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Over the past year, Future Observatory has been pursuing a strand of research focused on low-carbon housebuilding . The UK has a longstanding housing crisis, and yet any large-scale housebuilding

“If ever there was a time to consider alternative ways of building a future, it is now. What we do this decade will shape the rest of the century. But what if, rather than fetishising innovation, what

Design research for the green transition. The first display in a new dedicated space for research at the Design Museum is now open. The Future Observatory display showcases six researchers from across

Supporting biodiversity is becoming an increasingly urgent focus of design research practice. With many ecosystems and species in decline, human interdependence on natural systems is ever more

Building on the theme of ‘communities,’ the new cohort of six projects will 'commercialise' their innovative solutions to accelerate the green transition across the UK.

This project explores how waste materials can be used to make new things. They worked with Fishy Filaments in Cornwall, Harris Tweed Hebrides in Scotland and furniture maker Wood Bros in Hertfordshire to understand the challenges of turning different waste materials, such as fishing nets and wool, into new furniture. Their first prototype, a chair, also acts as a story telling platform from which to create new narratives and imagine what a sustainable future might look like.

Design Exchange Partnerships bring design researchers together with non-academic organisations, such as businesses, NGOs or local councils, in strategic partnerships capable of addressing green