These fellowships are Future Observatory-funded awards for four practice-based researchers to explore more-than-human design.
More-than-human design understands that human activities can only flourish interdependently with other species and systems. As an emergent design approach, it seeks not just to reduce its impact on the biosphere but also to actively support biodiversity and regenerate landscapes. It works in collaboration with, designs for and contextualises human activity alongside that of non-humans.
The fellowship programme is connected to a major exhibition at the Design Museum – opening June 2025 – that gathers a new generation of designers who are embracing this emergent approach. As practice-based researchers, fellows will test their ideas through physical objects and installations that will be displayed within the exhibition.
Working from regions across the world, fellows will explore diverse more-than-human practices in the Jaraguá Guarani Indigenous Land in São Paulo, Brazil; Timor, Indonesia; the Ecuadorian Amazon and London, UK.
The fellows, selected through an invited interview process in July 2024, will carry out their research over a 10-month period. Readers are invited to follow the fellows’ research developments from concept through to final installation through a series of Future Observatory blogposts. These posts will share the work as it evolves, offering a behind-the-scenes look into the iterative processes of design research.
