Material Spaces of Tomorrow with SPACE10
The world is a wonderful and complex place—especially right now. We’re at a defining point in time—one that will lead to profound changes in society and in the way we live.
This year for London Design Festival we have been invited by SPACE10 the Future Living Laboratory of IKEA to create a full day’s experience exploring Material Spaces of Tomorrow at Protein Gallery in Shoreditch on Saturday 23rd September 2017.
People are on the move like never before. In recent decades we’ve witnessed rapid urbanisation—a trend that is set to continue in the years ahead. By 2050, the proportion of people living in cities will have risen to 70 percent. And as our urban environments grow bigger and more crowded, we need to create meaningful spaces for everyday living that are both sustainable and affordable.
But how do we best design our spaces of tomorrow? And what defines space in a broader context?
This September, SPACE10 are hosting a pop–up in Shoreditch exploring the consequences of urbanisation and the spaces we inhabit. Over the course of six days, during London Design Festival, SPACE10 will examine the concept of space from different angles.
How do materials and textures affect our experience and understanding of space? How do materials change the perception of a space when the substance of that space is ever-changing from solid to fluid? How will materials evolve our spaces in the future? Explore material spaces of tomorrow with Ma-tt-er and SPACE10.
On the the final day of their London pop-up we are presenting an exhibition exploring materials and textures in relation to space, which takes us on a “journey of materials and how they will evolve a space by the year 2030”. As part of the exhibition, Ma-tt-er will host a natural dyeing workshop to show how red cabbage can be used to measure pollution levels. Learn more about the workshop here.
In the evening, Ma-tt-er will present a series of talks, asking pressing questions about the future of materials—such as who gets to decide what’s defined as a material, and who’s permitted to use a particular material? Speakers include:
Libby Heaney, an artist, researcher and lecturer with training in quantum physics, who works at the intersection of art, science and technology. For example, for the European Capital of Culture programme in the Danish city Aarhus this year, she presented an interactive, virtual reality experience that explored the storytelling possibilities of quantum mechanics.
Luca Picardi, a strategic designer whose recent project “Familiar” explores patterns of mimicry in contemporary urban development projects in northern Europe, from Fjord City in Oslo and HafenCity in Hamburg to Nine Elms in London and the Royal Seaport in Stockholm. The project asks whether cities are looking more alike—and, if so, how these developments collectively shape our experience of the city.
Lucy Hardcastle, an interdisciplinary designer and digital artist, whose work focuses on tactility, visual illusions and sensual aesthetics through digital rendered pieces, sculpture, set design and moving image. Her current projects aim to bridge the highly digital and physical aspects of her practice to produce immersive experiential pieces.
The exhibition is open from 12 noon to 4 pm. The evening event starts at 6 pm. Get your ticket here to be on the guestlist for the evening event, but remember to arrive in time to secure your seat. First come, first served. The event is free but limited to 100 participants.
See you there!