The Future Blueprint

Design Fellow: Cathal Crumley
Co-Investigator: Dr Rebecca McConnell

Challenge

The island of Ireland faces a creative ‘brain drain’ and climate adaptation challenges. There is a critical need for public engagement frameworks that make future climate and cultural scenarios tangible, accessible, and inclusive to foster societal dialogue and decision-making.

Approach

This fellowship employed speculative design fiction and immersive storytelling, underpinned by design ecosystem frameworks and place-based research. Co-creation workshops and participatory visualisation translate complex environmental futures into public-facing media artefacts.

Outcomes

Outputs include a short film, a Q&A screening at QFT, a travelling pop-up exhibition (Void Gallery Derry, QUB, and others), and a climate visualisation toolkit. Outcomes include improved climate literacy, cultural dialogue, and increased creative engagement with policy futures.

Learnings

Accessible, immersive storytelling tools are effective in engaging diverse communities with complex topics like climate change. Collaboration across academic, creative, and civic sectors enables broader impact. The visualisation format supports emotional resonance, critical thinking, and inclusivity in future-oriented discourse.

Impact

This project drives cultural, educational, and economic impact by embedding immersive climate futures into public life. Through speculative design and participatory storytelling, it equips communities with the tools to understand and shape responses to climate risk. By fostering creative retention and informing design policy, it strengthens local capacity for just and imaginative adaptation.