About Framework Lab

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The Framework Lab is an innovative participatory installation designed to empower individuals to explore furniture design through hands-on creativity, critical thinking, and active reflection. Positioned at the intersection of education and design, the Lab challenges traditional consumer-product relationships by turning participants into active creators rather than passive users. Through an engaging, card-driven experience, participants navigate a series of creative constraints that guide them in creating unique seating objects.

Upon entering the Lab, participants begin by drawing cards from three distinct decks—Context, Material, and Connection. These cards provide structured limitations that stimulate creativity by defining the purpose of the seating object, specifying the materials to be used, and indicating the type of connections allowed. Each card offers clear instructions and practical tips, balancing freedom and constraint in a playful yet purposeful manner. For example, a Context card might prompt users to design a seating object for a quiet reading nook, while a Material card might assign specific types of wood available in limited dimensions. Connection cards define the joining methods, such as dowel or friction-based connections, eliminating the need for adhesives or complex machinery, thereby ensuring sustainability and ease of reuse.

The Framework Lab is specifically crafted to address urgent contemporary concerns, such as the detachment of consumers from production processes, the unsustainability of disposable furniture, and the standardisation inherent in industrial mass production. By involving users directly in the construction process, the Lab fosters a deeper understanding of design principles, materials, and the complexities of production systems. It underscores the potential for individuals to reclaim agency in designing their immediate environments, encouraging them to rethink conventional consumption patterns and fostering an ethos of sustainability and circularity.

A critical aspect of the Framework Lab experience is reflection. Participants are encouraged to document their process and outcomes, capturing key insights, challenges, and successes. This documentation is digitally archived and made publicly accessible via an online platform. The archive serves multiple purposes: it provides inspiration and guidance for future participants, acts as a living record of diverse design approaches, and creates a collaborative space bridging different geographic locations. Each archived entry includes details such as the materials used, connection techniques, context of the design, and the skill level of the creator, thus enabling users from various backgrounds to engage with and learn from each other's experiences.

The Framework Lab ultimately goes beyond traditional design exercises. It is a vibrant, critical platform that highlights how structured constraints can foster innovation and meaningful personal engagement. By democratising the act of design and production, the Lab generates a unique community-driven archive that embodies diverse expressions of creativity, sustainable thinking, and reflective practice. Participants leave not only with tangible skills and renewed confidence but also with a deeper awareness of their role in shaping the designed world around them.

The Framework Lab is an innovative participatory installation designed to empower individuals to explore furniture design through hands-on creativity, critical thinking, and active reflection. Positioned at the intersection of education and design, the Lab challenges traditional consumer-product relationships by turning participants into active creators rather than passive users. Through an engaging, card-driven experience, participants navigate a series of creative constraints that guide them in creating unique seating objects.

Upon entering the Lab, participants begin by drawing cards from three distinct decks—Context, Material, and Connection. These cards provide structured limitations that stimulate creativity by defining the purpose of the seating object, specifying the materials to be used, and indicating the type of connections allowed. Each card offers clear instructions and practical tips, balancing freedom and constraint in a playful yet purposeful manner. For example, a Context card might prompt users to design a seating object for a quiet reading nook, while a Material card might assign specific types of wood available in limited dimensions. Connection cards define the joining methods, such as dowel or friction-based connections, eliminating the need for adhesives or complex machinery, thereby ensuring sustainability and ease of reuse.

The Framework Lab is specifically crafted to address urgent contemporary concerns, such as the detachment of consumers from production processes, the unsustainability of disposable furniture, and the standardisation inherent in industrial mass production. By involving users directly in the construction process, the Lab fosters a deeper understanding of design principles, materials, and the complexities of production systems. It underscores the potential for individuals to reclaim agency in designing their immediate environments, encouraging them to rethink conventional consumption patterns and fostering an ethos of sustainability and circularity.

A critical aspect of the Framework Lab experience is reflection. Participants are encouraged to document their process and outcomes, capturing key insights, challenges, and successes. This documentation is digitally archived and made publicly accessible via an online platform. The archive serves multiple purposes: it provides inspiration and guidance for future participants, acts as a living record of diverse design approaches, and creates a collaborative space bridging different geographic locations. Each archived entry includes details such as the materials used, connection techniques, context of the design, and the skill level of the creator, thus enabling users from various backgrounds to engage with and learn from each other's experiences.

The Framework Lab ultimately goes beyond traditional design exercises. It is a vibrant, critical platform that highlights how structured constraints can foster innovation and meaningful personal engagement. By democratising the act of design and production, the Lab generates a unique community-driven archive that embodies diverse expressions of creativity, sustainable thinking, and reflective practice. Participants leave not only with tangible skills and renewed confidence but also with a deeper awareness of their role in shaping the designed world around them.