An heirloom is traditionally defined as an item(s) of value that have been passed down in one family from generation to generation. The heirloom has previously taken the form of jewelry, textiles, and dishware. An heirloom is traditionally something used, antique, preserved to be handed down. They are memories preserved in the form of an object.

What is an heirloom for the future? For a time we can’t yet perceive?

The Research Lab of Ambiguous Futurology proposes that a Future Heirloom is an object that is created to be preserved for future use, rather than a used object preserved to be handed down. Future Heirlooms are meant to be used up, and worn out, much like the antique heirlooms. But instead of then preserving them again, they are to be repaired, refashioned or recycled. The Future Heirloom’s technical purpose does not end when the material wears away.

At the Research Lab of Ambiguous Futurology, we research and use traditional heirloom techniques such as quilting, patchwork and embroidery in conversation/combination with technical and novel materials. We do not want to assume what technology will look like in a time we cannot imagine, and so we work with tools and materials that we already have. An antique heirloom is a reflection of the time it was created in, so is a Future Heirloom.