Design Exchange Partnerships pilot round
We funded 15 Design Exchange Partnerships in the 2021 to 2022 pilot round, including:
Digital timber for affordable housing
Research organisation: University of Cambridge and PLP Architecture
This research explores how engineered timber, already the most sustainable way of building, and a natural material that stores carbon in its cells as it grows, can improve the way we live. This is done through the design of sustainable, adaptable and flexible interiors for future living.
See more details about Digital timber for affordable housing on Gateway to Research.
Beyond net zero goals: regenerative fashion
Research organisation: University of the Arts London and Elvis & Kresse
Elvis & Kresse creates high-quality fashion accessories from rescued waste materials, operating with the highest social and environmental standards. This project documents and supports the company’s climate ambition to become net regenerative by 2030, diversifying their products through regenerative agriculture and regenerative fashion practices within a rural ecosystem.
See more details about Beyond net zero goals: regenerative fashion on Gateway to Research.
Overview of all 15 Design Exchange Partnerships
Design Accelerators round one
We funded nine Design Accelerators in our 2022 to 2023 round one, including:
The Value of Design for Sustainable Housing
Research organisation: University of Huddersfield
This project will engage communities involved in housing (new and refurbishments) to better use design for smart, sustainable housing, and generate value in social housing upgrades in Kirklees and Yorkshire.
Living Labs will help in co-designing what is achievable for a sustainable future.
Aqueous Futures
Research organisation: Lancaster University
This project will demonstrate the value of alternative ways of understanding place, through knowledge exchange activities between design researchers and local stakeholders to support strategies for coastal climate adaptation.
Overview of all nine Design Accelerators
Next Generation Design
In January 2017, AHRC appointed Professor Paul Rodgers as our Priority Area Leadership Fellow for Design.
The aims of this fellowship were to:
- increase the quantity and quality of design-led research proposals
- strengthen the research capacity of the next generation of design researchers
- act as an ambassador for design research across all sectors of UK society
- use design research as a tool for delivering real and positive social change
Professor Rodgers has led a series of workshops and talks around the country entitled Next Generation Design. The workshops were aimed at early career design researchers and included presentations from:
- Professor Paul Rodgers
- AHRC award holders
- Harry Kerr previously in the AHRC design team
- host institutions’ research offices
The findings of this fellowship are being used to highlight a number of key roles that design has played in past projects, and how it can be used to great effect in a wide variety of future significant, complex global issues. Examples include health and wellbeing, economic growth, sustainable production and consumption, among others.
This work has highlighted that most design research projects synergistically create more than one type of value, generating an interesting mix of social, cultural, economic, and environmental value.
It has also identified research gaps for the design research community to focus on in future years.
The work has been instrumental in the development of the Future Observatory at the Design Museum.
Design Centres for Doctoral Training
AHRC doesn’t just fund postdoctoral research in design. We understand the importance of fostering talent as early as possible and, to that end, we have previously funded four design-focused Centres for Doctoral Training.
These are consortia that comprise research organisations throughout the country:
