Dan Lockton

@danlockton

Utrecht, NL + Norwich, UK Prof of Design & Imagination, Norwich University of the Arts ⦿ Director, Institute for Sustainable Worlds ⦿ Design⸻imagination⸻climate⸻futures ⦿ ⦿ he/him ⦿ Not employer's views

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Dan Lockton@danlockton· 4d

Geting a strong sense of Poob here

An email telling me that Sketchfab is joining KitBash

A classic post by orcboxer
...
Have you seen the new show? It's on Tubu. It's literally on Heebee. It's on Poodee with ads. It's literally on Dippy. You can probably find it on Weeno. Dude it's on Gumpy. It's a Pheebo original. It's on Poob. You can watch it on Poob. You can go to Poob and watch it. Log onto Poob right now. Go to Poob. Dive into Poob. You can Poob it. It's on Poob.
Poob has it for you. Poob has it for you.
#orcspeak

Dan Lockton@danlockton· 5d

There's a curious complex web of financial scandals around the Laforza's short life, which I'll write about one day www.independent.co.uk/news/busines... —it involves, among other things, a set of obscure petrol brands, coal mining, and the one-time makers of Yoohoo milkshakes & Champale malt liquor

Dan Lockton@danlockton· 12d

If you lived in Pigeon Street Here's a Royal Highland Fusilier you could meet Here's the pigeon who who would say Coo coo coooo coo coo, Coo coo coooooooo coo coo Every day

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jul 12

The illustration style reminds me of what was used for "humanoid alien encounters" in The Unexplained. Nevertheless, this c1969 ad for Freedom Petroleum of Broadheath Oil Works, Altrincham—HF Brien & Co—leads into some interesting #petrolstations #petrocultures history www.flickr.com/photos/danlo...

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 29

Nice glimpse of the Oakstead logo on the shop front, matching well with the Total colours. Oakstead Garages (insolvent 1997) was for a while one of the largest chains of service stations, operating under major oil company brands, although they'd acquired Carburol to use as their own lubricant brand

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 28

I think this is the least appealing thing I've seen in my entire life

An advert with a terrifying picture of an Edwardian undertaker and the text:

"Master's & PhD in 20th-CENTURY BRITISH HISTORY. Study in London with one of the country's leading historians of modern Britain (and regular
Literary Ravie contributor), Professor Lord Blackwater (Simon Heffer), and pursue research on the topic of your choice in almost any aspect of Britain's 20th-century history — social, cultural, political. The programme compements one-to-one supervision with an outstanding series of early-evening seminars held in a Pall Mall club, each followed by dinner with the speaker. These include:
Sir Vernon Bogdanor, Sir David Cannadine, David Kynaston, Dan Todman, Sir Hew Strachan & more
For further information, scan the code or email Admissions at HPG@buckingham.ac.uk"

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 16

I don't know what effect it's having on me that my office window, the Institute for Sustainable Worlds, at Norwich University of the Arts, looks out directly onto Anglia Television's studios, where Alternative 3, Tales of the Unexpected, and so many other things were made, but it's doing something.

Anglia Television studios in Norwich, viewed from the top of the Bank Plan building

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 7

Pretty sure I remember this Haden kettle (or one very similar) from a 1980s Usborne children's book about how to draw — there was a sketch of this shape next to a more bulbous one that looked clumsy and gauche in comparison to this one's futuristic functional elegance. I wonder who the designer was?

A very stylish angular electric kettle made by Haden

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 7

Also have to note: the bronze-glazed abandoned former Scottish Widows HQ on Dalkeith Road (opened 1976, architect John Hardie Glover of Sir Basil Spence, Glover & Ferguson) would work very well as the setting for something. Super-Cannes meets @benpester.bsky.social's The Expansion Project.

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 7

And then on by train from Newcastle to Edinburgh, with some nice coastal views (pictured: Alnmouth) on the way. The check-in at the halls of residence was friendlier than in 'Halls of Residence' bsky.app/profile/danl... and building different, but the room—and corridors—feel similar, somehow…

Newcastle Central Station with a pigeon waiting for the 11.02 LNER Azuma service to Edinburgh Waverley

Edinburgh Waverley station from the top of the "Scotsman" steps

Unusual cloistered courtyard design at University of Edinburgh's Holland House

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 7

Beautiful sunrise and arrival into North Shields, then the bus into Newcastle. A couple of Dutch kids very excited to see een rood telefoonhuisje (even though it was a 1990s New World Payphones one 😅)

Bus disgorging passengers opposite Newcastle Central

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 7

The most impressive/unexpected thing was a wildlife talk and collective watch (unsuccessful this time) for whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc, run by ORCA www.dfds.com/en/passenger...

An information panel about Marine Wildlife of the North Sea, including Bottlenose Dolphins, Minke Whale, Harbour Porpoise, Harbour Seal, Grey Seal, and White-backed Dolphin

Talk about wildlife in the ship's wildlife centre

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 7

A very pleasant journey, with amazing views. These from last night. One of the wind farms off the Dutch coast is under construction.

Wind turbines in the distance, some under construction

Rainbow coming through the clouds onto wind turbines

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 6

At IJMuiden. The lettering on the terminal building makes it look more sinister than I was expecting. The Tata Steel plant across the IJ on a rainy day has the kind of colour tint I've come to associate with my years in Pittsburgh, or 1950s colour photos of industry, somehow.

Felison Terminal building with quite distinctive lettering

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jun 6

On my way from Utrecht to #drs2026 in Edinburgh drs2026.thedrs.org — decided to try the DFDS IJmuiden–Newcastle ferry. Train from home (sunny) to Amsterdam (rainy), then coach transfer, similar to how Rotterdam–Hull works. A bit less convenient than proper train/metro connections of Hoek–Harwich.

A group of people with umbrellas waiting with suitcases, on a rainy riverside, taken from a coach window

Dan Lockton@danlockton· May 24

New short story: Double Album, in the latest issue of Glyph magazine glyphmag.co.uk/read-glyph/ (free download). I'm not sure it's really horror horror, more like technology-mediated unease. Thanks to everyone at Glyph!

The title 'DOUBLE ALBUM' and 'Dan Lockton' on a dark background with orange and purple glints of light on it

The cover of a magazine with the title 'GLYPH' and text Issue 5, May 2026, The Horror Issue'. The background is a posterised image of a city street, looks like somewhere in Glasgow or Edinburgh maybe, with 19th century buildings, and a kind of tunnel or viaduct effect over the top.

Dan Lockton@danlockton· May 9

Interested in how New Metaphors can help us imagine futures in new ways? Join @jochamb.bsky.social, Palak Dudani, and me at Norwich University of the Arts from 21–24 June for an intensive, immersive, and international workshop norwichuni.ac.uk/events/new-m... — please share!

A grid of photos of many different things including a caterpillar, a flower, a building being demolished, and two cats, with yellow and brown filters over. There is overlaid text 'New Metaphors for Imagining Futures: A masterclass workshop, 21-24 June 2026, Norwich UK and the logos of NUA and the ISW

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Apr 29

Enjoying my first few minutes reading this, but I'm pretty sure that comma shouldn't be there unless in an amazing coincidence, the Ballards had a chauffeur with the same name as their car.

The cover of THE ILLUMINATED MAN: LIFE, DEATH AND THE WORLDS OF J.G. BALLARD
by
CHRISTOPHER PRIEST AND NINA ALLAN

An extract from p18 of the book. The comma between "family" and "Packard" is circled. The text reads:

"Jim Ballard was attending the Cathedral School, sometimes being driven by the chauffeur in the family, Packard, his hapless White Russian governess beside him as an ineffectual protection from possible kidnap. When he was a little older he was even able to ride his bicycle to school. Every day he would pass armed soldiers and barricades, but also see street beggars, star ving children and the unburied dead. He was not directly affected by the crisis in Shanghai, but he certainly witnessed it."

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Mar 27

Our two speakers will share, via their own international work, how artistic methods and architectural practice can intersect with imagination through a critical justice lens. Please register to get the Teams link, or if in Norwich, join us in person!

A poster for the event. The text reads:
Designing Sustainable Worlds

Edition 2
Art and Architecture of Reimagining Futures

Josie Chambers
Urban Futures Studio, Utrecht University

Sarah de Villiers
Norwich University of the Arts

Thursday 2 April 2026
15.00-16.00 BST

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Mar 19

The obscure rabbit deity Augustus Honeybun was worshipped in the wild south-west extremities

Gus Honeybun, a grey rabbit puppet, in this case wearing a dark blue sailor's outfit

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Mar 15

I've only ever seen black-and-white versions of the BNOC logo in old newspaper job ads, but I'm guessing it was red/white/blue much like Britoil later was. Not the most exciting—definitely not up there in the pantheon of the best British nationalised industry logos.

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Mar 7

Interesting that the misaligned fog/spot lamps on what looks a bit like a Williams & Pritchard-nosed Sprite www.sebringsprite.com/williams-pri... aren't considered a mistake. In this era often one was a fog-light (to be seen) and one a spot-light (to see), so it didn't necessarily matter, but still…

A black-and-white period photo of 5 WW, an Austin-Healey Sprite with modified bodywork: "John Sprinzel's Sebring Sprite with Williams & Pritchard aluminium Coupé bodywork" from https://www.sebringsprite.com/williams-pritchard.html

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Mar 3

Newspaper article with the headline "To beat the 5p bag charge... just say NO and bring your own"

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Feb 23

How can playful creative activities help teams from different disciplinary backgrounds collaborate? We’re launching our Library for Transformative Play at Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands, tomorrow, 24 February, 16.00–17.00 CET. It's one of the outcomes of Playing with the Trouble...

A banner for the Library for Transformative Play launch, with photos of people and games and the logos of the universities involved

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Feb 19

For anyone familiar with New Metaphors imaginari.es/new-metaphors/ this is the same daymark, near Coleton Fishacre maps.app.goo.gl/M1x5qTUjibE5... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingswe... featured as a possible metaphor in the card deck.

One of the New Metaphors cards, showing a frustrum-shaped tower in a field with the sea shining visible behind, and the sun in the sky causing lens flare. The text "A lighthouse or 'daymark'" is on the image.

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Feb 10

Fascinating to read the (AI?) description here—including that the DwI cards are "a widely respected behavioral design and UX strategy tool used by designers, researchers, product managers, and innovation teams." www.ebay.com/itm/19797979... $135 (download them here imaginari.es/wp-content/u...)

A screenshot of an eBay.com listing for the Design with Intent toolkit, on sale for $135 Buy it Now

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jan 25

Many thoughts about this, but as @apiln.bsky.social has detailed so well over the years, "fury at X" has become the default pattern for what was once proper local journalism. Also, imaginaries of real places as slogans/utopias/dystopias are fascinating to see in practice, from NL to Baltimore.

Screenshot of "EDP 24" (former Eastern Daily Press) Facebook feed item with photos of people and roadworks and the headline "'They are trying to make our country into the Netherlands' - fury at cycle lanes work". One person has a yellow top with the words BALTIMORE U.S.A. on it.

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jan 8

I sit, silent, cold, and armless, on the edge of my seat as the poltergeist once again levitates the mysterious laptop, book, and headphones all around me

The window of an NS DDZ train, looking out over a snowy landscape. A sticker is lettered STILTE, silence, and above it a circular sticker depicts a figure sitting with a laptop, book, and headphones floating above.

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Jan 5

These birds (in snowy #Utrecht this afternoon) all eat invertebrates, such as Keir Starmer they also understand twitter better

A blue tit, perched on a snowy branch, looking right at you

A robin with a seed in its mouth, on a bird feeder

A jay diving from a snowy branch towards some worms on a snowy bird-feeder

Dan Lockton@danlockton· Dec 18

uh oh, looks like 5G finally got her 😬