The residency programme at the Design Museum (London, UK) was framed around the theme Islands, understood both geographically and metaphorically. We approached each researcher’s practice as its own island, with its own biodiversity and customs, while also emphasising their interconnectedness and symbiosis. Drawing on decolonial mapping theories, the design represented tides, layers, borders, and flows of research. Sustainability was embedded in the concept, from material choices such as hemp boards, seaweed paper, and earth plinths to the use of washable window paint and a considered colour palette.