CONTACT
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Designed Ecology
lauren.davies@arup.com
Lauren Davies BA MA (Hons)
Designer, Global Foresight
Arup
Lauren Davies is a designer and researcher in Arup’s Global Foresight team. Previously working as a lecturer in Design practice, she holds a BA(Hons) and MA in Design from Goldsmiths, University of London. As a critically engaged designer, her practice uses and develops design methods for visioning possible futures in the context of the current ecological crisis. Lauren’s current focus is exploring how design-led foresight methods, such as visioning and speculative design, can ‘build worlds’ that elicit feelings and discussions about preferred futures.
Research Posts
Associate Lecturer, Graphic Design. UWE Bristol, 2020/21 Tutor for 3rd year Graphic Design students. Department at The University of the West of England, Bristol.
Junior Design Fellowship, UWE Bristol, 2019/20 A year long Design Fellowship within the Graphic Design Department at The University of the West of England, Bristol.
Publications
C.E.O’s* (*Climate Evolution Optimists)The outcome of a year long design fellowship at The University of the West of England. 2020. A collaborative publication.
With a rise in Critical & Speculative Design discourse taught across design schools worldwide, how are it’s processes, viability, impact and successes being reviewed & held to account?
First Class Masters dissertation. Goldsmiths, University of London, 2019.
Arrogant Urbanism: An Evolution of the Postmodern Animal, 2017 Undergraduate dissertation. Awarded 1st class mark. Goldsmiths, University of London, 2017.
Awards
Distributed Design Awards 2020
Shortlisted. Adaptable & Open Design
Goldsmiths Innovation Awards, 2019
Shortlisted
Santander Univertities Prototyping Fund, 2019
Won
Tom Fund Grant, 2017
Won
Exhibitions
Design in an Age of Crisis, London Design Biennale 2021 Modular Habitats will exhibit at the London Design Biennale 2021 as part of the ‘Design in an Age of Crisis open call. Curated by Es Devlin. Somerset House, London. 2021
Sadness is a no gO-zone August 2019 Modular Habitats & Anti-Anti-Pigeon Spikes exhibits this summer, 2nd - 4th of August at Copeland Park. Part of ‘Sadness is a no gO-zone’, a climate art show, exhibiting art and design with a defiant and cheeky response to the climate crisis. Curated and produced by Adaptive Capacity.
SHAPESLewisham 2019 Anti-Anti Pigeon Spikes exhibited at Second Floor Studios, Deptford, South East London. Part of the SHAPESLewisham launch event supporting local creatives in New Cross & Deptford, 15th May, 2019.
HYPHEN 2017 Modular Habitats & Sparrow Speculations exhibited at The Old Truman Brewery, Shoreditch, London. Part of the Goldsmiths BA Design degree show, summer 2017.
Talks & Workshops
Constructing Climate Futures, Arnolfini Gallery, The University of West England, Bristol, UK. March 2020.
Speculating on Climate Futures in Bristol, 2050, using scenarios drawn from current climate data and projections for the local area. The day comprised of a participatory walking tour, iterative drawing & lo-res prototyping. By designing speculative experiences through asking ‘what if’ questions, can we better understand and empathise with potential climate futures?
Collaborator: Jessica Duggan
Ecoliteracy, Design & The Housing Crisis,Arnolfini Gallery, The University of West England, Bristol, UK. Oct 2019.
A lecture for BA Graphic Design students at The University of West England. Responding to their live brief on the housing crisis, the talk touched on the connection between Graphic Communication, protest & the ecological crisis. Exploring works by Artists such as; Jenny Holzer & Justin Brice Guariglia, Protest groups such as; Extinction Rebellion & Adapt and Designers such as; Joyce Hwang & Jessica Duggan.
Modular Habitats, Copeland Park Gallery, London, UK
“Lauren Davies is the founder & creative director of Designed Ecology, a multidiciplinary design practice that seeks to address issues around species extinction and ecological inequality. Come & hear her talk through the concept behind her modular habitat boxes found throughout the exhibition.” Part of Adapt exhbition titled ‘Sadness is a no gO’zone’.