ELEVATE Fellows bios

“I am Dang Thi Minh Thu, art director of Kidstallation- a playground launched by Tohe Social Enterprise. Having experiences in teaching art for children, researching art projects and opening art and cultural events in Hanoi since 2003, I joined Tohe team since September 2014 to create an creative playground for children – Kidstallation. I lead for Kidstallation on creative ideas, planning and organisational development. I believe art installation may be an art solution to the challenge of long-term innovation and children playground. My academic record includes Printmaking (BA) in Vietnam University of Fine Arts, Social Sciences and the Arts (Dip), Cultural Policy and Management (MA) in City University London, UK.”

“I gained a Masters Degree in Advanced Architectural Design from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. Inspired by the birth of my first Daughter, my Thesis, titled 'The City of Play', focused on the study of child's play, learning and imagination which formed the basis of an Playful Urban Design Ethos. My Studies were a precursor to the foundation of a social enterprise, also called 'The City of Play'. Our Business is 'Architecture for Childhood' - delivering the social, health and economic benefits of play through design, community engagement and delivery of planning guidance.”

Chloe Meineck is a designer based in the Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol. 

Since graduating in 2012, Chloe has been on two residencies. The first supported by the Crafts Council and Watershed, this was the Craft and Technology residency that supported makers and designers to form collaborations with technologists to develop work. After this four month residency Chloe was Designer in Residence at the Design Museum in 2013, where she carried on her most successful project to date called Music Memory Box. Her work was exhibited at the museum in a four-month exhibition. After this time she moved to Bristol to carry on her work in a collaborative studio called Pervasive Media Studio. Since moving to Bristol Chloe has been involved in other projects relating to designing interactive technologies for social good. Chloe lectures, teaches, gives talks and workshops across the UK. 

Ben Barker is an experience designer and founder of design practice PAN Studio, producing interactive objects for installations and immersive theatre, and creating experimental objects designed to find new ways of enriching everyday living. PAN’s work explores the significance of experience when used as the key element in the creation of new objects, systems or services. Recent work has focused on the digital reclamation of public space for playful interactions. Their projects include Design of the Year shortlisted Hello Lamp Post, a city-wide platform for play, and Run an Empire, a territory control strategy game that you play in the space around you.

“Action at the intersection of art and advertising. I work across cross-platform production, journalism, strategic partnerships & publicity. In total I've spent four years working in newspapers, six-years working in arts & film production, and two-years working as a Culture Editor for communications company Unity. I've worked internationally on creative projects for the British Council in Moscow and Delhi. I'm part of the Courvoisier Future 500 network of thought-leaders, and I'm a Fellow at The Royal Society of Arts. I still love to write, and contribute to a range of film, arts & entertainment websites.”

James is a designer, maker and project manager working across scales in the built environment. With a focus on education and participatory processes he uses his professional architectural training to inform and enliven a wide verity of projects. As a co-founder of Pop Up Parks James leads on all aspects of physical design and making, working with families to turn streetscapes into vibrant, adaptable play spaces. James is also a director at RARA Co-operative workshop, where he runs creative joinery projects for public and privet sector clients. He teaches on the Architectural Media module at the Bartlett, UCL and set up the MyDesign programme at the Bromley by Bow Centre.

Francis Sollano is a trashion and installations artist known for his contemporary takes on upcycling garbage into wearable art and converting urban spaces. A graduate from the University of the Philippines with Business Management major in Finance and Economics, as a self-made social entrepreneur, he incorporates his love for the natural environment in his delicate handmade creations under his own label FRANCISSOLLANO. His works have been featured in various global publications. He is currently the creative director of Youth for a Livable Cebu and a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum.

Sumitra, the engineer from Cambridge who co-founded Playeum has close to a 20-year track record in initiating, managing and leading innovation work in the creative and education sector. From product development in instant coffee and fabric softeners; to new initiatives in the media sector; the mother of three most recently co-founded an international award winning social enterprise to enhance experiences for young children through play. Playeum’s vision is to advocate for children's voice through providing open-ended experiences; with creative partnerships in collaboration with artists, designers, makers and technologists.\u2028\u2028 Playeum has been shortlisted as a Pacesetter in the Lego Foundation play2Learn challenge and the Ben & Jerry Fan Choice Award 2014.

In the past 16 years, Yuen has gone from producing, directing and creating some of the highest rating TV programs in Malaysia and the regional countries; to joining the corporate world for four years; to running a non-profit arts advocacy organization, Kakiseni to enables access to creativity and innovation through arts and cultural pedagogy models. In addition, Yuen conceptualized WOMEN:girls, a registered cause driven NGO to drive women's share of voice. Adding to her list of accolades: Most Successful Woman of 2014 by Jessica Magazine, Bella Creative Award 2013 by ntv7, Women Weekly’s Great Women Of Our Time 2012 award as well as Her World's Young Achiever 2008.

Fakhrizal is the founder and adviser for Yayasan Anak Kampung Cimande and Yayasan Komunitas Belajar Indonesia. He is also a social scientist for Environmental NGO, The Nature Conservancy Indonesia Terrestrial Program. He developed tools for learning and enablers for organizations and works collaboratively to promote conservation and free education programs in Bogor and Berau District. Currently he is implementing homeschooling approach program in Cimande as an alternative school for children. He is passionate to talk about forest conservation and always encourage children to access direct nature experiences. Fakhrizal graduated from Bogor Agricultural University and earned double Master degree from University of Eastern Finland and Swedish Agricultural University.

Bronwyn is an interaction designer, researcher and composer/musician who designs innovative, creative experiences to connect people to the natural world. Her most recent interactive installations include Aural Fixation (City, Data, Future Exhibition, Venice, 2014), and Flotsam and Jetsam (Hijinks Festival, Sydney 2014). She performs violin in 'Hinterlandt' and 'Silent Spring' and composes music for film and a variety of ensembles, incorporating natural elements into all her music. Bronwyn has worked in marine research, community education, and science communication in Australia and Vietnam. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Technology, Sydney exploring how digital tools may be designed to connect children to their local natural places.

Neil is a graduate from University of Canberra, Bachelor in Landscape Architecture, 1984. He is a current PhD candidate at the University of Canberra. His research considers the question: “Can Public Art Transform the Public Realm?” He is a Fellow and a past National President of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, (AILA), 2007-2009, and was a board member of AILA from 2003 - 2013. is a board member of the Gallery of Australian Design.