From Bright Ideas winner to Barcelona residency: a Kingston student's sustainable design journey

In this interview, Jesica reflects on her journey into sustainable design, the project that earned international recognition, and how the course has transformed her outlook on design and her future career.

Tell us a little about yourself and what led you to study MA Sustainable Design?

I originally studied Interior Architecture and graduated just after COVID. After university, I ended up working in finance for a few years. It was interesting for a while, but eventually I realised I wanted to do something different and to return to education.

I was looking at masters courses and initially thought I'd continue with something similar to my undergraduate degree. But after speaking to Zoë Bather, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader, she completely changed my perspective. She made me think about design in a different way and encouraged me to look beyond creating physical things.

I realised I wanted to learn how not to create more things that we don't need. That was a completely new way of thinking for me, and that's what drew me to Sustainable Design.

What attracted you to Sustainable Design specifically?

Coming from an Interior Architecture background, I thought sustainability was mostly about materials, products and physical objects.

The course helped me realise that sustainability can be much broader than that. It can be about people, access, communities and creating positive change. I liked the fact that it allowed me to break out of my usual design bubble and focus on issues I genuinely care about.

What issues are you most passionate about addressing through your work?

Kindness and humanity.

That probably sounds simple, but I think there's a real need for it. A lot of the work I've done recently has focused on supporting people and making services or systems more accessible and compassionate.

I'd love to continue working with charities, community organisations or people-focused projects in the future.

Can you tell us about the project that won the Bright Ideas competition?

The project is a guidebook designed to help call handlers support people who may be experiencing loneliness, depression or showing early signs of dementia.

The idea came from my experience volunteering with the Samaritans. A lot of people assume most calls are from people who are actively suicidal, but many calls are actually from people who are incredibly lonely.

Over time, I started noticing patterns in the conversations. Some callers were showing signs of memory loss or forgetfulness, and there didn't seem to be much guidance for volunteers on how to respond to those situations.

I started asking other volunteers whether they had received any specific training around this and the answer was generally no. Most people simply learned through experience.

That made me think there must be a better way to support volunteers and call handlers.

How did you develop the project?

I spoke to experienced Samaritan volunteers, healthcare professionals, therapists and doctors to make sure I wasn't making assumptions.

Even though it started as a university project, I wanted it to be something meaningful and potentially useful in the real world.

The aim was always to create a practical resource that could help people communicate more effectively and compassionately with vulnerable callers.

What was the biggest challenge?

Honestly, convincing myself that it was a design project.

My entire background is in Interior Architecture, so I'm used to creating spaces, exhibitions and installations. Suddenly I was making a guidebook.

I remember thinking, "What am I doing? Am I going to fail this module?"

My tutors were brilliant and reassured me that sustainable design doesn't have to result in a physical object. That was one of the biggest lessons I learned on the course.

How did it feel to win Bright Ideas?

It was quite surreal.

I don't think I had much confidence in the project initially, so winning was a huge surprise. It gave me confidence and helped me realise that the work had value beyond the classroom.

And how did the Next Gen Design Residency opportunity come about?

That part is actually quite funny.

Zoë regularly sends students opportunities and competitions, and I saw the Next Gen Design call for applications. The deadline was the next day, so I submitted an application quite quickly and then completely forgot about it.

A while later I received an email saying I'd been selected.

What was your reaction?

I genuinely thought it was a scam.

I sent the email to my partner and asked them to read it because I couldn't quite believe it.

Even after I realised it was real, I struggled with imposter syndrome. It took me a while to accept both the Bright Ideas award and the residency opportunity.

Now, though, I'm really proud of what I've achieved. 

Are there any other projects that have particularly influenced you?

One project focused on imagining future approaches to resource conservation.

I chose water because I genuinely think it's one of the biggest issues we'll face. I grew up in a developing country where using water carefully was part of everyday life.

I remember my grandmother having a bucket in the bathroom and that was the water available for the day.

My project imagined a future where everyone receives a limited daily water allowance and must decide how to use it. It was about encouraging people to rethink their relationship with resources we often take for granted.

What are your hopes for the future of your award-winning project?

Honestly, it's already given me more than I ever expected.

It's helped build my confidence, opened new opportunities and completely changed how I think about design.

If I can continue developing projects that help people and perhaps build a career around that, I'd be very happy.

Finally, what advice would you give to other students who want to make a positive impact?

If you doubt yourself, that's completely normal.

Just do it anyway.

For a long time, my own doubts stopped me from pursuing opportunities. Eventually I realised the worst thing that can happen is someone says no.

Starting this course felt like a huge risk when I left my previous job, but it has been worth every minute.

I'd say: take the chance, put yourself out there and trust yourself. You never know where it might lead.

Inspired by Jesica's journey? Discover how Kingston University students are turning ideas into real-world impact through Sustainable Design.