CABIN OF CURIOSITIES

The Inspiration

Our journey began through our involvement with a local creative festival called Forest of Imagination, collectively designing and constructing installations. We delighted in the freedom and playfulness of the process and witnessed first hand how spaces of unrestricted creativity empower and nourish both designers and participants.  Over time, this led to some fascinating, multi-disciplinary conversations with likeminded people spanning architecture, neuroscience and academia, and eventually resulted in us running a workshop at Bath Spa University's 'Doing Together' Research Symposium 2025.

The Research

Following the symposium our multi-disciplinary team applied for research funding and were fortunate to be recipients of the RIBA Research Grant 2025. This incredible opportunity has enabled us explore the conditions that encourage individuals and groups creatively flourish. Drawing from neuroscience, design theory and participatory practice, the research introduces the metaphor of a 'spatial diet', a way of classifying and combining architectural 'ingredients' such as enclosure, light modulation, materiality and acoustic tone, to support a healthy balance between convergent and divergent modes of thought. 

The Science

Creativity thrives when the brain oscillates between two cognitive processes: convergent and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking is the process of focused problem-solving and analysis. Divergent thinking is activated when we daydream, reflect, and allow novel connections to form.

The acclaimed author Charles Dickens embodies this perfectly: It is said that Charles would engage with structured writing in the mornings (convergent), followed by 10-mile walks in the afternoons (divergent), balancing both modes to achieve remarkable creativity. 

The Need

In Charles' case his creativity was writing, but through our research we have come to understand that the reach of creative thinking extends far beyond the arts. Rather, the problem solving, idea generation, resourcefulness and emotional regulation skills associated with creative thinking are the lifeblood of innovation and entrepreneurialism. According to the World Economic Forum (2025 Future of Jobs Report), creative thinking is one of the most critical skills for thriving in the future and among the hardest for AI to automate, making creative thinking essential for flourishing in our rapidly evolving modern world. 

The Problem

The modern world, however, over-prioritizes convergent thinking. Traditional education and workplace environments demand productivity, analysis, and structured outputs while undervaluing time for reflection and exploration. Additionally, the constant busyness of everyday life leaves little room for unstructured thought, essential for breakthrough ideas, problem-solving, and well-being.

Whilst it is not realistic to overhaul our lives, our research suggests there is value in nourishing our Spatial Diet through the introduction of different kinds of spaces, which cater to our unmet spatial needs.

Cabin of Curiosities

Cabin of Curiosities represents the physical embodiment of our live multidisciplinary RIBA funded research project. Conceived as a playful, adaptive environment, its mission is to provide empowering nature immersed micro workplaces, where individuals and organisations can creatively flourish, complimenting their everyday working environments and helping nourish their 'Spatial Diet'.

Having secured our first site, and initial investment, we are now looking to nurture relationships with like-minded individuals and organisations who may be interested in joining us to co-create our upcoming pilot scheme.