Matthew Holmes-Dallimore

Assistant Professor

Contact

+974 4402 0595
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Specialization

Retail Design and Branded Environments

Education

1991-1992

MA Interior Design, Middlesex University, London, UK

1987-1991

BA Interior Design, Middlesex Polytechnic, London, UK

1986-1987

Three-Dimensional Design Foundation Course, Ravensbourne College of Art & Design, London, UK

Biography

Matthew Holmes-Dallimore has a diverse three-dimensional design background that reflects his current research interests in the field of branded environments such as corporate interiors, retail design, and tradeshow exhibits.

After graduating from Middlesex University in London with a Master of Arts degree in Interior Design, he freelanced for various retail and commercial design practices in and around London before moving to Florida to work for JW Design, specializing in themed environments. In 1998 he moved to northern California to work for Contempo Design, Inc., where he specialized in exhibit design. Matthew joined the faculty at VCUQ in the fall of 2004, where he has been able to bring his knowledge of the industry and work experience directly into the classroom.

Currently, Matthew is, and has been working with branding and retail giant Fitch on a number of projects including an in-class collaboration with local Fitch Qatar designers, and an upcoming exhibition celebrating 40 years of Fitch worldwide.

Research Interests

Ongoing research in the field of Branded Environments, such as retail, tradeshow, and experiential environments.
Currently investigating "retail without walls", small scale retail forms from the perspective of differing cultures.
The archiving and preservation of Interior Design student work to evaluate trends and patterns over the past decade.

Teaching Experience

2004 – present

Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, Doha, Qatar

Assistant Professor

Interior Design Program

Courses taught include:

IDES 202 Interior Design Studio (sophomore)

The focus is the application of interior design fundamentals and the un-locking and appropriate channeling of student creativity

IDES 211 Interior Graphics – Manual (sophomore)

The introduction of technical drafting, orthographic projection, perspective drawing, model making, and the development of sketching skills

IDES 231 Interior Design Fundamentals (sophomore)

Introduction to the principles and elements of design, as well as programming

IDES 301 Interior Design Studio (junior)

This course has been taught for the past nine years with a retail and exhibit design focus. Multiple collaborative projects with companies such as FITCH, PLAY Communications, and Williams F1, have introduced students to real-world situations

IDES 311 Advanced Graphics – Manual (sophomore)

Taught as a continuation of IDES 211, further developing sketching skills, developing hand and computer-generated rendering techniques

IDES 324 Furniture Design (senior)

Students develop basic furniture skills, and collaborate with local manufacturers to construct a small furniture piece of their own design

IDES 401 Interior Design Studio, Capstone Projects (senior)

This studio continues the analysis completed in IDES 441, Senior Seminar, and synthesizes that programming into the seniors final capstone project

IDES 441 Senior Seminar I, Capstone Preparation (senior)

Discussions concern current design issues, while students establish, develop, and program their final studio capstone project to be executed in IDES 401, senior studio

IDES 442 Senior Seminar II, Portfolio Development (senior)

Students develop a professional level portfolio that expresses their skills, individuality, and creativity. Additionally, students create effective resumes, business cards, cover letters, and take-aways that communicate their unique identity as interior designers

IDES 493 Interior Design Internship (senior)

Faculty Exchange, Richmond Charrette

In 2007 I participated in a Faculty exchange between VCUQatar, and Virginia Commonwealth University home campus in Richmond, VA. A student charrette was organized for that week which included working with all Richmond ID students, both graduate and undergraduate, culminating in a small exhibition.

New Courses developed:

IDES 202 Interior Design Studio
IDES 442 Senior Seminar II

Previous Professional Experience

1998 - 2004

Contempo Design (Exhibit and Retail Design), Milpitas, California, USA

Senior Exhibit Designer

Senior Designer of communicative branded marketing solutions through initial concept development to final client presentations in the form of three-dimensional models and computer generated renderings. Ongoing client interaction through information gathering meetings and presentations.

Clients included:

Sun Microsystems, 1999, published in Exhibitor Magazine and other trade publications

Genentech, 1999, published in Exhibitor Magazine and other trade publications

Pyxis, 2000

Microsoft, 2002, published in Exhibitor Magazine and other trade publications

Veritas, 2003

1996 – 1998

J.W.Design (Entertainment Design), Fort Myers, Florida, USA

Senior Designer

Senior Designer predominantly concerned with the design of Laser Tag arenas for Ultrazone. Responsibilities included total design involvement from creative conception and space planning through complete drawing packages, documentation, project management and site supervision, to design team and office management.

1995 – 1996

Freelance Interior Designer, London, UK

Freelancer compiling drawing packages for Retail Design companies such as Torres Design Associates, RSCG Conran, Caulder Moore, and XMPR.

1994 – 1995

Peter Leonard and Company Ltd., London, UK

Junior Designer

Junior Designer for projects such as The Design Museum, The Science Museum (Concourse and Gift Shop), and Scotts Restaurant.

1993 – 1994

The Project Design Company Ltd., London, UK

Junior Designer

Junior Designer for the re-design, refurbishment, and renovation of licensed premises throughout the UK.

1992 – 1993

Self-employed Designer, London, UK

Residential and small-scale retail projects.

Publications

"The Concept of Al Majilis: An Exploration of both Traditional and Contemporary Qatari Majlis", Exhibition in May 2009, Waqif Art Centre, Doha, Qatar.

Presentations

PRESENTATIONS

Fostering Effective Collaborative Partnerships in Retail Design Studio

Abstract Presentation, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, IDEC Conference,

Fort Worth, TX, March 2015

The authors established, through pedagogic experience, collaboration as a critical course element, with partners from industry as well as other design programs contributing to the studio experience. Our proposed report used three case studies of different collaborative models to highlight these challenges, and illustrates how different approaches to the pedagogical process can help support collaborations and successfully navigate potential problems.

Mobile, Ad-Hoc, Impromptu Retail Structures

Poster Presentation, Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities,

Hawaii, HI, Jan 2015

A collaborative submission, the poster charts an ongoing research project that studies small vernacular retail structures and attempts to draw conclusions that inform subsequent student studio design projects.

Retail Without Walls: Kiosk Culture

Creative Scholarship Presentation, IDEC Conference, Indianapolis, IN, Feb 2013

A presentation of the concept, creative development, and execution of the collaborative, grant-funded exhibition of research held at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, in Doha, Qatar. The focus was on how the six findings of the research project were exhibited, as well as the associated student projects.

Retail Without Walls: Kiosk Culture

Pecha Kucha Presentation, IDEC Conference, Indianapolis, IN, February 2013

A short collaborative presentation of the experiences of undertaking our research project including our grant-funded trips to Istanbul, Mumbai, Dubai, and Marrakech, as well as the resulting collaborative student studio projects based on our findings.

Exhibitions

Retail Without Walls: Kiosk Culture

Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar, April 2012

A multiple (four) grant-funded collaborative effort with a faculty colleague, presenting our investigation of small-scale retail and trading points within different cultures, in the form of bazaars, souqs, and street markets, and what commonalities can be identified in these forms in the evolution of contemporary retail kiosk design.

The Concept of Al Majlis: An Exploration of both Traditional and Contemporary Qatari Majlis

Waqif Art Center, Doha, Qatar, April 2009

An investigation of majlis culture in the Arabian Gulf region, focusing on Qatari residential architecture and design, and their development to meet 21st century needs. This was a collaborative grant-funded project with one other faculty member and four students.