Showcase 2025 Student Spotlight: Jemima Tatum-Horsfield
Student Spotlight featuring BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design student Jemima Tatum-Horsfield and her project '2085'.
By Jon Duckworth | Published on 15 April 2025
Categories: Student Showcase; School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment;
The Project
For her project, Jemima imagines a future in which Artificial Intelligence has taken over and humanoid robots dominate, driving human "survivors" towards a simpler existence and a return to a life before technology. In '2085' Jemima envisages a cult-like community that lives alongside nature. Dressed in textile camouflage, they inhabit a space capable of harvesting water and rainfall to grow crops and vegetation - but also for worship. She considers her design of this space to combine "elegancy with brutalism".
Jemima's project imagines a future in which people return to life without technology.
The inspiration behind the project
Jemima's project was inspired by her experimentation with natural materials, textile creations and conceptual models. She drew particular inspiration from lichen, her observations of which led to rigorous research, narrative exploration and design development.
The project experience
For Jemima, the project has been especially enjoyable as it has encouraged her to push her creativity in "weird and wonderful ways" that have allowed her to follow her own vision through to a successful design. Spending 28 weeks on the project has given her the time and space to be able to delve into all the different components of the project in a detailed and rigorous manner, enhanced by the strong support and encouragement from the tutors.
The project was inspired by natural materials such as lichen.
Being part of NTU
Jemima describes her time at NTU as having been "a brilliant experience".
She says: "I can confidently say that I have learnt and developed as a designer in many ways. Doing a placement year especially helped me become quicker using software and improved the quality of my work, while also learning a new business. During our final year we have had pin-up presentations with people from industry which really helped my confidence in pitching and receiving constructive criticism to help me develop my work."
For Jemima, one of her highlights was being asked by the course leader to create the graphics for our Grad show. "I was honoured that he had noticed my work, saw me as a strong creator to do this task, and put the confidence and trust in me to complete it. It opened new opportunities and allowed me to show my creative flair in different ways."
Jemima Tatum-Horsfield - BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Closing remarks
Jemima's advice for future Interior Architecture and Design students is to spend time, early on, learning how to use the software and becoming confident with the different applications, freeing up more time to work on design.
She also strongly recommends the placement year. "This will teach you so much and give you the experience you need to do well when you return to university and when you get a job after," she says. "Finally, communicate and connect with your peers. Sharing ideas and voicing your designs will be inspiring."