About

Austin Houldsworth is a double graduate of the Royal College of Art and fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is an Interdisciplinarity design practitioner, researcher, educator with a focus on critical & speculative design practice. 

Austin works as an MA Design lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, visiting lecturer at Chester University and the Royal College of Art.  His research and practice strive to leverage change through the application of design within unfamiliar disciplines. Like reimaging and redesigning monetary systems (‘For moneys sake’ 2018).  Building the world’s first prototype human fossilisation machine.  Or recently founding the ‘Intergalactic Space Agency’ at the Eden Project.  

He also runs Ahaaa; a design consultancy that works with industry to develop and run design competitions.  Like the founding of the ‘Future of money design awards’ for Consult Hyperion, V&A, Money2020 and the ‘Creative Insight Awards’ for Worldpay. 

Education:

PhD (RCA) Design Interactions
Royal College of Art, London, UK
2013–2017
Graduating 2018

MA (RCA) Design Interactions
Royal College of Art, London, UK
2007–2009

BA Interactive Arts, First Class Manchester Metropolitan University 2003–2006

Commissions:

Nesta ‘Community resilience in disaster situations,’ London UK 2019

Eden Project ‘Invisible Labs’, Cornwall UK 2019

Longbridge Light Festival ‘Back to the future,’ Longbridge, UK 2014

E.P.S.R.C ‘Crime Pays,’ Cranfield, UK 2012

Tatton Park Biennial ‘Cheshire Space Agency’, Knutsford, UK, 2012

Tatton Park Biennial ‘2 Million&1AD’, Knutsford, UK, 2010

Contact:

austin.houldsworth@network.rca.ac.uk