Ollie Palmer (b. 1986) is an artist, designer, film-maker, and educator whose work focuses on control systems and the absurd. His work encompasses film-making, installation, programming, composition and performance. He has exhibited at venues including the V&A Museum, Royal Institute of British Architects, Palais de Tokyo, Seoul Museum of Art and Paris Opera Garnier. He holds a PhD from Design at the Bartlett School of Architecture, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, titled ‘Scripted performances: designing performative architectures through digital and absurd machines’ which examines methodologies of working through scripted design processes and the role of the absurd as a critical tool within design.
Palmer was artist in residence at the Palais de Tokyo’s research lab, Pavillon, from November 2015 – June 2016. During this residency, he produced two films in collaboration with INA (the French National Film Archives) and the Seoul Museum of Art. His most recent project, Scriptych, was a collaboration with Simon Valastro at Paris’ Opera Garnier. Premiering in June 2016, the performance featured a bespoke interface enabling dancers to interact with a machine-learnt database. This was the latest in a larger series of works examining the philosophical implications of computing; his earlier work, Nybble, transformed the courtyard of the V&A Museum into a large-scale computing device exploring John Searle’s ‘Chinese Room’ argument against hard artificial intelligence.
Palmer has been involved with a number of high-profile projects and his work featured in numerous media outlets. His Ant Ballet project (2009-2012) was covered by the BBC, Wired Magazine and New Scientist, appearing in numerous exhibitions. In 2012 he was part of the team responsible for fabricating the Universal Tea Machine, commissioned by the Mayor of London’s office for the London Olympics, for which he designed and built a Heath Robinson-inspired kitchen which made terrible cups of tea for the public. Palmer also worked with Open_Sailing, an open-source project looking at devising oceanic technologies initiated by Cesar Harada, for which he helped the team secure a €30,000 [next big idea] award at Ars Electronica in 2009. The project was later featured on TED and numerous international media outlets.
From 2011-2014 he taught Masters students in the Interactive Architecture Lab at the Bartlett School of Architecture UCL (currently ranked second in the world for architecture), supervising projects as diverse as a machine for creating a giant floating cloud of cotton candy, inflatable ‘soft’ robotics, digital sycamore seeds and series of slime-mould-inspired robotic frames which roam London’s parks. Teaching interests include advanced fabrication and prototyping techniques, passive dynamic robotics, programming and physical computing, as well as film-making and graphic design.
2012 - 2017
Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
PhD by Design, entitled Scripted performances: designing performative architectures through digital and absurd machines
Supervised by Professor Stephen Gage and Professor Peg Rawes
Examined by Dr Kevin Walker (RCA) and Dr Penelope Haralambidou
2009 - 2011
Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
MArch AVATAR Architectural Design [distinction]
Supervised by Professor Stephen Gage and Ruairi Glynn (design); Godofredo Pereira (thesis)
2005 - 2008
University of Wales Institute Cardiff
BA (Hons) Product Design [2:1]
2019-present / ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Pathway Leader (2019-2022) / Head of Design Research (2022-24), Thesis tutor (2024-present), Situated Deisgn MA course, Master Institute of Visual Cultures, Avans University of Applied Sciences
As Pathway Leader, I managed admissions, student mentoring, assessments, and team meetings, while ensuring the well-being of an international student base. I led the transition from Graphic Design MA to Situated Design MA, overhauling the syllabus and aligning it with sister MA courses in Ecology Futures and Visual Arts and Post-Contemporary Practice. I developed and taught two elective modules, ‘Scripted Design’ and ‘Parallel Worlds,’ linked to my PhD research, culminating in two student-co-curated exhibitions at V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media. As Head of Design Research, I previously worked on developing preparatory courses for professional doctorates (now defunct). I am now responsible for supervising theses and projects for Situated Design students, ensuring a strong alignment between theory and practice.
2019-present
Researcher, Situated Art and Design Group, Caradt (Centre for Applied Research in Art, Design, and Technology), Avans University of Applied Sciences
At Caradt’s Situated Art and Design group, I research design methods, creating a podcast series with creative practitioners who teach. I developed two curricula, adapted into podcast/live formats during the pandemic, and design films and workshops that help designers turn autobiographical experiences into new work. I also regularly present at international conferences, screen films, and give talks.
2022, 2023, 2024
Visiting lecturer, The Berlage Center for Advanced Studies in Architecture and Urban Design, TU Delft
I co-developed Her Office, a seminar series with Amy Thomas (TU Delft), exploring how design influences women’s embodied experiences in the workplace. The course examined the intersection of workplace design and gender through a blend of academic analysis and documentary/fiction filmmaking techniques, encouraging students to engage creatively with the subject. Her Office ran for three impactful years.
2017-2019 / Delft, Netherlands
Lecturer, TU Delft Faculty of Architectrure
Teaching design practice in three studios on the masters programme: Beyond Oil, a studio looking at post-oil futures in the port cities of Dunkirk and Naples (teaching with Alexander Pols and Paolo di Martino); Form and Inspiration (with Robert Nottrot, and Mieke Vink), a studio encouraging artistic creativity for architects; and Form, Structure and Aesthetics with Koen Mulder, which taught the relationship between modes of visual representation and writing.
Spring 2017 / Chicago, USA
Lecturer, School of the Art Institute Chicago
Designed syllabus and ran course for masters students on topic of design ethics / critical and futures design; exploring a range of topics including the role of craft in design, cybernetics, globalised manufacture and behavioural economics.
2011–14 / London, UK
Visiting lecturer, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Teaching masters students within the Interactive Architecture Lab with Director Ruairi Glynn; supervising projects, organising and running workshops; teaching studio design as well as electronics, programming and fabrication techniques.
Sep 2014 / Patras, Greece
Tutor, Architectural Association Visiting School
Teaching electronics and programming to an international audience within the framework of the AA’s Visiting School programme.
Feb-Mar 2005 / Amazonas, Brazil
Volunteer teacher, Xixuau-Xiparina Reserve
Volunteer computing teacher to village of 105 people in the remote Xixuau-xiparina reserve in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.
Jul-Aug 2018 / Rotterdam, Netherlands
Artist-in-residence, v2_ Lab for the Unstable Media
Summer Sessions residency developing a city soundscape project.
Nov 2015-Jun 2016 / Paris, France
Artist-in-residence, Pavillon Neuflize OBC
The Palais de Tokyo is the largest museum in France dedicated to temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. Selected to join the Palais de Tokyo’s research lab, Pavillon, producing artworks, performances and films for international exhibition.
2009–18 / London, UK and Chicago, USA
Freelance designer London, UK
Working across media (graphics, web, user interface, product) for a variety of clients including the V&A Museum, BBC Worldwide, University College London, and the University of Chicago. One product went on to be sold in Apple Stores.
2009-10 / London, UK + Paris, France
Media coordinator, Open_Sailing project (now Open_H20 and Protei)
The Open_Sailing project was initiated by Cesar Harada the Royal College of Art, and aimed to develop the hardware, software, and legal frameworks for the first International Ocean Station: coordination of media; devising educational workshops; helping the team to win the Ars Electronica next big idea award.
Sep-Dec 2008 / Florence, Italy
Graphic designer, Claim Communication
Design for posters, adverts, stationery and more for banking, commercial and local state sectors. Design work in every major Italian newspaper.
May-Aug 2005 & 2006 / Surrey, UK
Electronic systems manufacture / installation, ESL
Oversaw installation and fit-out of (at the time) the world’s largest high-definition ethernet-based HDTV system at Emirates Stadium in London, as well as Royal Ascot racecourse.
Jun-Dec 2004 / Surrey, UK
Graphic designer, Tattoo Marketing
Design of print adverts, literature and posters for blue-chip clients such as Standard Life Healthcare. Adverts produced for every major UK newspaper, as well as on public transport, mail packs, etc.
2024 / Onomatopee / Eindhoven, NL
Trees of Rotterdam. Film, in exhibition.
2024 / Time Frames (solo show) / Natlab, Eindhoven, NL
Solo show at Natlab, Eindhoven. Produced by Baltan Labs; supported by CBK R’DAM. Featuring 86400 (2016) and film-only version of Time Frames (2024).
2024 / Modes of Production / Coimbra University, Portugal
Special performance-version of Trees of Rotterdam at the Modes of Production conference in Coimbra, Portugal. Co-presented with Alice Ladenburg.
2024 / Trees of Rotterdam / International Film Festival Rotterdam, NL
World Premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, January-February 2024
2023 / Time Frames / V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL
Performance of Time Frames, an audiovisual essay-performance.
2020 / Not So Far From Around Us / V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL
Organised and oversaw film exhibition for film-makers/storytellers at Avans Creative Innovation.
2019 / Landscape Mode / V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL
Organised and oversaw film exhibition for film-makers at Avans Creative Innovation.
2017 / Arctic Moving Image and Film Festival / Harstad, Norway
Scriptych. Film; screening and director Q&A.
2017 / Institute of Contemporary Arts / London, UK
Scriptych. Film; screened as part of the inaugural London Architectural Film Festival.
2016 / Opera Garnier / Paris, France
Scriptych. Choreographed dance performance, bespoke computer interface; with Simon Valastro of Paris Opera
2016 / Palais de Tokyo / Paris, France
24fps Psycho & 86400. Performance, coded films; as part of Do Disturb Festival
2016 / Seoul Museum of Art / Seoul, Korea
Network / intersect. Film; as part of Urban Legends group show with Palais de Tokyo’s Pavillon
2015 / Royal Institute of British Architects / London, UK
ASS-CRM-114. Installation; as part of Virtual Control: Security and the Urban Imagination exhibition
2013 / V&A Museum / London, UK
Nybble. Performance, code; as part of Digital Design Weekend / London Design Festival
2013 / Lethaby Gallery, Central St Martins / London, UK
Ant Ballet. Film; as part of Big Data: Designing with the Materials of Life
2013 / UCL North Lodge / London UK
Panopticon: Experimental tales of Jeremy Bentham. Experimental films with V&A Design With Heritage Consortium
2012 / London Olympics / London, UK
Universal Tea Machine. Design, fabrication: tea mechanisms; with Smout Allen, Westby & Jones and Pea + Me
2012 / Museum of Science and Industry / Manchester, UK
Ant Ballet. Installation, films; as part of FutureEverything Festival
2011-12 / London Zoo / London, UK
Ant Ballet. 6-month kinetic installation, films
2011 / Bartlett School of Architecture / London, UK
Ant Ballet. Installation, films; as part of Bartlett Summer Show
2010 / Slade School of Art / London, UK
Reactive Vertebrae. Kinetic installation; as part of Bartlett Summer Show
2010 / Royal Danish Academy / Copenhagen, Denmark
Group installation; as part of Unit 14 Group Workshop
2009 / Area 10 / London, UK
Open_Sailing. Installation and mini-conference
2019 / FilmFonds and Stimuleeringsfonds / Rotterdam, Netherlands
Awarded a €14,999 grant to develop the project All the Worlds with writer Ross Sutherland, technologist Adriaan Wormgoor, and designer Mark Selby. The project will be prototyped and tested in Rotterdam in 2020.
2017 / US Pavilion / Chicago, USA
Co-authored winning proposal for US Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2018, along with Amy Thomas, Niall Atkinson, Ann Lui, and Mimi Zieger. A collaboration between the University of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute Chicago, Dimensions of Citizenship examines the role that architecture plays in defining what it means to be a citizen at seven different scales.
2015 / Pavillon Neuflize OBC / Paris, France
Selected by the Palais de Tokyo’s curatorial team for 8-month residency in Paris including central Paris accommodation, monthly stipend and international travel.
2013 / Arts + Humanities Research Council / London, UK
£4000 award for development of Nybble project as part of the Design With Heritage Research Consortium.
2012 / AHRC studentship / London, UK
£48,000 + studentship grant for a PhD by Design awarded by Britain’s Arts and Humanities Research Council.
2009 / FutureEverything Awards / Manchester, UK
Finalist (with Open_Sailing).
2009 / Ars Electronica / Linz, Austria
Winner, Voestalpine Art and Technology next big idea Grant (with Open_Sailing); €30,000 to develop and prototype technologies related to aquatic living as part of the Open_Sailing project.
2008 / University of Wales Institute Cardiff / Cardiff, UK
Winner, Nurturing and Sustaining the Best (student award).
2004 / Audi Young Designers Award / London, UK
Finalist in national young designers award.
2018 / Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL / London, UK
Scripted Performances as part of the Constructed Realities lecture series
2016 / School of the Art Institute Chicago / Chicago, USA
Project overview talk
2016 / Palais de Tokyo / Paris, France
24fps Psycho talk
2015 / Innsbruck University / Innsbruck, Austria
Google Google / The Absurd in the Human and the Machine talk, research presentation
2014 / Architectural Association Visiting School / Patras, Greece
9-day workshop; electronic tuition
2013 / Central Saint Martins / London, UK
Big Data: Fabrics of Life workshop with Interactive Architecture Lab and Material Futures courses
2013 / Bartlett School of Architecture UCL / London, UK
Flights of Fancy 7-day masters-level workshop
2013 / Invisible Dust / London, UK
Sky, Plants and Talking to Ants public talk; with Natalie Jerimijenko and Kasia Molga
2012 / Bartlett School of Architecture UCL / London, UK
Unit 14 2-day electronics workshop
2012 / Dorkbot, Queen Mary University / London, UK
Ant Ballet talk
2012 / Bartlett Plexus, Bartlett School of Architecture / London, UK
Ant Ballet talk
2012 / Lunch Hour Lecture, University College London / London, UK
Animating Architecture talk
2012 / Bartlett School of Architecture UCL / London, UK
Animating Environments 9-day masters-level workshop
2011 / Cardiff School of Art and Design / Cardiff, UK
Visiting Lectures talk
2011 / Dorkbot / Cardiff, UK
Ant Ballet talk
2011 / Truphone / London, UK
2-day commercial branding workshops
2010 / Plymouth University / Plymouth, UK
Mapping Space with Augmented Perception 2-day masters-level workshop
2010 / HCL Locums / London, UK
Commercial branding workshops
2010 / ZSL London Zoo / London, UK
Teachers and Biodiversity Day talk
2010 / Goldsmiths University / London, UK
Physical Virus talk
2010 / Art + Architecture / London, UK
Physical Virus talk
2010 / LAB / Nottingham, UK
Frequency Speculation Summit 2-day public workshop
2009 / Trampoline Symposium, Nottingham Contemporary / Nottingham, UK
Open_Sailing talk at the Tracing Mobility Symposium
2009 / Centre de Cultura Contemporánia Barcelona / Barcelona, Spain
Autonomous Architecture 1-day public workshop
2009 / Area 10 / London, UK
Open_Sailing Open Day workshop, conference
2015 / BioArt: Altered Realities (book).
Ed. William Myers. Thames & Hudson / Ant Ballet project featured
2015 / Educating Architects: How Tomorrow’s Practitioners Will Learn Today (book).
Eds. Neil Spiller, Nic Clear. Thames & Hudson / Ant Ballet project featured
2012 / BBC News / Video article on Ant Ballet
2012 / Wired magazine / Article on Ant Ballet
2012 / Dazed and Confused Magazine / Interview on Ant Ballet
2012 / New Scientist TV / Article, video about Ant Ballet
2012 / The Metro / Article featuring Ant Ballet
2012 / We Make Money Not Art / Interview and radio show about Ant Ballet