Future Design Lab

from curiosity to impact - 8 weeks of creative systems thinking

What if you could turn your brightest ideas into real-world change?

We help that spark of curiosity flourish. Through our 8-week journey, young innovators evolve from careful observers into confident Changemakers. They don't just learn about innovation; they develop the mindset to spin & spin positive change.

  • Understanding complex systems:

    • Map interconnected system elements

    • Practice root cause analysis

    • Develop human-centred systems observation skills

  • Identifying leverage points:

    • Locate key intervention opportunities

    • Create problem relationship maps

    • Identify ripple effects of changes

  • Breaking traditional thinking patterns:

    • Practice divergent thinking methods

    • Challenge existing assumptions and dominant narratives

    • Generate unexpected connections

  • Crafting innovative approaches:

    • Design targeted solutions

    • Develop intervention blueprints

    • Structure change pathways

  • Strategic foresight in action:

    • Identify emerging trends

    • Create future scenario maps

    • Build adaptable strategies

  • Testing and refining ideas:

    • Build quick prototypes

    • Run solution experiments

    • Practice rapid iteration

  • Measuring and scaling solutions:

    • Define success metrics

    • Calculate solution impact

    • Plan scaling strategies

  • Presenting your vision for change:

    • Structure compelling presentations

    • Handle critical questions

    • Inspire action in others

🌱 What We Do 🌱

At Future Roots Studio, we empower young minds to see the world differently β€” and to redesign it.

We live in systems we didn’t design.

But here, young people learn to map systems, imagine alternatives, and prototype what comes next.

Where creative systems thinking meets personal agency.
Where curiosity becomes courage.
Where teens become future designers.

🧠 Our Mind & Method πŸ› οΈ

  • We believe in hands-on, learner-driven education inspired by Problem-Based Learning (PBL) principles. Teens collaborate in small groups to tackle real-world challenges, combining creativity with rigorous inquiry.

    Key Pillars

    1. Constructive Learning: build knowledge by exploring diverse perspectives and asking critical questions.

    2. Contextual Learning: apply ideas to real-world problems in topics shaping our future.

    3. Collaborative Learning: work as a team to brainstorm, prototype, and refine solutions.

    4. Self-Directed Learning: take charge of your learning journey with guidance and feedback.

  • Creativity is cultivated through spontaneous training - structured activities designed to enhance improvisation across various modalities. These exercises empower teens to think on their feet, adapt swiftly, and innovate in diverse contexts.

    • Voiced Exercises: quick-thinking debates, storytelling challenges, and impromptu presentations to strengthen communication and idea articulation.

    • Manual Exercises: hands-on prototyping, rapid sketching, and crafting tasks to translate abstract ideas into tangible forms.

    • Mixed Exercises: Collaborative problem-solving games and role-play scenarios that combine physical and verbal creativity.

  • This pillar of our method empowers teens to anticipate, navigate, and design the future. Central to this approach is futures literacy, which fosters the ability to imagine and prepare for multiple possibilities. Our participants explore and apply key tools, including:

    • Scenario Planning: crafting and analysing detailed narratives about possible futures to understand risks, opportunities, and potential outcomes.

    • Trend Analysis: identifying and evaluating emerging patterns in demographics, economics, law, politics, society, technology, and the environment to predict future developments.

    • Systems Thinking: examining the interconnectedness of issues to uncover root causes and explore how changes in one area impact the whole.

    • Backcasting: defining a desirable future outcome and working backward to identify the steps needed to achieve it.

    • Horizon Scanning: monitoring signals of change across industries and disciplines to anticipate disruptive trends or innovations.

  • In a world increasingly shaped by technology, where deepfakes and misinformation challenge truth and trust, we focus on scrutinising the tools and knowledge needed to navigate, innovate, and lead in digital spaces. Empowerment begins with understanding the complexities of online personal agency.

Meet your instructor

✳

Meet your instructor ✳

From developing innovation strategies with tech startups to educating EU policymakers on emerging technologies as Lead Futures Architect. Now as the Founder and Lead Instructor, I'm focusing this experience into Future Roots Studio, where I help teens develop practical skills they need to initiate meaningful change.

I design sessions that combine strategic thinking with hands-on problem solving. We analyse future scenarios, prototype solutions, and tackle real challenges using art, technology, and foresight tools.

My approach is simple: provide the right tools, create space for exploration, and support young minds as they turn ideas into action.

GabrielΔ— Songin