Earlier this week I along with other colleagues from across the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) spent two inspiring days at World Design Congress, which this year was hosted by the Design Council in London.
Uniting under the Design Council’s flagship ‘Design for Planet’ theme, World Design Congress demonstrated the different ways design can be harnessed as a key industry in addressing the climate crisis and the move to net zero.
The event attracted designers, business leaders, policymakers, educators and researchers from all over the globe to explore a range of powerful themes designed to inspire, challenge and mobilise for action.
Design’s role in net zero
With speakers ranging from musician and activist Brian Eno to Earthshot Prize winner Charlot Magayi, the event illustrated the central role design plays and needs to play in addressing challenges and opportunities including the green transition and net zero.
Justin McGuirk, Chief curator at the Design Museum talking at the World Design Congress. Credit: Katherine Mansfield.
This is emphasised by the Design Council’s mission to upskill one million designers for the green transition.
In his closing address to Congress, Minister Ian Murray, summed up the message of all the speakers by addressing the importance of design in shaping the future.
This is why AHRC remains committed to investing in design research around the theme of net zero.
Showcase of green transition ecosystems
The World Design Congress culminated in the annual World Design Congress President’s drinks reception hosted at the Design Museum to coincide with the opening of the Future Observatory: Tools for Transition exhibition.
This exhibition showcases the work of the four Green Transition Ecosystems (GTE) funded as part of AHRC’s Future Observatory: Design the Green Transition programme.
The year-long exhibition highlights how designers are responding to climate change through ongoing research, rather than finished products, and emphasises the crucial role of design in the green transition.
AHRC committed to second phase funding
During the event, AHRC’s Executive Chair, Christopher Smith, and Future Observatory Director, Justin McGuirk, announced that AHRC has committed to funding a second phase of the programme to run from October 2025 to March 2028.
AHRC’s Executive Chair, Christopher Smith talking at the World Design Congress. Credit: Katherine Mansfield.
The second phase of the programme, supported by a £34 million investment, will continue to support growth and the UK’s transition to net zero through the scaling up of design interventions and engaging diverse public audiences with the power of design through our flagship partnership with the Design Museum.
In the second phase, Future Observatory will continue to act as both a coordination hub for the nationwide programme, as well as a research department within the museum.
It will continue to redefine what a museum can be, a place not solely focused on the past or the present but one that can help shape the future.
In phase one Future Observatory has delivered a programme of exhibitions, displays, residencies, events and publications, including a dedicated Future Observatory Gallery at the museum.
As the UK’s first design research and innovation engagement centre, Future Observatory also directly supports and funds multidisciplinary, multi-scale design research.
This includes:
- 16 design researchers in residence
- five design ecosystem fellowships
- two low carbon housing fellowships
- six Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport cultural policy fellowships
- four More Than Human fellowships
The Green Transition Ecosystem projects featured within the Tools for Transition exhibition have also secured further funding.
Translating design-led research
These are large-scale projects that focus on translating the best design-led research into real-world application across a range of sectors, including healthcare, circular economy, housing and planning.
The four projects are:
- Design Hopes led by Professor Paul Rodgers (University of Strathclyde) and Professor Mel Woods (University of Dundee)
- Future Island-Island led by Professor Justin Magee (Ulster University) and also Dr Clare Mulholland (Queen’s University Belfast) in phase two
- Public Map Platform led by Professor Flora Samuel (University of Cambridge)
- Transforming Housing and Homes for Future Generations led by Professor Joanne Patterson (Cardiff University)
Impacts and benefits
In their second phase, the GTEs will continue to build on the impacts and benefits delivered in the first phase of their funding.
Design Hopes’ reusable headwear made from a sustainable, plant-based material for hospital staff is helping to reduce waste in the NHS while also improving patients’ experience.
Future Island-Island has been working with coastal communities in Northern Ireland to recycle and reuse waste material collected during beach cleans, and use 3D printing to print and repair equipment, showcasing how these approaches can be used to improve the environmental sustainability and reduce costs for communities and small businesses.
Public Map Platform will soon launch their interactive mapping tool which could transform the UK planning system by allowing communities to help shape how developments are brought forward for their areas. The new tool uses economic, cultural, social and environmental data provided by communities, which could ensure a more evidence-based, digital approach to planning.
Transforming Housing and Homes project is working with partners in Swansea and Bristol to explore how adaptations to 1.4 million council-built houses across the UK could cut energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and improve the health and wellbeing of their occupants.
Future opportunities
Phase two of the Future Observatory programme will also include a new funding opportunity.
Design Generators will seek to generate new arts and humanities-based approaches and methodologies that harness design to address:
- environmental sustainability
- decarbonisation
- circular economies
- policy design
- regenerative practices
The first of two rounds will open in November 2025 so watch this space for future updates.