Living Landscapes

What was the challenge?

The UK landscape is shifting. As we enter a new life outside of the EU, our laws on biodiversity, farming and the climate crisis are beginning to change. What really matters to people about the UK landscape and what decisions and trade-offs would we make for its future?

As part of a nationwide public research programme, we worked with global leaders in research and dialogue Ipsos MORI, on a project commissioned by the Royal Society to explore the social systems intertwined with our agricultural identity and help public audiences understand and deliberate possible future directions for our changing landscape. 

What did we do?

In order to bring this multifaceted topic to participants in an inspiring and engaging way, we created three imagined futures based on the research conducted by Ipsos Mori and key themes identified by the Royal Society. 

We designed a distinct identity for each future scenario and a set of materials to help participants to consider a range of global indicators, including advancement in technology, economic growth, consumer trends and the consumption of natural resources. 

Each possible future scenario was brought to life using a range of fictional objects and striking visuals - from a flyer from the supermarket of the future to a map showing how our agricultural processes might change, and from seed bombs to food from fictional future producers.

One hundred participants received ‘packs from the future’ delivered to their door to help stimulate deliberative debate during workshop sessions facilitated by Ipsos MORI.

What has the impact been?

This new approach to stimulus proved to be a successful way to deepen engagement and provide a more nuanced understanding and deliberation of the complex themes under consideration.

This commission is one of several projects that mark The Liminal Space’s move into virtual tools and physical assets designed to be used by audiences who are unable to come together physically. By creating immersive tools that individuals can interact with physically from the comfort of their homes whilst remaining part of a team online, we are able to continue our mission to make complex topics relatable and empower people to participate.