About

Guided by Erica Purvis

Studio Technical Nature specialises in sustainable, circular and regenerative product design, business model and system innovation

Supporting organisations and citizens to get to the root cause of problems, rethink systems, redesign, create and explore circular opportunities to grow with purpose

HI!

I’m Erica Purvis, founder of Studio Technical Nature, exploring, questioning and supporting the role of design and engineering in creating sustainable and circular positive impact, in an everchanging complex world, since 2014.

With a background as a Product Design Engineer, I bring over 15 years of multidisciplinary sustainable and circular design, engineering, programme and business development to every project. I blend practical and diverse experiences and insight from the corporate, third sector and start-up world. From circular product development, deliberative research, campaigning, to start-up coaching and mentoring.

I thrive in cultivating, curiosity, care and creativity. Aiming to create environments, designs and collaborations that support people and organisations to reflect, question, seed ideas, learn, grow, evolve and take action for themselves, each other and the planet.

Find out more about my why and background below or get in touch to see how we can collaborate in making positive change.

Vision

A flourishing and thriving world that has learned to create positive impact with technology and design for all. Living and learning with and for nature and each other.

Mission

To inspire, empower and create change through facilitating strategic and practical action towards exploring how to create and contribute to a regenerative, fair society and positive design consequences, connected with nature and our collective humanity

Values

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou

WE NEED

BETTER DESIGN OF TECHNOLOGY

Design our products and technology better, throughout their life cycle, for people and planet. Questioning when really needed and appropriate. Designing deeper and for the roots or causes.

RECONNECT WITH NATURE

Reconnect and regenerate nature, recognising that we are nature. Learn from and be inspired by nature, alongside designing for and with nature

PRIORITISE WELLBEING

Centre health and wellbeing for all, rethink our economies and create better and just design and relationships between ourselves nature and technology

WHY?

BAD DESIGN AND UNSUSTAINABLE RESOURCE USE

Multiple negative impacts of design on our local and global environment and communities. Environmental, ethical and social impact of products and businesses throughout their lifetimes

CLIMATE CRISIS AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS

We’re in a climate crisis with mass biodiversity loss, wide ranging and unjust effects around the world. Exacerbated and sped up since the industrial revolution

GROWING INEQUALITY AND CONSUMPTION DRIVEN ECONOMY

The impact of a growth focus alongside technology on peoples health and wellbeing, alongside its role in driving consumerism and inequality

E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world – global waste monitor

WHAT I'M KNOWN FOR

Curious and questioning, quietly determined
Turning vision to practical steps and action
Bringing a wide range of experiences to any project
Bringing creative and positive energy
An opportunity focused approach
Zooming in and out of problems, products, business and systems
Drawing from a wide cross-sector tool box and thinking
Bridging silos – engineering, human insight, nature and sustainability
Deeply empathising, deeply caring
Making sense of “eco-jargon” and dealing with uncertainty and complexity
Being mindful of meeting people where they are
Loving nature and outdoors – walks, gardening, runs, wild spaces
Frequently arriving by bike
Maybe arriving with a home grown courgette or two
Probably wearing yellow or blue

A bit OF BACKGROUND

Born in the lowlands of the Netherlands, then grew in the highlands of Scotland, nurtured by community, water and mountains, valley and hills
2006 Graduated 1st class MEng degree in Product Design Engineering at Glasgow University and Glasgow School of Art. Also, an Erasmus year spent at NTNU Institute of Product Design in Norway, integrating subjects such as Life Cycle Analysis and EcoEfficiency
2008 Eco-Design, Sustainability and C2C Engineer PHILIPS in the Netherlands
2012 Programme Development Manager Waste Watch NGO and Design and Impact Manager Keep Britain Tidy
2014 Founded Technical Nature and co-founded the OSCEdays (Open Source Circular Economy Days )
2015 Helped set up the Central Research Laboratory (now part of Plus X)
2016 Drafting committee for first guidance standard Circular Economy BSI 8001
2016 Climate KIC Journey Coach and Climate Coaches Network
2017 Fellow of the RSA
2019 Co-lead the Circular Economy Club in Reading & Circular Coffee + Conversation
2019 Former Director of Reading Hydro CBS now leading Educational outreach
2021 Co-Founded Design Nature CIC Sustainable Design Focused Social Enterprise for young people
2023 – Visiting Professor with the Glasgow School of Art, Product Design Engineering for the Royal Academy of Engineering
2024 – Awarded Big Issues Top 100 Changemakers, Climate Environment ad Sustainability, Design Nature CIC
2024 – Design Council Design for Planet Expert

Continual development and learning e.g. Generative / Regenerative Leadership training at Oxford, Circularity Thinking Climate KIC, C2C design, Common Cause Values and Framing, EMS, Writing, illustration, Graphic Design Courses, Design and communications, Permaculture design

Over the last 15 years I’ve been exploring just how to be a designer in a world that doesn’t really need more stuff? Fancy joining me in this?