Creative Futures
This research project questions my future practice, debating what's impactful in todays design world and reflecting on past present and future narratives. These questions have been influenced by exhibition visits, guest speakers, written text and self-observation. Resulting in a major project proposal which aims to challenge contemporary views of design and reflects my goals on progressing my own practice.
Visit to the V&A (Design: 1900-Now)
Photo taken at the V&A - 2025
During My visit to the V&A at the start of the term I spent a long time walking around the 'Design: 1900 - Now' exhibits where I became very interested in the position of narratives behind design rather than focussing on the initial aesthetic appeal. The gallery 'aims to position design as a means for understanding the way we live together, and to explore how designed things prompt us to ask questions of our past, present and future' (Bertoli, 2021). What questions did I find initially interesting? This is where my thought process for the project began, debating what kind of narratives I want to tell through my own work.
'The factory as design inspiration'
'Pioneering women of the Bauhaus'
'Isokon the new taste makers'
'Compact space savers'
'A best selling stackable chair'
'Individuality in serial production'
Photos taken at V&A 'Design: 1900 - Now', 2025
Through analysing the objects and information which was on display at the exhibit, I became interested in three main topic areas. The longevity of a designed object in regards to its relevance through the decades, the emotion that an object embodies through it's ties to social change or personal use, and the development of process in relation to progress in technology or in response to real world issues.
Visit to the V&A (Material Cultures: Woodland goods)
Photo taken at the V&A Woodland goods exhibition
I also viewed the fourth iteration of Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures, where material Cultures exhibited their design research which explored 'woodland goods' experimenting with; bark, pine needles and natural glues to demonstrate the qualities of under-used woodland resources. This work reflected a completely different narrative to the previous exhibition, with sustainable practice at the forefront rather than the progression of technology as demonstrated with ECAl Digital Market (2018) work. Could material research be the new focal point of contemporary design? And how would this reflect my main interest areas of longevity, emotion and process?
I was however disappointed that the result of this extensive material research led to the application of a board material on two stools. It could be argued that this was just to represent future developments, but this made me question; what is the current scope for material research in contemporary design if the application can't yet be fully used and interacted with? And how would this affect the emotion and longevity of an object?
Following on from this V&A visit my three main focus areas revolved around Longevity, Emotion and Process.
Photo taken at the V&A Woodland goods exhibition
LONGEVITY I EMOTION I PROCESS
Early Quotes that Directed (Talks and Literature)
Photo of Dr Jana Scholze from D.Martin Architects, 2025 Photo of Daniel Charney from New London Architecture, 2025
"Objects tell a multitude of stories, not just one singular narrative"
Dr Jana Scholze, 2025
"It’s no longer responsible for designers to just explore technology and self expression"
Daniel Charney, 2025
"Study well objects made past recent and ancient but never without the technological and social conditions responsible"
Charles & Ray Eames, 1949 (an Eames anthology, 2015)
Image of an Eames anthology, 2015
Attending talks from Dr Jana Scholze (curator of the V&A) and professor Daniel charney (design researcher and curator of the design museum) really shaped the way that I initially viewed this project. Making me question my current design practice and discuss wether 'responsibility' is the new the form of story telling through design. In contrary to these contemporary opinions I read 'an Eames anthology' where the above quote although written in 1949 reflected the same views which I've already discussed. Design should mirror the technological and social conditions of any given time, with that said, could that be material research as a source of responsibility? Or any other social conditions tied to design today?
Material Research (A new direction for the design of today)
Image of Why Materials Matter, 2018 Image of Radical Matter, 2018
In response to this initial interest in material research I read through both 'Why Materials Matter, 2018' and 'Radical Matter, 2018' which both showcase material design research. This was to see what sort of material research other designers were undertaking and to evaluate the potential applications. Was this going to reflect similar outcomes to Material Cultures exhibition? The following examples are select works from both books that also explore 'woodland goods' but with different perspectives and outcomes.
Forrest Pine Wool - Tamara Orjola 2016
A collection of material samples, stools and carpets. Capitalising on the growth of pine trees (45% of all trees grown) with a 'root to leaf' attitude. This project takes advantage of waste from an already harvested resource (why materials matter, 2018)
Similar to Material Cultures views on 'unused woodland goods' I like the concept of using readily available materials which haven't yet been considered. The application is sensitive though I would question the Longevity of the material through use.
Photo of Forest Pine Wool, 2016
Willow Project - Icelandic Academy of the Arts 2016
Iceland Academy of arts students focussed on heat and water to discover alternative material resources within the tree. Taking advantage of a common species in Iceland which is often neglected as a resource. Through this explorative material process they created 'concentrated glass' out of the condensed willow water (why materials matter, 2018)
I found this to be a beautiful project but questioned its practical use on a larger scale, If a material can be easily broken what purpose does it serve?
Photo of Willow Project, 2016
Reconfiguration of a Tree - Thomas Vailly 2015
Designer Thomas Vailly finds applications for the natural materials harvested from the Maritime Pine, using the natural resins of the tree to create a plastic like substance (radical matter, 2018)
I like the iterative work that this designer developed, taking the research further than a board material and creating a material library which he has started to apply to objects. If I were to take a similar approach, how successful would the application be?
Photo of an Eames anthology, 2015
Using Biomaterials (Mycelium moulding)
Photos taken during mycelium experimentation, 2025
Following on from a bio-manufacturing masterclass with Oksana Bondar, I completed the process of making mycelium objects from inverted concave moulds. The application of these are ambiguous but the process did show first hand the potential of producing objects out of bio materials. Despite this i still questioned the Longevity of using a material which wouldn't necessarily last that long, as Oksana had stated that "the material will probably last 20 years". This brought me to the same previous question, how would the longevity of an object affect it's emotional value, if it cant necessarily be interacted with over a long period of time?
The Application of Biomaterials Commercially
Image of Notpla packaging, 2025
If I'm talking about the potential use of a bio material in real world applications, I thought it was best to reflect up on my visit to 'Notpla' where they create an innovative alternative to plastic made from seaweed.
Although Notpla have been considered very successful in their material research, they have so far been limited to disposable packaging. they explained that in essence 'bio materials want to return to where they came from and to prevent such a thing you would have to introduce materials such as plastic, which contradicts what were trying to do'.
With this in mind I felt that to explore bio materials for a project would be to explore material research similar to the 'Woodland goods' exhibit which initially prompted this route. My interest as a designer however lays in the application of materials and ideas which made me question the potential for a major project proposal.
Photo taken outside of Notpla studio, 2024
Bio vs Permanent Materials
Image screenshot of material source, 2022 article Image screenshot of shapes by hydro article, 2022
At this point in the project, having been previously interested in a new wave of material research I felt that it was more of a trend which was still being developed. And that creating new material research wouldn't develop my practice In the way I intend to for a major project. I also reflected upon the question, are permanent materials a better alternative to biomaterials? When materials such as aluminium, glass and steel can be fully recycled to create new objects, lasting longer periods of time (shapebyhydro, 2022)
Future Urban Living
Moving on from a focus on material research, I considered what other pressing social or technological issues could inspire my major project.
The UN have predicted that by 2050 68% of the world population will live in Urban areas (United Nations, 2018). This has prompted a resurgence in communal living (Savills, 2017) which could be an interesting topic to explore.
Image screenshot of United Nations, 2018 article
Vertical Garden City (Le Corbusier's vision of future urban living)
Completed in 1952, Le Corbusier 'Unite d'Habitation in Marseille was part of a vision for what he described as the 'vertical garden city'. The design was a communal living block which was seen as radical at the time and rejected as a strategy. Has an increase in urban living changed perspectives on 'radical' communal living? (Andrew Kroll, 2010)
Photograph by Gil Merin, available at AD classics article, 2010
A recent Uk Savills report has highlighted the recent increase in communal living strategies in urban environments, underpinned by shortage of available housing and high demand for urban living. The report stated that there was an 87% increase in planning applications for co-living strategies in 2024 (Savills, 2017)
Adrian Hill architects 'intergenerational housing' demonstrates the complexity of a communal living space highlighting the consideration and opportunity for design influence (Richard Waite, 2020)
Image of Adrian Hill architect, intergenerational housing, 2020
Experimenting with Technology In Design (AI workshop)
Images created using DALL-E AI image software, 2025
During the 'AI hackathon' with Oksana Bondar, we experimented with visualising future design scope with progressing AI technology. this was explored with the Idea of future urban living in mind, I experimented with AI visualisation to imagine possible future spaces creating context for possible design avenues.
Although this allowed me to experiment with new technology in relation to current and predicted contexts, I again felt that this was becoming too speculative and I wanted to reevaluate my initial key words.
A Shift in Direction (Focus on emotional design)
The mind map above explores new directions for this project, Inspired by three key words and initial questions revolving around object narratives. By circling the terms which appealed to me most, I could see that my interests lied further in emotion and interaction which was something I had questioned previously but not fully embraced. The following terms I was looking to explore are:
- Mark of the user (as apposed to mark of the maker)
- Interactions between objects and people (intended vs unintended
- Imperfection vs perfection
- Hidden vs Obvious
- Sense of place
"People tell stories about the objects they interact with"
Don Norman, 2004
Looking back at my initial interests in the narratives behind an object, maybe not all stories have to reflect the 'technological and social conditions responsible' (Eames, 1949). Don Norman argues that objects tell stories through being interacted with and that products should be designed not just for function but also to create emotional connection with users.
This takes a different approach, shifting my research away from material research and technology and placing more value on the everyday (Don Norman, 2004)
Image of Emotional Design, 2004
Don Norman’s three levels of design: Visceral, Behavioural, and Reflective describes how people emotionally and cognitively interact with design. These layers help designers create products that engage users on multiple levels (Don Norman, 2004)
I'm specifically interested in how Norman describes reflective design, putting emphasis on the 'memories and meaning that objects create through use'. Forwarding the view that everyday objects are the most emotional (Don Norman, 2004)
What examples of interaction and use aid towards reflective story telling?
Objects Designed for Everyday Interaction
Image screenshot of Nudie Jeans website, 2025
Nudie Jeans (a denim company founded in 2001) celebrates the use and wear of their products by it's users, linking heavily towards the term of 'mark of the user' which I had come up with during my mind mapping exercise. They argue that their jeans tell a story when worn and marked (celebrating imperfection as a narrative) which they promote through their 'user stories section' on the website (Nudie Jeans, 2025). This term heavily links Don Normans views that "objects tell stories through being interacted with". This also poses that materials have to be able to withstand use to create this emotional connection, again questioning the longevity of biomaterials which was previously discussed.
Working with Tamart Design (An understanding of contemporary design narratives)
Photo of myself and Peter Guenzel photographing Tamart designs 2025 collection Photograph of Tamart Design Floor Cloore Lamp, Tamart website, 2025
During this project I worked with Tamart Design to photograph their new furniture and lighting collection. The narratives which their objects told was a personal story of legacy and love which they communicate through their branding and considerations of detail. This insight made me reflect wether I need to challenge a big social issue or if a sensitive approach reflecting emotion or place could be applied to a major project instead. These photographs were also featured on Wallpaper magazine making this an insightful experience with established contacts that will hopefully help develop my practice.
Daniel Schofield (Inspiration from the mundane)
I found myself stumbling across an interview with designer Daniel Schofield where he reflected what inspires his practice.
"Theres a lot of consideration in the details which surround you on a daily basis, I formulate ideas by just looking out for these things"
Daniel Schofield, (Collate form, 2025)
This made reflect yet again on the direction I was going in for this project as I also have an appreciation for the 'mundane' and keep an extensive camera roll of small details I observe. This made me ask the following question:
- How can I reflect observation of detail in my work?
- Can a project be fully inspired by ordinary details, objects and interactions?
- How can I covey the way designers observe and interact with the material environment?
- How can mundane details provoke emotional connection to place?
Photograph of Daniel Schofield , Design Anthology, 2025
Usefulness in Small Things (Industrial studio 2010)
Images of usefulness of everyday things, sight unseen, 2011
This project by Industrial Studio includes a collection of every objects from around the world where the design couple Sam Hecht and Kim Collin analyse the 'usefulness in small things'. The collection shows an appreciation to detail by revealing how things are made and a sensitivity to the tasks that people carry out (Jill singer, 2011). Again putting an emphasis on value being created through interaction and purpose in everyday activities.
Personal Observation of Detail and Place (Travelling through London)
Images from my camera roll, 2025
When travelling through London I find there is a sense of place which can be explained through small mundane details which subconsciously let you know where you are. These images were taken during a single trip through London, exploring specific details which either shows signs of interaction or provide a visual identity or history. All of which resonate with Daniel Schofields suggestion that "theres a lot of consideration in the details that surround you on a daily basis" (collate form, 2025). I wanted to find out more about the design language of London's transport environments to analyse these considerations.
London Transport Design Language (Consideration of detail)
Images from standard for TfL products, 2009
London transport is 'well designed, confident and has a consistent visual identity' (TFL, 2015) . But I'm interested in the unnoticed details which are equally as considered. These considerations alter the way we interact with spaces, objects and each other. How do these unnoticed details inform a sense of place? How can a design language be informed by mundane details?
Image of standard for TfL products, 2009 Image of Transport for London product design guidelines, 2015
The (Standard for TFL products, 2009) and (TFL Product design guidelines, 2015) provides a framework for the considerations of every specific detail within London transport design. They explain each detail in relation to subconscious user interactions which also provides opportunity to analyse the intended vs unintended use of these environments. How can this analysis be used to inspire and materialise objects that reflect these environments?
Consumed by Routine (Unnoticed details of place)
Riding the tube - a photo essay by Stefan Rousseau
Photographer Stefan Rousseau captured commuters on his daily travels, "often absorbed in their own sleep deprived worlds" highlighting urban hustle culture and the minimal awareness of place resulting in passive urban experiences (Stefan Rousseau, 2019)
Photographed by Stefan Rousseau, metropolitan line, 2019
“I became aware of a new world of phone-obsessed, sleep-deprived, makeup-wielding commuters so absorbed in their own world that I felt I had to photograph them”
(stefan Rousseau, 2019)
This work really highlights the lack of urban awareness and shows that these 'mundane' details really do go unnoticed. What could be the significance of being aware of place and urban identity? Could these commuters be a potential audience for celebrating place through mundane details?
Photographed by Stefan Rousseau, Jubilee line, 2019
Appreciation of Urban Identity (Social theory and case studies)
Everyday urbanism, 1999
Everyday urbanism embodies urban mindfulness, and sense of place theory ‘highlighting the significance of everyday activities and the often overlooked aspects of city life in relation to positive well-being’ (Margaret Crawford, 2008)
This would suggest that being more present and aware in your surroundings, noticing details which shape an urban identity could reflect a better positive well being. Does this have scope for social impact?
Image of Everyday urbanism, 1999
Superkilen Copenhagen, 2012
Danish architecture company 'Big' transformed a 750-meter-long public space into a vibrant, multicultural park by incorporating objects, furniture, and design elements from over 60 different countries, reflecting the diversity of the local community (Amy Fearson, 2012)
This project closely aligns with the concept of 'everyday urbanism' by creating a mutual sense of place where the conscious interaction of people and objects creates a place for urban mindfulness.
Photograph of Superkilen Copenhagen, 2012
Fabric of London campaign, 2025
This project again celebrates the diversity of a city (London), utilising the iconic TFL seating material to 'breath life into real stories of connection' showing the need for creating urban identity and story telling (the standard, 2025).
As photographer (Stefan Rousseau, 2019) captured 'passive urban experiences' these small interventions aim to create moments of reflection - strengthening urban mindfulness. This project reinterprets a mundane detail, where as I aim to celebrate raw mundane details as a form of urban identity in itself.
Photograph of Fabric of London Campaign, 2025
Translation of a Design Language into a Object
Image of Bauhaus print, Available at Animato, 2023 Image of myself in the metal workshop, 2025 Image of concept model, 2025
I wanted to explore the materialisation of an existing design language as an exercise for understanding how objects could be translated from unnoticed mundane details. The Bauhaus placed emphasis of geometric shapes, minimalism and clean lines as a visual language emphasising functionality (Tom Donaldson, 2023). I used these principles to design and prototypes a pair of portable 'nesting' side tables, balancing the aesthetic and functional principles. I would intend to use this same process to materialise objects from found details and interactions that will form a design language inspired by London travel.
Proposed MPP Research Question
Extended Critical Reflection
This module defiantly wasn't a linear process, constantly changing and reevaluating the direction of the project. My initial interest in narrative was influenced by the 'Design: 1900-Now' where I could see that objects told stories of their time, this made me ask questions about what stories should be told in design today, taking the quote "Study well objects made past recent and ancient but never without the technological and social conditions responsible" possibly too seriously and directed me down paths which I wasn't necessarily interested in. Despite this I questioned contemporary views on design throughout, debating firstly wether biomaterials were in fact a better alternative to the longevity of a permanent material and wether new innovations in technology really identified with my own practice.
Working with Tamart Design and reflecting on designers who I really appreciate such as Daniel Schofield, made me consider wether a more sensitive approach to design aligned better with my practice, more similar to previous projects this year which explored values and concepts as apposed to issue lead design. I want to develop my practice by showing consideration of detail and narrative which was something I was struggling to find earlier in the project, this has probably taught me to reflect more on my own interests as this definitely hindered my early development of a major project proposal.
I also found the guest workshops very eye opening, specifically those run by Oksana, allowing me to experiment with materials that I would have never tried before and consider technologies that I would have previously dismissed.
I may use these insights within my practice in the future, but for this project I felt that the scope was more in the material and technology research rather than being able to apply it within a major project. Most importantly I was able to establish real world connections with Tamart design studio and learn to reflect on my interests rather than following contemporary trends or narratives.
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