Last week we were at the brilliant South Coast Design Forum’s Brighton Designers Showcase, where our work was being exhibited along with other members to a gathered audience of fellow designers and business people from the south.

We also were given one of the speaking slots, where I had one minute to speak about something compelling in our industry, with no hard self promotional sell.

One minute. Not long to be interesting and compelling, whilst remembering each point you wanted to cover.

So, we decided to write a poem about parts of our studio’s sustainable design manifesto. It will never win any awards, but it seemed to go down well, so here it is.

Hello, my name’s Claire Potter

I’m going to talk about sustainability

Due to time, I’m going to do this

In the form of poetry

Great spaces are engaging

Should make souls and hearts sing

Exciting and inspiring

Without excessive bling

Small actions can feel tiny

But they’re powerful when combined

So did you help or hinder

With the element you designed?

Design for disassembly

Should be factored at the start

So ending creates new beginnings

When something’s taken apart

Reduce reuse recyle? But

Responsibility

Respectful and Repair it

Should be added to the three

Minimise your waste stream

So lots of things are saved

Mileage, money, resources

And responsible paths are paved

Collaborate with others

Many brains better than one

For thinking WAY outside the box –

Essential. (and it’s fun)

Design should be disruptive

It should challenge then create

For how are we to progress

If we don’t innovate?

So this is our studio focus

To design spaces ethically

And we assure you we’re far better at it

Than we are at poetry!

(by Claire Potter, Jan 2012)