Design for Future Living
We are a collective of researchers across design and creative arts who are concerned with the design of future ways of living.
From homes, workplaces, public places and spaces, we work in trans-disciplinary ways across a wide range of domains including health and wellbeing, mobility, and energy.
The Design for Future Living Lab has its historical roots in the field of human factors and ergonomics which started at Loughborough in the 1950s. From a basis of human factors, psychology and HCI, user-centred design grew as a distinct specialism in both research and education and has always been applied in its nature. Nowadays, in response to the interrelated complex challenges the world faces, it has developed its user-centred design expertise into a holistic and systemic approach to future living. The Lab’s research and education blends experience design, service design, design futures and complex systems.
Key projects
The Lab cuts across and beyond the School of Design and Creative Arts. Led by Professors Rebecca Cain and Vicky Haines, it brings together experts in experience design, human factors and ergonomics, responsible and sustainable design, user-centred design and transdisciplinary design. We work across a range of sectors with extensive engagement with external partners in the private, public and voluntary sectors.
The Lab is interested in experimental ways of working and has a co-creation ethos to its projects and education. We bring together partners from academia, industry and the public sector to address the issues of the day by creatively applying a range of skills, methods and expertise.
