Bruna Goveia da Rocha

Bruna Goveia da Rocha is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology. Her research focuses on advancing research-through-making practices, particularly through textile innovation and material experimentation from a more-than-human perspective. She explores how samples and sample-making can drive creative and technological breakthroughs in digital craftsmanship.

Education:

• PhD in Industrial Design, TU/e (2023), thesis: 'Becoming Travelers: Reflecting on the Emerging Practices of Sample Making in Digital Craftsmanship'
• MSc in Industrial Design, TU/e (2015), thesis: 'Flow: In the path towards embodied guidance'
• BSc in Product Design, Universidade Positivo (2012)

Research interests include:

• Material agency and serendipity in design
• Documentation strategies for digital craftsmanship
• Embodied interaction through textiles and smart materials
• Sample archives as dynamic knowledge repositories

Her recent work investigates how 'diffractive re-interpretations' of material samples can uncover hidden potentials, as seen in projects like 'Making in the Dark' (2024). She also explores negotiations between designers and fabrication machines, such as in 'Entering the 3D printer' (2024).

Lab affiliations include the 'Making With…' group at TU/e, focused on collaborative material exploration. Her work bridges traditional craftsmanship with digital fabrication techniques, emphasizing iterative and embodied design processes.