Future Factory A collaboration between the Design Museum of London and the Design and Living Systems Lab and MA Material Futures of Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London.
What are the environmental challenges facing manufacturing today? How can we design more sustainable forms of production at a local and global scale? Could organisms and non-human agents become the next makers? And what material futures should tomorrow’s factories create? Whether through the excesses of plastic pollution or the burning of fossil fuels, our existing modes of production have unimaginable effects on the planet. And whilst factories have been major causes of these challenges, they have also been affected by them. Traditional forms of making are being lost due to climate change; workers are facing precarious working conditions and material scarcity is making existing infrastructure obsolete.
Across the globe designers, makers and thinkers are focusing on the environmental challenges that will impact our current manufacturing systems. Through transdisciplinary collaboration they are looking at new ways in which we can create more sustainable material and production alternatives on both a local and global scale. This symposium brought together leading designers to explore how production might be re-designed for the future. Focusing on the potentials of bio-technology, living systems and new materials, the session discussed a range of case-studies for possible future factories at local and industrial scales, with a focus on environmental sustainability.
DAY 1 : 30 NOV EMB E R 2 0 18
F UTU R E FAC TORY SYMPOSIUM
Future Factory Day 1: Symposium
01
Ken Webster Ken Webster is former Head of Innovation for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. His book The Circular Economy: A Wealth of Flows (2017) relates the connections between systems thinking, economic and business opportunity, and the transition to a circular economy. Ken is a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter. UK
02
Territorial Agency John Palmesino and Ann-Sofi Rรถnnskog are architects and urbanists. They founded Territorial Agency, an independent organisation that combines architecture, analysis, advocacy and action to promote sustainable territorial transformations. Their projects include the Museum of Oil, Anthropocene Observatory, Coast of Europe and North. They teach at the AA Architectural Association, Goldsmiths and AHO Oslo.
www.territorialagency.com
03
Jen Keane Jen Keane is a designer and creative researcher working in between the disciplines of design and science, technology and craft. Inspired by notions of sustainability, and a fascination with new digital and biological tools, she is exploring how new technologies could be employed to design a new generation of hybrid materials, and perhaps change our approach to making altogether.
www.jenkeane.com
04
Markus Kayser Markus Kayser is a designer and researcher currently heading Kayser Works. Kayser’s research spans widely across disciplines, ranging from studying swarm behavior in insects to using the Sun’s rays to 3D print glass objects from raw desert sand. He earned his PhD from MIT Media Lab, previously studying design at the Royal College of Art and the London Metropolitan University.
www.kayserworks.com
05
Amy Congdon Amy is a designer, researcher and critical thinker who explores the boundaries between design, science, and technology. She has exhibited her work internationally in venues such as Somerset House, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, EDF Fondation, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Amy is currently Team Lead for Materials Design at Modern Meadow and Producer of the Biofabricate Summit.
www.amycongdon.com
06
Maurizio Montalti Maurizio Montalti (Officina Corpuscoli) has been one of the early pioneers committed to developing a range of mycelium-based technologies for the production of biomaterials and products. He is also co-founder of Mogu, an innovation-driven, environmentally-conscious company dedicated to developing different typologies of biomaterials deriving from fungi. Maurizio’s work has been honoured with multiple awards and exhibited globally.
www.corpuscoli.com
Chair Carole Collet Carole Collet has dedicated her career to developing a new vision for sustainable design, and pioneered the discipline of Textile Futures in 2000. She is the CSMLVMH Director of Sustainable Innovation at Central Saint Martins UAL, as well as Director of the Design & Living Systems Lab, a programme exploring the interface of the biological sciences and design.
www.designandlivingsystems.com
F UTU R E FAC TORY SYMPOSIUM
In part two of the Future Factory Symposium, participants learnt about a range of different production models and ‘future factories’, from biohacking to automation in a series of discussions and hands-on activities. This was part of the Future Factory Collaboration with the Design and Living Systems Lab and Central Saint Martins UAL’s Material Futures Programme.
DAY 2 : 01 DECE M BER 201 8
Future Factory Day 2: Workshop
Orange Corp
01 Orange Corp In a world where climate change has drastically reduced the Earth’s available land mass, agriculture must adapt. Orange Corp presents a revolutionary solution: a floating citrus grove operating outside of national boundaries.
Gabriele Lorusso Helga AradĂłttir
Anisha Sharma Elizabeth Harper Oriol Arnedo Casas
Future Democracy
02 Future Democracy Automated systems are beginning to make decisions on behalf of humans. This experience depicts the possibility of having a machine vote for you. Algorithms are fed with all your data available on the internet until they understand, better than you do, how your opinion could be translated into decisions. Would you trust an A.I. to vote for you?
Rachel Foley MaĂŤl Henaff Marcel Nieto
Akane Kawahara Emily Boxall Maria Roy Deulofeu Pleun Van Dijk
Global Nano Lamination Centre Ltd.
03 Global Nano Lamination Centre Ltd. Nanotechnology is already here. But how does this affect our daily life? How will this change our relationship with food and packaging? Come visit the Global Nanolamination Centre Ltd. for a taste of an alternative future!
Elissa Brunato Nathalie Spencer
Madelyn Page Santa Josh Cotton Molly Bonnell Carolina Perez Leon
No Milk
04 Not Milk NotMilk speculates on how CRISPR cas9 gene editing technology could transform the future of milk production.
Diana MuĂąoz Marion Lasserre Rosanna Broadhead
Florence Zhou Florencia Schneider Sarah Graham Sean Ross
Avo Lab
05 Avo Lab Experience the latest food revolution: lab grown avocados. In response to the increasing costs, excessive water use, and carbon footprint associated with conventional avocado production, Avolab have developed an avocado just as nutritious, delicious and free from environmental guilt (and hand injuries).
Annie Larkins Daisy Newdick
Tanvi Jain Sorawut Kittibanthorn Roberta Lebed Llopart Seonmin Kang
Emotional Artificial Intelligence
06 Emotional Artificial Intelligence Would you confide in a machine? We invite you to an immersive performance exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) could infiltrate our most intimate relationships, friendships and feelings.
Brenda De Ritis ClĂŠmence GrouinRigaux
Giuseppe Abate Sohpie Elizabeth Huckfield Brigitte Kock Riina Oun
For more information visit: https://designmuseum.org/whats-on/talks-courses-and-workshops/future-factory-day-1-symposium https://designmuseum.org/whats-on/talks-courses-and-workshops/future-factory-day-2-workshop