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Research hub: Design
Taking a challenge-led, engaged and collaborative approach to social, material and technological innovation in design.
About our research
About our research
In the Design Research Hub, we approach design as an agent for positive change.
We seek to create a viable future by facilitating responsible cultural, social, material and technological transformations — not just in Manchester and the UK, but around the world.
The hub is organised into four thematic groups, representing our research strengths and foci:
- Community, Culture and Heritage — social and cultural engagement with diverse cultures and their heritage, in particular with marginalised and displaced groups
- Design for Mental Health and Wellbeing — using design to support people living with mental health, dementia and disability, as well as addressing stigma and improving social engagement, agency and quality of life
- Design Driven Innovation and Speculative Design — working with businesses to facilitate design-led innovation that benefits society and the economy
- Making and Materiality — technical, material or process innovation to enable the creative and practical development of novel solutions in both analogue and digital areas
How we work
We have a particular strength in socially-engaged, applied and practice-led research.
Our work is publicly-engaged, collaborative, interdisciplinary and challenge-led. It attracts significant research income, which supports collaborative projects, practice-based research and high-profile exhibitions.
We work with academic, business and third-sector partners across the UK and internationally.
Our research has real world impact, whether that’s in supporting communities, addressing health challenges or making material-related innovations. We submitted three impact case studies to the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
And our work also informs teaching on postgraduate programmes and masters courses in:
- design innovation
- design for health and wellbeing
- textiles
- craft
- product design
- interior design
- illustration
- graphic design and art direction
Research themes
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Design for Health and Wellbeing
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Community, Culture and Heritage
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Making and Materiality
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Selected projects
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Thread Bearing Witness
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IDoService
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Crafting Futures Argentina
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Design Action Plan
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Contact Us
Contact Us
For general enquiries about our design research hub, you can contact its lead, Prof Kristina Niedderer.