Democratising Designtech

Merchant Land welcomed the opportunity to attend ‘Democratising Designtech’, hosted by the Connected Places Catapult. The Catapult’s role is to support the growth of businesses with innovations in mobility services and the built environment. The event was held in conjunction with Dark Matter Labs who undertake research and prototyping to develop new models of 21st century institutional infrastructure.

Dark Matter Labs are soon to publish a report on the likely impact that technology will have on architecture. Architecture as well as the wider building industry is undergoing huge change, driven by new technologies, and data, and so is how we live.

This was a great opportunity to hear about some of the exciting work happening in this area, including from the panel made up of:

• Dimitrie Stefanescu – Speckle/Arup
• Sarah Gold – Projects by If
• Jami Cresser-Brown – Bryden Wood

What is clear is that the role of designers is changing and that there is a clear trend towards making the range of tools more accessible, making it easier for all of us to have a say in shaping our built environment.