Dialogues for Tomorrow: The Future of Design

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A designer, filmmaker, futurist and educator, Anab Jain grew up in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, within the entangled postcolonial landscapes of a fast-growing nation. Through a series of planned and unplanned circumstances, she has made London her home. Although the idea of a ‘home’ remains as expansive as our hearts and minds. In 2009, Anab, with Jon Ardern, co-founded Superflux, to foreground the practices of speculative design, critical foresight, design fiction and experiential futures as an integral strategy for businesses, governments, foundations and NFP organisations wishing to navigate deep uncertainty. In their 13th year, Superflux has received the Design Studio of the Year Award in in recognition of our ‘contribution to the fields of speculative and futures design with a committed social mission.’ Clients and commissioners include Google AI, DeepMind, Omidyar Foundation, the Cabinet Office, IKEA, UN Development Program and the Government of UAE. Anab serves as Professor of Design Investigations at University of Applied Arts Vienna, where her pedagogical approach is to instill a culture of radical enquiry in young designers as they explore their changing roles in a complex and uncertain world. The program builds on its history of industrial design, but now encompases speculative, experience and futures design to catalyse critical thinking and transformative action towards a more hopeful and humane future. Recently Anab was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Arts, London, and is also the recipient of the Award of Excellence ICSID, UNESCO Digital Arts Award, and Grand Prix Geneva Human Rights Festival, as well as awards from Apple and the UK Government’s Innovation Department. She has delivered plenary lectures and keynote presentations at numerous conferences such as SKOLL World Forum and TED Vancouver and exhibited Superflux’s work at MoMA New York, V&A Museum, Vitra Design Museum, Design Museum London, Venice Biennale, Museum of the Future, Dubai and the National Museum of China amongst others. About the discussion series Dialogues for Tomorrow: Gerald Bast, rector of the University of Applied Arts Vienna, invites artists and experts to the new Café Exchange. The interdisciplinary conversations will cover topics from the field of art, science, culture, technology and politics and give audiences a chance to join the discussion.

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