CULTIVATE
We are in a climate and biodiversity crisis, one that has been caused and exacerbated by an economic and success driven western system that exploits the Earth’s resources and drives consumption to benefit the few. This has also led to vast and rising inequality both in the UK and around the world.
Young people’s lives, health and wellbeing are increasingly impacted by the climate crisis, with eco anxiety, nature disconnection and unsustainable ways of living, set to further deteriorate over the next decades.
We see these as interconnected issues, ones that have been designed, need to be reflected on and creatively and collaboratively redesigned with care.
COLLABORATE
Design Nature CIC is a Reading-based Social Enterprise, formally established in 2021 by Co-Directors, Mark Mason, Erica Purvis and Karen Gracie-Langrick, with a combined 80+ years of experience – spanning the corporate, grass root community start-ups and academic worlds, in sustainable design, engineering and education.
Having collaborated for a number of years, they were drawn together by their shared passion for enabling young people, educators and organisations to embed creativity, design-led thinking and action learning, for each other and a sustainable planet.
INNOVATE
Through our work we aim to support young people to design positive futures for all, both within school settings and outside, in their wider communities. Building collaborations with a diverse range of organisations and tackling real world needs. Recognising the need for:
SYSTEM INNOVATION IN EDUCATION
A need to increase opportunities within mainstream education for creativity and values-based learning for future careers and everyday life
EVOLVING CAREER SKILLS
New 21st Century skills and thinking are required to address global issues and meet the demands for sustainable business practice
Co-Founder / Director
Erica combines a background in Sustainable Design and Engineering in Philips in the Netherlands, Design, Programme Development, Policy and Impact in NGO’s Waste Watch and Keep Britain Tidy and now, alongside Design Nature CIC, continues to practice as an ecodesign engineer as Studio Technical Nature. Here she works with organisations and individuals, coaching and mentoring on a number of climate accelerators, incubators and programmes across the UK and beyond. Facilitating and engaging organisations and communities in co-design, creative strategies and programmes for positive impact.
She’s published papers and articles on sustainable and circular design and regularly gets asked to speak on the topic. She is also active in the community, volunteering with Reading Hydro CBS and Circular Economy Club Reading.
Co-Founder / Director
Mark is a designer with a passion for inspiring the next generation – harnessing the power of creativity, teamwork and collaboration. A former member of the design leadership team and co-founder of the UK design team at Nokia, Mark has a track record of creating and delivering world-class products and programmes throughout his 30-year career.
In addition, Mark is a visiting tutor at the Loughborough University, Design School, and works with both undergraduate and postgraduate students. He has also recently collaborated with ex-Nokia colleagues to design and deliver the Pollution Guardian, portable air quality sensing product
Co-Founder / Director
Karen is an experienced educator with over 25 years within the teaching profession. As Headteacher of Colchester High School an all through school (for children aged 2-16) she passionately believes that good quality education has the power to change the lives of all individuals. She enjoys enabling pupils to reach their full potential and to become confident, active and conscious citizens of tomorrow’s world. They’ve recently been awarded the Green Flag Eco Schools Award.
In addition, Karen has worked closely with Pearson Education to facilitate the creation of Secondary (KS3 & 4) Global Citizenship workbooks designed to provide resources for schools and teachers to actively address global challenges and issues including themes relating to climate change and sustainable development.
Sustainable Design & Delivery
Sarah is an undergraduate at the University of Reading, training to become a primary school teacher. She is passionate about the teaching profession and has a particular interest in climate education and empowering the younger generation.
Sarah has enjoyed teaching students about sustainability across here placements and is excited to get involved with the eco council at the school she will be working at from September.
Sarah is enjoying working with both primary and secondary aged children as part of the CALM (Clean Air Living Matters) Exploring Reading project.
We love connecting and exploring how we can cultivate creativity and innovation for growing good!
