I am a designer and engagement practitioner dedicated to facilitating meaningful conversations amongst communities. I create site and community specific works that are grounded within and responsive to the unique physical, social, political and historical context of a site, situation and community.

My work is fuelled by an interest in dialogical practices across disciplines of art, design, architecture, politics and the social sciences. I seek to nurture a practice in which conversation is used as a tool to research and reveal new knowledge, to create new relations and understandings amongst people, and also as a tool to collectively align potential new futures.

My current research is centred around the development of a ‘situated dialogical practice’. Drawing inspiration from dialogical practices within contemporary art (Grant Kester, 2004, Conversation Pieces) and harnessing Donna Haraway’s theory of ‘situated knowledges’ (Donna Haraway. 1988. Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective). This approach seeks to challenge detached, disembodied and distanced engagement practices, towards the development of methods that are grounded within and responsive to the specificity of a site and its community.

I love to hear from anyone who shares similar interests! And of course, would love to hear about potential projects, collaborations and opportunities.

Email me: hello@sophie-hardcastle.com
Call me: 07576335935
Follow me on instagram: @sahardcastle