IGP urges decision makers to prioritise People Powered Design through London Design Biennale exhibit

At this year’s London Design Biennale (5-29 June, Somerset House), the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity launches ‘People Powered Prosperity’, urging policymakers and business leaders to meaningfully involve citizens in shaping the policies that affect their lives while spotlighting groundbreaking work where citizens have led change in Ukraine, East London, North Kensington, Africa and the Middle East.

As part of the Eureka showcase, the installation and immersive space led by Professor Henrietta Moore (Founder and Director of the IGP) and designed by design studios TC & Friends and Ab Rogers Studio, demonstrates how citizen-led data and design are transforming urban regeneration, social policy, and environmental sustainability for the benefit of all.

The exhibition will feature a dynamic mix of live programming and immersive content that brings its people-powered mission to life. It will present an exciting schedule of expert discussions, community-led talks, and live performances.

It will showcase the UCL Citizen Science Academy, a groundbreaking model for accrediting local people as trained researchers, and a key component will be the Citizen Prosperity Index - a unique, community-built tool developed by the IGP. The Index is now being used by policymakers to measure prosperity in ways that reflect lived experience, not just economic data. 

IGP’s approach brings citizen science into the world of social innovation and co-design, empowering communities to collect, analyse, and interpret data on what prosperity truly means in their lives. This isn’t just research about communities, it’s research by communities.

"We know that community-led knowledge is hugely valuable if we are to re-shape the future of urban development, health, and sustainability globally. Now, we urgently need governments, business leaders, and public institutions to step up, trust in the power of people, and be bold enough to reimagine a model of prosperity that truly works for everyone.” 

Professor Henrietta L. Moore, Founder and Director of the Institute for Global Prosperity.