We are all ageing
Our exciting programme of design workshops, talks, projects and exhibits invites you to explore how design is reimagining the future of ageing for a rapidly ageing population.
Developed in collaboration with researchers, designers, innovators, industry partners and ageing communities, the programme will invite individuals and communities to engage and interact with design products, services and research that has the potential to transform our experiences of ageing and help us all age happier and healthier.
You can find all the latest opportunities to get involved in activities, events, and workshops on our news page.
Join This Age Thing!
This Age Thing is a community of advocates for ageing well from across the age spectrum.
This Age Thing is inspired by the idea that good design, based on the experiences of real people, can help to radically transform the products, services and environments that will help all of us to age not only healthier, but also happier. Have your say by sharing your story of growing older with agency and joy, and get involved in our Community Insights Group to work with designers, innovators and researchers to help create the products, services and environments of the future!
Collaborators
Explore some of our recent projects and collaborations:
University of the Third Age (u3a)
Design age Institute works closely with the University of the Third Age (u3a), a collection of 1,000 UK charities, through This Age Thing community platform, to collectively challenge agism and ensure that older adult voices are at the heart of the design process.
In 2022 we publish a joint report, ‘Redesigning the Everyday’, based on the results of a survey of over 2000 u3a members, in which we advocated for more inclusive standards for the design of consumer packaging and share insights into what is truly needed to make everyday objects more usable, more useful and more desirable for all ages. The report was backed by a petition that collected over 2250 signatures.
The Design Museum
Design Age Institute and the Design Museum collaborate closely to deliver projects on healthy and happy ageing including:
- Two touring exhibits, The Future of Ageing in 2022 and Designing for our Future Selves in 2023 which attracted over 200,000 visitors.
- Growing Together, an age-friendly community garden project in the Museum’s Dame Sylvia Crowe Garden.
- Five themed talks as part of the Designing for Your Future Self talks series, which brought together researchers, innovators and experts to discuss the future of an ageing population.
- Eight sessions of ‘The Wisdom Hour’ workshops, which invited participants from age 11 to 90 to explore if and how wisdom relates to growing older.
Royal Designers for Industry (RDI)
Design Age Institute works with the Association of Royal Designers for Industry (RDI) to curate The Wisdom Hour: Ageing in a Changing World, which features a Royal Designer for Industry in conversation with an emerging designer from the Royal college of Art to explore the role of age and wisdom in designing a better world for our future selves.
To date sessions have been held between designers Betty Jackson and Ellen Fowles discussing fashion design, and between Tom Lloyd and Richard Newman discussing design for transport and mobility.
News
Pathfinder Pop-up
Explore the latests projects and prototypes from Design Age Institute's Pathfinder Innovation Programme at this Pop-up event on 15 February.
Design Age Ideas
Dive into our latest report, Design Age Ideas, and get inspired by the role we each have to play in designing better for an ageing population.
Autumn Garden Assembly
Pop into the Dame Sylvia Crowe Garden at the Design Museum on 22 October for some autumnal bliss and horticultural shared knowledge.
WATCH: Design.Wisdom
Watch our webinar on wisdom with Dr. Dilip Jeste, an expert on wisdom, Colum Lowe, Director of DAI, and Carly Dickson, DAI Knowledge Exchange Fellow.
Summer Garden Assembly
Visit the Design Museum on Sunday 6 August for an afternoon of green bliss in the garden: enjoy short talks, tours and creative activities for all ages.
WEBINAR: Money well spent?
Join a panel of experts for a webinar exploring the findings of a newly published report on barriers and opportunities for spending in later life.
WATCH: Happy, Healthy & Wise
Watch our talk exploring how designers can create products, services and environments that are not only needed, but desired by older people.
Garden Assembly
Drop into the Design Museum on 11 June to explore the new intergenerational garden and discover ways to bring green spaces big and small to life!
Exhibit: Our Future Selves
Explore how design is transforming the way society can support everyone to age with greater agency and joy in a new display featuring ten projects being supported by the Institute.
Designing for our Future Selves
Our upcoming display at the Design Museum from 24 February, will showcase ten innovative design initiatives that aim to help everyone age more happily and healthily.
WATCH: The Wisdom Hour
Luke Pearson, co-founder of Pearson Lloyd and Intelligent Mobility design student Richard Newman, discuss designing for transport & mobility for every age.
On Tour: V&A Dundee
Our recent exhibit 'The Future of Ageing', co-curated with the Design Museum, is touring to the V&A Dundee between 12 October 2022 - 22 January 2023.
WATCH: The Wisdom Hour
Fashion designers Betty Jackson and Ellen Fowles, sat down for "The Wisdom Hour" to discuss wisdom, designing and ageing in a changing world.
WATCH: Inclusive Technology
Watch our talk and panel discussion at the Design Museum, exploring how technology is shaping how we design for an ageing population.
WATCH: Patricia Moore x DAI
A special session of the Wisdom Hour exploring design, ageing and wisdom with Patricia Moore, one of the giants of design for healthy ageing.
WATCH: Let’s Talk About Sex
Watch our event on designing for your future sex life - sex, intimacy and pleasure as we age.
WATCH: No time to Waste
Watch our event on designing for a future in which the planet is rapidly heating up at the same time as populations are living longer.
WATCH: A World for Everyone
Watch the launch of our 'Designing for Your Future Self' talks series at the Design Museum on 21 September 2021.
WATCH: Age, Agency & Joy
Watch a recording of our virtual April event, 'Age, Agency & Joy’, introducing the Design Age Institute and partners.
Exhibit: The Future of Ageing
A free exhibit exploring how design is helping to reimagine the way society can support a population that is living longer to age with greater agency and joy.
The Future of Ageing
The Design Museum and Design Age Institute present a new display exploring how design can help reimagine the future of ageing.
Gardening workshops
This summer join designers and gardeners for five free workshops in the Dame Sylvia Crowe Garden, at the Design Museum.
Growing Together: Open Day
Drop into the Design Museum on Saturday 23 July for the Growing Together Garden Summer Open Day with design studio public works.
Growing Together Garden
Drop into the Design Museum on Saturday 7th May for the Growing Together Garden Open Day with design studio Public Works.
Design Age x Design Museum
Get involved in Design Age Institute talks, workshops and events at Design Museum to explore design for healthy ageing.