Our story began in 2013 when we – and much of Scotland – were asking what the future of our country would be.
At that time, questions of identity, independence and internationalism were being widely debated. We proposed that Scotland looks north, not just geographically, but culturally and imaginatively.
We were interested in what Scotland could learn from its Nordic and Arctic neighbours, and what we could share with them: What is their relationship to landscape? How do their social models operate? What defines their design culture and their ability to think long-term?
Through our Atlas of Productivity (2014) – the first atlas of Scotland of any kind for over 100 years – we imagined strategic masterplans for locations the length and breadth of Scotland, with collaborative work alongside its communities at the centre of our thinking. This manifested itself physically when we were asked to represent Scotland at the 2016 Venice Biennale (our first major commission).
‘Prospect North’ – an exhibition that used sculpture, physical interpretation, and emerging digital technologies to explore shared Scottish, Arctic and Nordic narratives – was the result. This exhibit set the foundations for how we have worked ever since: blending research with storytelling, physical installations with digital experiences, and local context with global thinking.
Exploring the future of the north and Scotland’s place within it launched our career and over the past decade (and a bit) has allowed us to work on transformative projects, ideate and collaborate with some fantastic clients, and meet some incredible people. From immersive exhibitions and cultural interpretation to landscape-led storytelling and community collaboration, our projects have consistently explored how creativity can help people understand the places they inhabit.
Fast forward to 2026, and with climate change and other macro challenges shifting global patterns and trends, a geopolitically and environmentally changing North is in the spotlight more than ever. Questions of energy, environment, culture and resilience are reshaping how places define themselves. The north is no longer peripheral – it is central to global conversations about climate futures and sustainable development.
Over the last decade, we have learned that design is most powerful when it is rooted in place and shaped in collaboration with the people it is for. Every project has been a learning process – working with communities, historians, fabricators, architects, engineers and young people to tell stories that connect past, present and future.
We design with longevity in mind, considering how spaces, exhibitions and ideas can evolve over time.
As such, we want to share our experience of the last decade, the projects we have been involved in, and how utilising design and creativity can tell the stories of the past and imagine ideas for the future of people, place and communities.
Through doing this, we hope to provoke discussion about how design and creative storytelling can help rethink, reimagine and redesign our places to be more vibrant, tell their stories, and develop ideas for their future.
So, what is the story, idea or future of your place? How can creativity, design and storytelling play a role in your sustainable future?
What does it mean to look and think ‘north’?
How can this way of thinking be applied to your story, your ideas and your future?
