Joy Ko
Joy Ko is an artist and educator. Her teaching, research and writing explore the use of computation and digital technologies to augment and extend the creative process. In her studio, she renders walks in the woods, mixes memory with imagination and keeps things moving forward by staying (more or less) still. Trained as a mathematician, she has found her way towards the intersection of mathematics, computation, art and design. She has devoted considerable effort to demystifying mathematics and computation for artists and designers and has captured some of these insights in Geometric Computation: Foundations for Design (Routledge, 2018). She believes art and design have a unique role in guiding society: to anticipate changes, explore them critically and show many possible futures. She has taught in multiple departments at RISD including Architecture, Textiles and Industrial Design. Since 2021 she has guided the work of the Virtual Textiles Research Group (VTRG).
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
ID 20ST-08
SPECIAL TOPIC DESIGN STUDIO
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Juniors take two 3-credit Special Topic Design Studios in the Fall semester. Juniors choose one 3-credit option from the Content category such as Packaging, Typography, Play, or UI/UX, and the other option from the "Process" category such as Casting, Soft Goods or Prototyping. Students will gain multiple competencies by utilizing techniques and methodologies through practice and process. Each studio meets once per week.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Industrial Design Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design
Spring 2025 Courses
IDISC 2350-01 / TEXT 2350-01
DIGITAL MATERIALITY
SECTION DESCRIPTION
The material qualities of textile design and fabrication refer to our relationship to all aspects of the physical and tangible world. While computation has long been responsible for pushing the traditional techniques of textiles to high levels of mechanical industrial expression, digital sensibility and know-how of digital technologies are now increasingly seen as means to push the frontier and very definition of fabric. Parallel advances in digital fabrication and the invention of smart materials now allow for added dimensionality and functionality in fabric, and computation is a key interface for material exploration. In this course, students will learn to modulate the performance and behavior of fabric through its geometry and other systems of continuous structural surface within a computational framework. This course will provide students with the opportunity to push the boundaries of fabric design across disciplines and studio practices.
Estimated Cost of Materials: Varies by project.
Please contact the department for permission to register.
Elective
IDISC 2350-01 / TEXT 2350-01
DIGITAL MATERIALITY
SECTION DESCRIPTION
The material qualities of textile design and fabrication refer to our relationship to all aspects of the physical and tangible world. While computation has long been responsible for pushing the traditional techniques of textiles to high levels of mechanical industrial expression, digital sensibility and know-how of digital technologies are now increasingly seen as means to push the frontier and very definition of fabric. Parallel advances in digital fabrication and the invention of smart materials now allow for added dimensionality and functionality in fabric, and computation is a key interface for material exploration. In this course, students will learn to modulate the performance and behavior of fabric through its geometry and other systems of continuous structural surface within a computational framework. This course will provide students with the opportunity to push the boundaries of fabric design across disciplines and studio practices.
Estimated Cost of Materials: Varies by project.
Please contact the department for permission to register.
Elective