The Interventions concept was developed as part of my research fellowship at Newcastle University, with the endless support of Dr Monica Moreno Figueroa.

The project website lives here.

We challenged six designers to turn their attention to the unique social situations being investigated by social science experts at Newcastle University. Teams worked in close collaboration to develop a series of original products and design ideas that addressed key issues raised in the research.
The outcome was not intended to have ‘mass appeal’ but a profound relevance for a particular group of people.

Nelly Ben Hayoun and Dr Alison J Williams explored the geographies of UK airspace to develop a device that enables a group of people living under a flight path to seize control of the airspace above their home.

Dane Whitehurst, Prof. Alastair Bonnett and Dr Catherine Alexander focused on nostalgia and ‘urban memory’ to produce tools to help ex-residents of Tyneside explore the city as they remember it from years gone by.

Michiko Nitta and Dr Cathrine Degnen focussed research collected on British gardeners to devise a collaborative gardening experience and new way to envision the future of gardening.

Ben Singleton, Stuart Munro used Dr Yvette Taylor’s research into educational inequality to create artefacts that encouraged people to think about the ‘boundaries’ being reinforced by an educational institution.

Grit Hartung and Dr Raksha Pande examined cultural practices of migrant communities in Britain to design a dance mat that invites people from different cultures to participate.

Rob Phillips and Ximena Cordova identified the urgency to create new lighting equipment for the miners of the San José Mountain, Bolivia based on research into the Oruro carnival.

Photography by Nick Ballon.