Traditional product design education emphasises visual and cognitive approaches, giving limited attention to embodied knowledge, despite the physical nature of human-product interactions. This exploratory research investigates how somatic awareness practices derived from the Feldenkrais method might complement design education. Through a five-session workshop with six master’s design students, we documented how participants experienced and integrated somatic awareness into their design thinking. Data collection included body mapping, observations, and interviews. Students reported greater awareness and attention to bodily sensations and movement quality. They described starting to use their bodies as resources for testing ideas, drawing inspiration from principles of movement, and developing critical perspectives on aesthetically focused design. This research contributes empirical documentation of how design students experience somatic awareness practices, addressing a gap in soma design education literature. The findings suggest that structured somatic awareness practices can meaningfully complement traditional design education, offering valuable insights for educators.
Loyens et al. (Wed,) studied this question.