Rob Thompson

Biography

Rob Thompson is Research Associate on the Smart Pods project at the Royal College of Art, in the Vehicle Design department and Helen Hamlyn Centre. An award-winning designer with expertise in colour, materials and finish, he has been involved in the development of materials and products for a range of international clients including Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, and LG Electronics. His recent book, Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals, published by Thames & Hudson, has been adopted by design consultancies and universities around the world. He is co-founder of Creative Resource Lab and was an Associate Lecturer and Researcher at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design, London, for four years, specialising in materials and manufacturing.

Summary of Research Field

In his work as a designer and researcher, Rob is particularly interested in how materials connect with lifestyle and how this affects the adoption of new materials and processes. At present, and for the foreseeable future, ecological issues are playing a key role. Therefore, high performance (and high impact) materials are being repositioned to have 'eco' benefits, such as highly efficient thermal insulators and lightweight composites. Whereas many low impact 'eco' materials, including biopolymers and biocomposites, are at present unpredictable and unsuitable for high volume production.

At the RCA, Rob works as part of a multi-disciplinary team, whose core aim is to facilitate the delivery of emergency healthcare closer to home by designing vehicles and equipment that enable emergency practitioners to diagnose and treat more people away from hospital. Together, they have developed a new approach to healthcare design, facilitated by a design-led methodology, which engages stakeholders throughout the development process and ensures that the industry buys in to radical new ideas.