Murray Fairweather
As a designer, I’m fascinated by patterns, structures, and events that shape humanity. My curiosity for psychology and tangible experience aims to reconnect society with the world through design by bridging the gaps of understanding.
OpenPlay
“Sometimes it’s the very people whom no one can imagine anything of, who do the things that no one can imagine“
Elizabeth Coleman
After establishing the role of a future Local Economy in 2032 under the ‘Seed’ ecosystem, I was required to explore a regenerative aspect within this framework. With approximately 65% of future job roles yet to be defined, I became intrigued by the redefinition of material culture and envisioned its pioneering by the radically creative minds of children in a safe and nurturing environment.
Thus, OpenPlay was born—a project rooted in the principles of Anji Play, an innovative early childhood education approach originating from Anji County, China. Central to this endeavour is the recognition of the profound impact that self-directed, open-ended play has on the learning process. OpenPlay aims to push the boundaries of imagination while fostering a robust networking system through shared knowledge exchanges.
The culmination of this project is an exploration of regenerative play economies manifested through a Bio-Builder Playset and a 3D educational experience.The park serves as a social living space for creators to manifest their imaginations. All exhibitions are 3D printed, and the biomaterial used gradually composts into the ground, making the park regenerative.
This initiative encourages children to regularly engage with biomaterials, positioning their presence within mainstream consumption. By integrating the arts into STEM education, OpenPlay creates opportunities for cognitive development and cultivates essential soft skills such as problem-solving, management, and independence.
Through this innovative approach, OpenPlay envisions a future where children embrace their innate curiosity and actively participate in shaping a regenerative society. By intertwining play, education, and sustainability, OpenPlay paves the way for a generation that will be equipped with the skills and mindset necessary to foster a harmonious and thriving future.
Energy.wav
” As natural systems shift from one state to another, we almost immediately forget what we have lost.”
George Monbiot
During the research stage of my dissertation, “Rectifying Sustainability Through Design,” I became interested in the role of design in developing frameworks and ecosystems for long-term societal change. With a curiosity about past, present, and future energy ecosystems, I saw the current energy crisis as a catalyst for change. I used this pairing to design a brief, challenging ownership of energy in domestic spaces, focusing on the oppressive design of common energy utilities.
Following desk research, I investigated the common consumer’s current habits and pain points using primary ethnographic research techniques before zooming in on young adults as my primary stakeholder for this iteration, allowing me to proceed and define my design specification.
An Incentive to Regain Ownership
As of 2023, The Energy Mix has become a commodity that can be purchased with the flip of a switch. As a result, we overlook it, the energy remains invisible, and the customer is susceptible to vulnerabilities that organisations can leverage.
As the cost of living rises, this disadvantage has been amplified, significantly. For example, Centrica recorded a 20-fold increase in operating profit to £1.4 billion, while 46% of adults feel it is very or somewhat difficult to pay their bills
Aggregation from Home: The Next Generation
Energy.Wav explores domestic energy aggregation, reconnecting young individuals with social and physical energy utilities. This is accomplished by a reframing of the purchase point, in which the buyer is engaged with physical components of energy such as sound and touch, resulting in more actively conscious consumption decisions.
This approach leverages National Grid data to help you reduce high-demand time usage and utilises Weather Forecasts for precise and refined energy planning. By employing tangible triggers and clear incentives, Energy.Wav is built to assist young adults in understanding their consumption habits, offset third-party costs more effectively, and facilitate smoother behaviour change during times of crisis.
