معرفی
Dr Matthew Pilling serves as a Lecturer in Architecture and Research Associate for the 'Experiencing the Future Mundane' project at Lancaster University's Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA). His affiliations span multiple research centers including the School of Architecture, Institute for Social Futures (ISF), and ImaginationLancaster, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to design and futures research.
Matthew completed his architectural education at the Manchester School of Architecture, earning a BA (Hons) in Architecture, a BArch, and an MA in Architecture and Urbanism. He then pursued an EPSRC-funded PhD at Lancaster University as part of the Institute for Social Futures, focusing on developing visual tools to engage the public in futures research and democratize the construction of possible futures through Graphic Social Futures methodology.
Dr Pilling's research centers on how we envision futures involving emerging technologies, primarily using Speculative Design and Design Fiction as methodologies. His work examines the cultural landscape into which technologies are deployed, interrogating what is possible, probable, and preferable in technological futures. Recent research has increasingly focused on IoT device repairability, right-to-repair legislation, and the socio-technical implications of emerging technologies, particularly regarding environmental sustainability and social equity. He approaches futures research as a means to reveal underlying social structures and describe alternative social imaginaries.
His publication record demonstrates a clear evolution from theoretical explorations of design fiction toward more applied work addressing tangible societal challenges. The most recent publications (2025-2022) show growing emphasis on sustainability concerns, community engagement, and practical applications of futures methodologies to real-world problems like IoT repairability. His work consistently bridges design research with social futures studies, creating methods that make futures research accessible and relevant to diverse audiences.
Dr Pilling has secured significant research funding through multiple projects including the EPSRC-funded 'The Future Mundane,' PETRAS-funded 'The Edge of Reality,' and the £1.2m EPSRC-funded 'Fixing the Future' project. These projects have explored the intersection of design fiction with public engagement, technology adoption challenges, and sustainability concerns, often through collaborations with BBC R&D, Nottingham University, Edinburgh University, and The Making Rooms community fabrication lab.
He maintains strong connections with The Making Rooms in Blackburn, which he helped establish, and is currently developing a national network for UK makerspaces to measure impact, share best practices, and disseminate research on repairability. His teaching focuses on digital skills for architecture students, emphasizing CAD software and digital fabrication techniques while connecting these skills to broader sustainability and social equity agendas.
