Dr. Jüri Kermik (University of Brighton, UK) is an academic and designer with primary research interest in the history of plywood and materials innovation. He has published an award-winning monograph (Luther Factory: Plywood and Furniture, 2004). A continuing international presence founded on expertise in experimental design applications is providing additional context for Kermik's research projects. As part of his academic leadership and commitment to values of interdisciplinary design, Kermik has also evolved a research profile in design curriculum development. His contributions to the design education discourse include articles and conference papers (Hong-Kong, 2012; Brussels, 2013; Tallinn, 2014). Kermik is a member of the Internationalizing Design History research group. His current research is focusing on the late Soviet design.

Estonia, Design and the 1980s
In the 1980s, designers in Estonia were operating in the contested space of oppression and resistance. Searches for visibility led to new forms of interaction across disciplines and also to forms of design diplomacy in pursuit for regional clusters of cultural compatibility. This presentation traces transitions in Estonian design as they emerged from the 1980s during the global ideological confrontation unfolding in Eastern Europe. It will examine the complexities played out through creative interventions, and consider the circumstances of design in their regional context at the point of the switch-over from one political system to another.