Do physical places, either those that we create or those that are naturally occurring, have the power to fire the imagination? Do certain places inspire you more than others? What about a certain environment can have this effect on an individual, or a community? Is it possible for somewhere to spark imagination in one person,…
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This project is really exciting as it combines two of our favourite themes: creative ways to learn and spaces to imagine. It’s not about maximising or constantly learning, it’s about context and environment. By taking the conversations outside the classroom to daily places like bus stops, it makes these topics accessible and relevant. It’s interesting…
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It seems that we’ve been searching for places to imagine for centuries, as Dan Schindel of Hyperallergic is finding out. Researcher and author Paul Dobraszczyk’s book is an inspiring and eye-opening exploration of the breadth and depth of our collective aspirations. Last year, we explored your visions of the architecture of an urban future with…
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Helen Marriage‘s mission is to create real experiences; moments that are actually memorable. Through her company, Artichoke, her public art projects use imagination to access spaces and forever change how we feel about them. In this TED talk, she shares her ideas on convincing people to value shared artistic experiences. Transform the physical world using…
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Making places that inspire isn’t just about beauty and the thrill of the new. It’s also about finding creative ways to increase engagement. Looking at this exploration of a colourful kindergarten in Chongqing, we love the impulse to build “a place that begs to be explored”. It’s full of clever and, crucially, practical solutions all…
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What are we hoping for when we create spaces for people? This is a thought-provoking piece, originally published in Business Insider, about a planned ‘city of the future‘. It explores the complexities of building, or perhaps forcing, a utopia. There are lessons to be learned around the practicalities, such as funding, but also in realising…
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Here’s an interesting way of looking at a seemingly simple phenomenon which could be used to revolutionise the way we draw. If architects can use robots to understand the complex kinetics involved in creating the organic circles that humans do, it could have an impact on how they create inspiring spaces. “Movement was always an…
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This is a great example of technology meeting community. The development and potential of 3D printing is opening up massive civic infrastructure projects to the communities which actually use them. Not only does this involve users in their urban environment, but increases sustainability and feeds skills development. The Fabrication City concept puts manufacturing back in…
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Designated, organised cohousing is still marginal; it certainly isn’t how the majority of the western world lives. What’s interesting about this article from Curbed is the insight into why there is a reluctance to organise communities like this in certain cultures. Is there a fear that a shared and varied influence on a child’s upbringing…
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It’s interesting to look at an idea for humanity that isn’t driven by necessity, disaster, or damage control; to look at it from another angle. And as well as being an interesting concept, the extremes and unknowns of life on other planets also provides rich ground for creative thinking. Here, in The Atlantic, author Charlie…
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We’re pleased to share this interview by Rob Hopkins, a friend of the Institute of Imagination, in conversation with researcher and illustrator James McKay exploring his work presenting ideas about the future. This is a really great example of STEAM learning; using creativity to communicate ideas about science. Read about where James gets his ideas and how he makes his…
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