Pierre Lévy

Drawing on theories of embodiment and Japanese philosophy and thought, my research proposes a cultural decentring of the arts, design and engineering in order to explore their relationship with non-institutionalised creative moments in everyday life (appropriation, deviation, etc.). Through this research, I am interested in the attitude, the societal role and the limitations of design in the service of transforming practices.

prof.dr.ing. Pierre Lévy, HDR

Professor (PRCM)Holder of the Chair of design Jean ProuvéDpt Computer Science (EPN05)Researcher at Dicen laboratoryAssociate researcher at SACReAssociate researcher at TU/e

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01 · Courses

9 Sep 2025
01|01 · Ensaama · DSAA granting master's degree
Ensaama, Cnam
The craft and design school Ensaama and the Cnam jointly award the Higher Diploma in Applied Arts, equivalent to a master's degree (120 ECTS credits at level 7).
1 Sep 2023
01|02 · PhD in Arts, Design & Society
Cnam
The ‘Arts, Design and Society’ specialisation at the Abbé Grégoire Doctoral School (ED 546) covers a range of disciplines that link creativity and society, encompassing epistemological, artistic, industrial, societal and ecological considerations, and spanning creation, design and innovation.
1 Oct 2021
01|03 · Master Design
Cnam
L'objectif de ce Master est de former des créateurs capables de concevoir leur projet professionnel, d’inventer leur pratique de design de manière prospective en intégrant l’évolution des sociétés et des contextes culturels et techniques sans cesse redéfinis.

02 · Events

28 Jan 2025
02|01 · Seminar on methods in design research
This seminar invites research communities linked to design and creation to contribute together to a better understanding of methodological issues in research as a place for exploration, discussion and dissemination of ideas and knowledge.
26 Sep 2024
02|02 · Is design a human science?
Duwa, J., Zacklad, M. & Lévy, P. (2024). Le design est-il une science humaine ?, presented at l'École Estienne, Paris, France. February 27th, 2023.
16 Oct 2023
02|03 · Seminar of the school of not-knowing
This seminar aims to launch the third session of the school of not-Knowing. The first began in September 2022 at the French Institute in Milan and culminated in the form of a first exhibition in the same place in January 2024.
27 Feb 2023
02|04 · Irregularity, a societal opportunity
Lévy, P. (2023). Irregularity, a societal opportunity, presented at l'École Supérieure d'Art et Design de Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France. February 27th, 2023.
16 Sep 2022
02|05 · The beauty of the Japanese pattern
Lévy, P. (2022). La beauté du motif japonais, presented at École Boulle, Paris, France. September 09th, 2022.
18 May 2022
02|06 · Inaugural lecture of the Chair of design Jean Prouvé
Lévy, P. (2022). The moment of design - Inaugural lecture of the Chair of design Jean Prouvé, presented at Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France. May 13th, 2022.
11 Dec 2021
02|07 · Mediums in design

03 · Presentations

10 Sep 2026
03|01 · PHTR26
TUe, Cnam
Appropriation · Multistability · Irregularity in Transforming Practices
5 Sep 2026
03|02 · Le mémoire en DSAA
Ensaama, Cnam
Présentation pour le workshop sur le mémoire en DSAA2
19 Dec 2024
03|03 · About design
Cnam
A short introduction to design.
19 Dec 2024
03|04 · Pierre Lévy
Cnam
About me
10 Dec 2024
03|05 · Transforming practices
TUe, Cnam
A brief introduction

04 · Projects

31 Jan 2024
04|01 · School of not-knowing
Cnam
The School of not-knowing is based on the conviction that dialogue between art, design, science and society can open up new horizons for understanding and apprehending known and yet-to-be-discovered worlds.

05 · Publications

1 Jan 2023
05|01 · Sketching Kansei Studies as a Complex Unit
In Emotional Engineering, Vol. 9
Lévy, P. (2023). Sketching Kansei Studies as a Complex Unit. In: Fukuda, S. (eds) Emotional Engineering, Vol. 9. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05867-7_7
4 Sep 2022
05|02 · Complex Thinking for Kansei Studies - For an epistemological shift of the field
KEER 2022
Lévy, P. (2022). Complex Thinking for Kansei Studies - For an epistemological shift of the field. Proceedings of Kansei Engineering and Emotion Research International Conference 2022 - KEER2022. Barcelona, Spain: Japan Society of Kansei Engineering. https://www.doi.org/10.5821/conference-9788419184849.15
1 Apr 2022
05|03 · From the Station of Being to Societal Transformation: How design can drive a new European Renaissance
In The Next Renaissance - Culture and Creativity shaping Europe
Trotto, A., Hummels, C.C.M., Peeters, Yoo, Levy, P. (2022). From the Station of Being to Societal Transformation: How design can drive a new European Renaissance. in The Next Renaissance - Culture and Creativity shaping Europe, Odile Jacob, 978-2-4150-0199-5
4 Jul 2021
05|04 · Je, nous, ils·elles : le·la designer, ses collectifs et les écosystèmes de conception
Sciences du Design 13
Berger, E., & Lévy, P. (2021). Je, nous, ils·elles: Le·la designer, ses collectifs et les écosystèmes de conception. Sciences du Design, 13(1), 10–15.
4 Jul 2021
05|05 · Expériences vécues de design
Sciences du Design 13
Berger, E. & Lévy P. (Eds) (2021) Expériences vécues de design. Sciences du Design. Presses Universitaires de France. ISSN: 2428-3711.
17 Feb 2021
05|06 · Scaffolding shared imagination with tangible design
TEI 2021
Maarten L. Smith, Sander van der Zwan, Jelle P. Bruineberg, Pierre D. Lévy, and Caroline C. M. Hummels. 2021. Scaffolding shared imagination with tangible design. In Fifteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI ’21), February 14–17, 2021, Salzburg, Austria. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 9 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3430524.3440639
14 Aug 2020
05|07 · Philosophy at Work – Postphenomenology as a Generative Lens in Design Research and Practice
DRS 2020
van der Zwan, S., Smith, M. L., Bruineberg, J., Lévy, P., & Hummels, C. C. M. (2020). Philosophy at Work - Postphenomenology as a Generative Lens in Design Research and Practice. Proceedings of the Design Research Society 2020, DRS2020, Sydney, Australia (online). https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2020.337
23 Sep 2019
05|08 · Design research and innovation framework for transformative practices
In Strategy for change
Hummels, C., Trotto, A., Peeters, J., Lévy, P., Alves Lino, J. & Klooster, S. (2019). Design research and innovation framework for transformative practices. In Strategy for change (pp. 52-76). Glasgow, UK: Glasgow Caledonian University. ISBN: 978-972-789-482-6
28 Jun 2018
05|09 · The beauty of making hot chocolate, an inquiry on designing for everyday rituals
DRS 2018
Lévy, P. (2018). The beauty of making hot chocolate – an inquiry on designing for everyday rituals. In Design Research Society 2018, DRS2018. Limerick, Ireland: Design Research Society. https://doi.org/10.21606/dma.2017.514
10 Sep 2013
05|10 · Matter of transformation, designing an alternative tomorrow inspired by phenomenology
Interactions 20(6)
Hummels, C., & Lévy, P. (2013). Matter of Transformation: Designing an Alternative Tomorrow Inspired by Phenomenology. Interactions, 20(6), 42–49. https://doi.org/10.1145/2533713

06 · Research

16 Sep 2020
06|01 · Transforming practices
16 Oct 2015
06|02 · Perceptive qualities
16 Oct 2003
06|03 · Kansei studies, kansei design

07 · Teaching

26 Sep 2024
07|01 · Dialoguing
Cnam
The major aim of this course is to improve students' scientific or technical presentation skills, focusing on the roles and the effects of involved media in presenting a project (e.g., a poster, an artefact, a video...).
10 Sep 2022
07|02 · Initiation à recherche en design et création
Cnam
Cette UE propose une vue d'ensemble des pratiques de la recherche en design, art et création, afin de contextualiser la pratique dans l'activité de recherche.

08 · Writings

20 May 2023
08|01 · Diversity in the teaching of design and arts and crafts must become the standard
A reflection on current and future design and craft education

Pierre Lévy

01|01 · Ensaama · DSAA granting master's degree

01|02 · PhD in Arts, Design & Society

01|03 · Master Design

02|01 · Seminar on methods in design research

02|02 · Is design a human science?

02|03 · Seminar of the school of not-knowing

02|04 · Irregularity, a societal opportunity

02|05 · The beauty of the Japanese pattern

02|06 · Inaugural lecture of the Chair of design Jean Prouvé

02|07 · Mediums in design

03|01 · PHTR26

03|02 · Le mémoire en DSAA

03|03 · About design

03|04 · Pierre Lévy

03|05 · Transforming practices

04|01 · School of not-knowing

05|01 · Sketching Kansei Studies as a Complex Unit

05|02 · Complex Thinking for Kansei Studies - For an epistemological shift of the field

05|03 · From the Station of Being to Societal Transformation: How design can drive a new European Renaissance

05|04 · Je, nous, ils·elles : le·la designer, ses collectifs et les écosystèmes de conception

05|05 · Expériences vécues de design

05|06 · Scaffolding shared imagination with tangible design

05|07 · Philosophy at Work – Postphenomenology as a Generative Lens in Design Research and Practice

05|08 · Design research and innovation framework for transformative practices

05|09 · The beauty of making hot chocolate, an inquiry on designing for everyday rituals

05|10 · Matter of transformation, designing an alternative tomorrow inspired by phenomenology

06|01 · Transforming practices

06|02 · Perceptive qualities

06|03 · Kansei studies, kansei design

07|01 · Dialoguing

07|02 · Initiation à recherche en design et création

08|01 · Diversity in the teaching of design and arts and crafts must become the standard