Personal profile

Research overview

Metcalfe started his PhD in 2024 exploring: Designing Future Sustainable Tangible Embodied Interactions Inspired by and Situated in Place.

First Supervisor: Dr. Loraine Clarke

Biography

Metcalfe is an interdisciplinary designer and researcher whose work begins with social purpose, and evolves through the creation of meticulously considered forms, intuitive yet surprising interaction design, and an open, conversational quality which invites human and more-than-human connection.

He works across multiple mediums and materials, often utilising technology in subtle ways to enhance the texture, capacity and magical animism of object-based interaction.

Client Highlights
Commonwealth Games 2022; Selfridges; British Library; Reach; UNMADE; Senseye (Siemens) and Raucous Theatre. Brand activations for: YO! Sushi, Ocado, Beavertown, Deliveroo and Innis and Gunn. Brand experiences for Adidas, Marriott, Sky, Twitter, and Guardian. Collaborating with agencies like Publicis, Saatchi, W Comms, Manifest and Uniform.

R&D Funders
Research and Development funded by: Google, Unilever, UKRI (incl. Innovate UK, AHRC, EPSRC, ESRC), Arts Council England, Creative England, Creative Scotland, Creative XR, Arts Council Tokyo

Selected Exhibitions, Performances and Events
Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh (2023); Coventry UK City of Culture, Herbert Gallery, Coventry (2022); MAYFEST, Bristol Old Vic, Bristol (2022); Materia Gris, CentroCentro, Madrid (2021); Playable City Tokyo, 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo (2018); Google Digital News Initiative, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2018); Victoria and Albert Museum, London (2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2024); London Design Festival, Brompton Design District, London (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018).

Selected Talks and Workshops
International Festival of Journalism, Perugia, Italy (2017); Interaction16, Helsinki, Finland (2016); Crafts Council: Make:Shift, London, UK (2014); O’Reilly Solid, San Francisco, USA (2014, 2015); and SXSW, Austin, USA (2012, 2013, 2016).

Press
Brand Activations have regularly featured in Daily Newspapers across Print and Digital, national, and international. Other work featured in design magazines like Wallpaper, Blueprint and Creative Review.

You can see some of this work over at: www.tommetcalfe.com

Profile Keywords

Place, Local Economies, Situated, Social Purpose, Social Value, Sustainability, Circularity, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Tangible Interactions, Design, Interaction Design, Design Research, Research Through Design, Participatory Design

Academic/Professional Qualification

FHEA – Fellow of the Higher Education Academy / AdvanceHE
FRSA – Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
BSc (Hons) – Innovative Product Design, University of Dundee

Teaching activity

Present
Visiting Lecturer, BDes Product Design – Glasgow School of Art

Past
2016-23
Associate Professor of Design, Centre for Innovation – University of Bristol

Metcalfe was a founding member of the Centre for Innovation in 2016. In the earlier years he was part of a small team, co-developing the new, one of a kind, 4-year Integrated Masters programme — The USP was to support students from 14 different disciplines across the university to collaborate well together.

For six years, he was responsible for the creation, development and delivery of the Live Client Brief Undergraduate Unit. He encouraged students to go beyond Design Thinking and to consider and practice design and innovation more broadly eg Human-Centred Design, Participatory Design, Design Research, Research Through Design, Ethical Practice and Planet-Centred Design.

Metcalfe worked with over 50 industry partners to create briefs which both supported their businesses and created challenges for student teams. This included a curated mix of global, national and local businesses across the public, private and third sector.

He was part of a multi-award-winning team. Two significant awards were:
 • Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) – Advance HE
 • Vice Chancellor’s Award for Education, University of Bristol Teaching Awards

2011-13
Module Leader and Tutor MA Product Design – University of Dundee

Other
Visiting Lecturer, MA Digital Experience Design – Hyper Island
Visiting Lecturer, MA Design Products – Royal College of Art

Guest Lecturing Highlights: National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India; KAIST, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology; IED, Istituto Europe di Design, Madrid; Sotheby’s, London.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities

External positions

Honorary Associate Professor, University of Bristol

1 Sept 2023 → …

Director + Founder, Studio Tom Metcalfe

1 Oct 2014 → …

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