Motivated by curiosity and a desire for greater transparency in our industry – research, insight and knowledge sharing is an integral part of my practice as a designer.
This has resulted in a number of research projects as well as curated and hosted events with the purpose of inspiring a deeper connection between people and product.
AN UNCOMFTABLE TRUTH
A series of events to spark hard conversations about sustainability, eco-design, and the future of manufacturing.
Discussions included:
– Alan Moore, author of Do Design. Talk: Celebrating beauty in all we do.
– Mike Coulter, behavioral science expert. Talk: The importance of feeling in design with Mike Coulter
– Right to Repair in collaboration with Skinflint, hosted by Katie Treggiden featuring Celia Pym, Bridget Harvey, Justin South and Chris Miller
INPUT
A full-transparency communications exhibition showcasing materials, production processes, tooling and the act of collaboration that goes in to bringing a design to the market. Hosted by Coexistence, supported by Kvadrat.
TABLE TALKS
A knowledge sharing initiative designed to unpack the complexities of sustainable furniture design and material sciences for specifiers.
Reflecting our own experiences as designers we created a series of events that address reoccurring themes such as assessing and selecting finishes, textiles for furniture, furniture materials and construction.
The talks were hosted by MARK co-founder John Miller in person and on-line.
POWER OF TEN
Celebrating 10 years of MARK through an invited collaboration 10 of the UK’s leading architecture and design practices were asked to reinterpret the Loops chair, designed by Studiomama.
Participates included: HLW, ID:SR Sheppard Robson, Manalo & White, MCM, Morey Smith, PENSON, Resonate Interiors, Spacelab, Thirdway Architecture and tp bennett.
DESIGN FRONTIER
A creative industries celebratory event with guest speaker Sir Tim Smit, in partnership with Cornwall Trade and Investment and design studio Nixon.
Hosting two panel discussions – A Place for Plastic chaired by journalist Katie Treggiden with Ella Doran and Seetal Solanki and ‘Creative Cornwall’ led by BBC Click’s Kate Russell.
IN THE MAKING
Collaborators in the first Material Matters feature exhibition curated by TP Bennett and The Furniture Practice our focus was on highlighting a subject close to our hearts – the impact and importance of social value in a supply chain.
Championing radical transparency in the sourcing of raw materials we showcased our journey in sourcing biogenic alternatives to CMHR foam and shared our collaboration with a social enterprise in making our upholstery frames.
INSIGHT INTERVIEWS
Outside of individual project constraints we ran our own research project ‘insight interviews’ which focused on speaking with innovators, product specialists, manufacturers, end users and industry professionals in a drive to deepen our own understanding of material innovations and market insights that would improve project specifications for sustainable choices and circular product lifecycles.
MAKING DESIGNERS
Exhibition to champion and highlight the importance of making in schools featuring work made by designers Jay Barber, Mathew Hilton, Terence Woodgate, Ab Rogers, Michael Marriott, Tom Lloyd, David Irwin, Gala wright, John Miller, Linda Morey-Smith, Paul Logan, Ruth Wassermann, Simon Pengelly and Oliver Marlow.