecture Series »Design, Arts, Médias«, Université de Paris 1 - Panthéon Sorbonne, Paris. Virtual. 3 February 2021.
Peilloux, A., De Visscher, E., Voillot, M. (moderation). De la scientificité du design: l’expérience du faire dans le processus de recherche. Panel Presentation at Colloquium. Design en Recherche: Pratiques de la recherche en design, Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire, Paris. Hybrid. 21 January 2021. https://designenrecherche.org/actions/de-la-scientificite-du-design-l-experience-du-faire-dans-le-processus-de-recherche/
Winkler, C., De Visscher, E. New Materialisms and their Designs. Talk at Colloquium. the Research Colloquium »Design and the History of Knowledge«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Organized by Mareis,C. and Büsse, M. Virtual. 12 May 2021.
Brunet, C., Geel, C., Viati-Navone, A. (organisers), De Visscher, E., Auger, J., Bosqué, C. et al. (contributors) Setting up recycling initiatives in post-colonial contexts. Talk at Colloquium. the colloquium Post-colonial studies, history of design, and contemporary practices, the »African« case, Ecole Normale Supérieure - Paris Saclay, Paris. Hybrid. 27 January 2020.
De Visscher, E. Designing with dissymmetry. Talk at Internal Colloquium. Brown Bag Brunch, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin. Virtual. 9 June 2020.
De Visscher, E. Making the Making Public. Talk at Colloquium. the Critical Media Lab Colloquium, Institute of Experimental Design and Media Culture, FHNW, Basel. Virtual. 22 April 2020.
De Visscher, E. Product design and processes. Talk at Workshop. the Willem de Kooning Academie, Rotterdam. 26 November 2020.
De Visscher, E. Soutenance de thèse en musée national. Expérience d'un format hybridant productions plastiques, gestes techniques et débat théorique. Panel Presentation at Internal Colloquium. the Séminaire SACRe 2020-2021 #2 - Formats des soutenances de thèse practice based, organized by Mahé, E., École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. 23 October 2020.
De Visscher, E. Technology is political. Talk at Internal Colloquium. the Bio-ID seminar, the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College, London. Virtual. 11 December 2020.
De Visscher, E., Fratzl, P., Guiducci, L., Mareis, C., Rešetar, I. Project presentation »Material Form Function«. Talk at the Cluster day 3, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity. Image Space Material«. 25 September 2019.
De Visscher, E. De l'ersatz à l'alternative, une problème de design contemporain. Talk at Conference. the Symposium L'Age de l'Ersatz, Haute École d'Art du Rhin (HEAR), Mulhouse. 29 October 2019.
De Visscher, E. Ecologies of technology. Talk at Internal Colloquium. the Lecture Series »Think, Feel and act from the ecological standpoint«, Paris College of Art, Paris. 18 November 2019.
De Visscher, E. Polyfloss à Madagascar - Du laboratoire au contexte humanitaire en passant par l'exposition, trajets d'un projet de recyclage innovant. Talk at Conference. the Journée Culture et Développement durable du Ministère de la Culture, École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. 19 November 2019.
De Visscher, E. Productions and ecologies. Talk at Internal Colloquium. the Strate College, Paris. 18 November 2019.
Kassung, C., De Visscher, E. »Animal/Culture«. Panel Presentation at Lecture Series »im/Perfection. Im/perfect Figurations in Nature, Culture and Technology«. Organized by Löffler, P., Ribault, P., Müller, M., Department of Cultural History and Theory, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 16 May 2019.
Mosse, A. (organizer), Mahé, E., De Visscher, E. et al. (contributors) Sciences-Design junctions & frictions. Panel Presentation at Conference. the Soft Matter(s) symposium, École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. 20 December 2019.
Napolitani, M., De Visscher, E. (moderation) Wunderkammers and their contemporary use. Talk at Colloquium. the Brown Bag Brunch, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Berlin. 12 November 2019.
Invited Moderation/ Comment
De Visscher, E. Lo—TEK. Design by Radical Indigenism. Invited moderation/comment at MFF Reading Group Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Berlin. Virtual. 4 May 2021.
Events & Workshops
De Visscher, E., Dean, M., Beyer, B., Cruz, M. Matters of Activity Lecture Series UCL London. Colloquium. UCL London. Virtual. 11 December 2020 - 12 January 2021.
De Visscher, E., Miadrogović, N., Wenig, C., Winkler, C. Times of Waste. Symposium. the Kunstgewerbemuseum Berlin. 18 March 2020 - 19 March 2020.
Ribault, P., De Visscher, E., Kuitenbrouwer, K. Zoonomic Cooperations (Zoöp): Imagining a space of interspecific observation and intervention for MoA. Workshop. the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Berlin. Virtual. 13 November 2020.
De Visscher, E., Akoun, S. Nouvelles manufactures, Polyfloss et le recyclage de déchets à échelle locale. Workshop. Kedge Design School, Marseille, France. Organized by Paixao-Barradas, S. 28 November 2019 - 29 November 2019.
Mareis, C. , Rešetar, I. , De Visscher, E. Capsules, sheets and fibers – designing soft interfaces. Workshop. the Retreat 2019 of the Cluster »Matters of Activity«, Nauen. 2 November 2019.
De Visscher, E. 2021. Hcéres evaluator for BA and MA in art and design schools - Normandie Commitee.
De Visscher, E. 2021. Jury d'agrégation - section Design et Métiers d'Art.
De Visscher, E. 2021. MA dissertation's jury - DSAA DP - École Boulle.
De Visscher, E. 2020. Jury commitee - Jean Prouvé Design Prize - French Ministry of Education.
De Visscher, E. 2020. MA dissertation's jury - DSAA DP - École Boulle.