Higgins’ work, based upon recent experiments in spatial design education at San Diego State University, explores the intersection between intent and chance as essential ingredients in the creative process. It addresses our natural desire to find meaning in the composition of shapes, even where these are randomly generated. The exhibition also considers how complex architectural forms can emerge from a small palette of elements, just as language or music is dependent on the grouping of letters or musical notes.

Matthew Higgins is a British architect and interior designer. He was formerly design director of Higgins Gardner & Partners, London, an architectural practice specializing in museum and cultural facilities design. In 2009, Matthew established Coda Projects LLC, a research collaborative that explores the boundaries between architecture, design and the arts. The firm recently completed a major residential commission in New Jersey, and is presently engaged on the development of transportable structures for community use in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

In 2014, Matthew joined the art & design faculty at SDSU to lead the interior design emphasis. His academic research centers on how we develop spatial design concepts, with a particular focus on entry-level students. Over the last few years Matthew has generated numerous teaching tools to encourage conceptual thinking, using a range of storytelling and game-playing techniques.