DESIGN INNOVATION :
MODELS & LIFECYCLE
New Ideas + Value = Innovation
Innovation is the multi-state process whereby organizations transform ideas into new/improved products, service or processes, in order to advance, compete and differentiate themselves successfully in their marketplace.
Innovation is about creating impactful concepts that add value to a company, whether through networks, strategies, products, or interventions. It’s about finding opportunities to help businesses grow and adapt in an everchanging landscape. Collaborating with MatterForms, a company founded on circular design principles was a unique opportunity to apply this understanding in real-world problem solving.
We began by understanding the brand’s essence, values, and journey. Our initial focus was on experience-driven strategies tailored to their B2C operations. However, after insightful discussions with our client we pivoted toward strengthening their foundational framework, recognizing its critical role in supporting resilience and scalability. This exploration informed our development of a network strategy designed to reinforce Matterforms' foundational framework.
Prototyping iterations
PROCESS/
PROJECT REFLECTIONS
Collaboration with companies
In our Design Innovation & Life Cycles class, we engaged with various companies and ultimately chose to collaborate with MatterForms, a London-based interdisciplinary design studio that shares our passion for the circular economy. As a team, we worked closely with MatterForms, whose ethos revolves around a material-led approach to architectural design, incorporating innovative practices such as recycling used oyster shells.
Innovation Frameworks (Configuration: Network Innovation)
We delved into various innovation patterns as part of our exploration, analyzing how they could be applied effectively to enhance MatterForms' processes. The framework divides innovation into three main categories: Configuration, Offering, and Experience, each addressing distinct areas like profit models, product performance, and customer engagement.
After several discussions with MatterForms, we recognized that their product foundation lacked strength, which made their growth potential heavily reliant on external support. Thus, we decided to focus on Network Innovation, emphasizing creating value through strategic connections and partnerships.
Innovation Patterns
Incremental Innovation focuses on gradual improvements, Adjacent Innovation explores new markets, Disruptive Innovation replaces established models with accessible solutions, and Radical Innovation introduces groundbreaking technologies, with our focus on Incremental Innovation for Matterforms to refine sustainable practices while ensuring market stability.
Business Life Cycle Stage - Startup
​Matterforms, being in the startup stage of the business life cycle, thrives by anticipating future customer needs, exploring unknown possibilities, and continuously hypothesizing and learning. Their success stems from rewarding experimentation and embracing freedom and flexibility in their processes. However, after weeks of in-depth conversations, we recognized that the company required additional support in product development. This understanding allowed us to align our collaboration to address these specific needs effectively.
Blending System Thinking with Design Thinking
People & Planet-Centered > Inclusive & Welcoming Difference > Zooming In & Out > Collaborating & Connecting > Testing & Growing Ideas > Circular & Regenerative
Stakeholder Map & System Analysis
Mapping stakeholders and analyzing systems help identify key relationships, dynamics, and areas of impact to design effective and inclusive solutions.
Embracing Open Innovation
Matterforms will use a strategic approach that not only embraces collaborative efforts but also actively seeks external input, encompassing ideas, technologies, and expertise.
Prototype Development | Feedback Loops | Final Strategy
Matterforms will use a strategic approach that not only embraces collaborative efforts but also actively seeks external input, encompassing ideas, technologies, and expertise.
Process
As part of the process, our aim was to continuously engage with Matter Forms to understand their pain points by utilising the Design Council’s Double Diamond framework (2024), embracing its iterative nature. It allowed us to reposition our proposals according to their shifting priorities, providing us with a holistic understanding of their current position.
Mapping Matter Forms within the concrete industry and bio-alternative materials
Locating knowledge networks of organisations who work within bio-materials (for the built environment) and how they can contribute to the development of Matter Forms
1st interview with Matter Forms and told that they would like a focus on B2C as they have B2B sorted
Developing strategies within B2C such as sustainable web-design strategies for their B2C platform, and material passport tags that gather user feedback..
2nd interview with Matter Forms and told that they would like to focus on supply chain instead
Re-defining the challenges byassessing their supply chain, their internal mindset limitations
3rd Interview with Matter Forms to understand supply chain and networks, and running initial ideas such as collaborative innovation networks
Developing open innovation network strategies on how they should not only focus on locating suppliers, but who can contribute with knowledge.
4th interview with Matter Forms to gather feedback on defined strategy and our newspaper of the future prototypethat can help refine it.
Developing final prototype and final meeting with Matter Forms to converse about how to reach out to the network we outlined and handover work.
Gather feedback from peers & professors before presenting to the client
Follow-up with MatterForms to see how the strategy is unfolding
DEFINE
DEVELOP
DELIVER
DISCOVER
DISPERSE
Understanding matterforms
Product - Oyster[Crete] is the studio’s first material, developed in-house over two years of research. The material transforms discarded oyster shells into a bio-alternative to traditional concrete. Oyster[Crete] not only reduces waste but also offers a sustainable solution for both small design pieces and large-scale architectural projects.
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Material-led approach with a focus on architectural design and sustainability.
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Start-up size: 2-3 part-time members, including:
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Mooka (Founder)
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A Communications employee
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Kae (FibreLab)
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Founded in 2023 by Mooka Srisurayotin, with a background in architectural design and interiors.
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Born out of a thesis project at UCL in 2021.
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Currently part of UCL’s incubator programme to scale the business.
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Location: Based in Hackney Wick.
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Collaboration with Silo, a circular, no-waste restaurant in Hackney Wick, for collecting oyster shells and creating interior pieces.
How do we translate raw oyster shells to finished products?
​Matterforms & their operations > Founded in Hackney Wick, London (UK) in 2023, Matter Forms creates bio-alternative concrete material objects with a focus circulatory and material innovation with restaurant oyster shell waste for both public and private spaces. Currently, Matter Forms relies on their B2B relations for oyster shell supply from high-end restaurants such as Silo and Cornerstone in Hackney Wick, in attempt to achieve a closed loop system.
Material innovation in the concreate industry
Matter Forms is not the only company looking into alternative approaches to concrete materiality. Institutions and independent designers are seeking to the seas and waste streams for low-carbon alternatives to traditional carbon-heavy concrete as a response to the prevalent climate crisis.
Oyster Bricks-BC Materials & Assemble
Product: Compressed oyster bricks made outof local mariculture and urban shell waste inthe local area. 4000 blocks were used toconstruct the exterior garden wall inGwangju, South Korea (BC Materials, 2024)Mission: To create bio-regional designthrough potential material networks through,oyster supply chains, and other bio-andgeo-sourced building systems
R&D-focused with commercial opportunity
Analyzing the existing - SWOT
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Located issues & project response >
Storyboarding always helps...
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Identifying key experts >
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Establishing a network >
Mapping goals & processes >
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Our design approach
Prototyping iterations
Newspaper of the Future
Inspired by The Manual of Design Fiction by Bleecker et al., we created a prototypes to envision the impact of our design strategy and facilitate a shift in mindset at Matter Forms. Currently focused internally, the company lacks external knowledge collaboration. We developed a “diegetic prototypes” in the form of newspaper showcasing Matter Forms’ present and future achievements in material innovation and their adoption of open innovation practices.
Using case studies, these articles address business challenges and suggest strategic directions. Additionally, we insert a playful Missing Poster highlighting missing oyster shells in London’s waste system to introduce Matter Forms’ proposition. This speculative approach offers diverse perspectives for Matter Forms to reimagine their future and attract interdisciplinary collaboration. To gain feedback, we presented the newspaper and work-in-progress strategy documents to Matter Forms, and they appreciated our work. They also shared their company’s focus on design consultancy and material innovation, so we will align our strategy with these two service areas. While the newspaper format helps set the scene, it may not be immediately clear to clients. Therefore, delivering the final strategy as a physical and digital handbook will be more effective.
ReForm: Open Innovation Network Strategy Handbook
In this handbook format, we translate our research into a visually-driven strategy to accommodate the founder’s visual approach, avoiding any forms of resistance to understanding the strategy. Matter Forms expressed that this would be a better approach as it would allow them to clearly navigate potential networks.
Implementation - knowledge network for internal growth
As part of our strategy handwork, we outlined a 3 -phase process for Matter Forms to follow
Phase 1 focuses on the usage of the outlined network, establishing relationships with industry specialists such as BC Materials, academic researchers such as University of Cambridge and material testing facilities such as Materials Processing Institute that have a Sustainable Cement & Concrete department.
Phase 2 outlines how to utilise these knowledge holders through utilising testing facilities and workshop sessions with experts.
Phase 3 focuses on the overall implementation and how elements from the previous phases form a strategy that allows Matter Forms to embrace open innovation principles to improve the fundamentals of their business, and create a foundation that can facilitate the growth of their company.This strategy aims to provide knowledge networks that they are not able to locate themselves due to lack of internal resources. With it, Matter Forms will be able to navigate and evaluate the future of the business and their place within the market.
Re(Form) Network Strategy for Matter Forms
​Our Re(Form) Network Strategy outlines case studies with the realms of finance resilience, material development and technological adoption. Each section contains strengths and weaknesses of each case study to provide a holistic view of new approaches to sustainable material development, as well as contact points for Matter Forms to utilise to establish a network of knowledge collaborators. In addition, the document contains a framework for networking with the mentioned contacts, and what discussions to consider.
Embracing open innovation
While Matter Forms has achieved results from internal research and development practices, we believe that adopting an open innovation (OI) approach would allow Matter Forms to expand their knowledge and be more agile within material production and scalability. OI practices embrace cross-pollination of knowledge to drive innovation. Existing collaborations with practitioners such as Metalsmith Atelier WAWA emcompasses this ethos, but an expansion of this mindset would ultimately benefit the foundation of Matter Forms.
