Author of ‘Welcome to the Circular Economy – the next step in sustainable living’ (published 09/09/21). Founder of claire potter design – an award winning, Brighton based interior architecture, product design, consultancy and research studio committed to producing innovative, exciting and circular economy design solutions for all clients. The studio works with large corporate clients to create circular solutions for working practices through to local authority behaviour change programmes, including the City of London and Brighton and Hove City Council. Other work include EU BLUEPRINT funded projects, such as an online circular economy education programme for 5-19yr old for Brighton and Hove and also EU Standards writing – as committee expert for ECOS, relating to plastics and the circular design of fishing gear.
Claire is also a Senior Lecturer and Course Convenor on the BSc and BA Product Design at the University of Sussex, in the School of Engineering and Informatics at the University of Sussex, leading the design team and lecturing in circular economy, design philosophy, design for industry and more.
Claire was also selected as one of the four 2013 BBC Expert Women representing design and architecture in the UK and subsequently media trained by the BBC for direct to camera presenting, radio and on screen interviewing, which has resulted in ongoing on-screen and live appearances for the BBC and production companies.
Studio research is based around aspects of the Circular Economy, related to the impact of design in the process, including reuse, waste redirection into new products, consumer psychology, fixing and design for disassembly – as well as how circularity is taught in education. A particular focus is marine litter and ghost gear, with Claire working with the Global Ghost Gear Initiative to research and identify areas for material recovery and reintroduction into the material streams. Claire is the GGGI Replicating and Catalysing Solutions global Working Group Co-Ordinator.
Claire is also a volunteer rep for Surfers Against Sewage in the Brighton area, specialising in marine litter education, beach cleans and positive activism.