MDes Design Innovation & Citizenship

Haldane Building, 3 students

Design Innovation is a programme focused on human-centred design – looking at the way the world works and identifying ways it might be better, either through big systemic changes or small interventions that help individuals: the future of work and education, the impact of social isolation, the need for better urban transport, attitudes to end of life care, the role of the city environment on mental health and physical wellbeing.

These are just some of the topics that have become Masters projects – 12-week independent explorations of the world at a human and individual scale.

To some extent, the outcomes of these projects are irrelevant (though they really are excellent, as you’ll see). Being a designer and an innovator is not just a matter of a skillset but of a mindset– something very difficult to assess or to teach.

We hope that you take the time to explore the thinking, insights and ingenuity of our 2022 cohort, by student, by theme or by tag through this site.

An illustrative drawing of speculative worlds under the title Universal Recognition A co-produced, inclusive and speculative approach to wellbeing economic policy making. Other text beside the worlds read as Supple Schedules, Sleek Slowed Systems and Composite Communication. The final line of text reads Access Diversity - A future wellbeing economic indicator…
Illustration of a black deaf parent with a broken arm and their teenage child who identifies as a CODA. They stand in between two orbits signifying their relationship and shared experience.

from Universal Recognition

An illustration of a world being enjoyed by a wheelchair user, a child with limb difference and their parent. Everyone is enjoying the world equitably as it is elastic to their way of being.

from Universal Recognition

An illustrated world where the ground is made of fossils or snail shells representing a slow, sustainable and liveable pave of time. There is someone wrapped in a blanket standing living in the world.

from Universal Recognition

An illustration of a world whereby people are connected and rooted to one another regardless of if they live the other side of the world or if they are disabled. The people are equally connected to places they can’t reach physically.

from Universal Recognition

A thesis poster of the project. Image description will be uploaded as an audio file.

from Universal Recognition

from A Migrating Identity

from A Migrating Identity

from A Migrating Identity

from A Migrating Identity

from Press Play