Sustainable Platforming with Design

Aalto University ARTSHelsinki, Finland

SUSTAINABLE PLATFORMING WITH

DESIGN

9/12/13 Factor Clave 2013 | Tatu Marttila: SUSTAINABLE PLATFORMING WITH DESIGN

Tatu Marttila (M.A. Industrial Design) Teacher, researcher, doctoral candidateAalto University ARTS, Helsinki, Finland

http://designresearch.aalto.fi/groups/nodus/


Contents

• Introduction• Design• Sustainability• Platforms• Praxis• Conclusions



Introduction to Finland

Finland: • A Nordic “social welfare” state with +5 million people population• History: From wood industry to hi-tech to service society• Appreciation for design (national design policies; WDC2012)• High on education (PISA results)• Somewhat hit by EU regression


Helsinki, the capital cityPhotograph by Mikko Paananen,

via Wikipedia



Aalto University:• A university formed in 2010 through a merger of University of Art and

Design, School of Economics and University of Technology• Now 6 schools and around 15000 students + 4000 staff• Located in three campuses around Helsinki metropolitan area• A place where “Art and Business meets Science and Technology”


DESIGN.



Current landscapes of Design Practice

During the 20th century design practice has evolved from a craft focused skill to a tool to understand user and consumer choices, and finally to manage societal change.

At the same time the focus of design action has evolved from details to strategic level, and finally to the societal level.

By the end of the 20th century the unsustainability of our current being has become evident.

21st century – the century for design?




Source: NextDesign Leadership Institute,

GK VanPatter and Elizabeth Pastor

The landscapes of design practice andeducation:


From details design towards Metadesign

Designers attach meanings (‘signs’) to things (‘designed’). Designing meanings can be perceived as Metadesign.

Metadesign is aimed at defining, creating and developing social, economic and technical infrastructures in which new forms of collaborative design can take place -> Platforms!

Metadesign has an interdisciplinary and systemic approach, and it aims to tackle the complex problems of our contemporary everyday.

It represents the upstream of design, whereas the details design is the downstream…



Understanding design action

Contemporary design action stretches from visual communication to interface design, from product design to societal design, and from urban planning to industrial processes.

Design is still about “courses of action aimed at changing existing situations into preferred ones." (Simon, 1996)

Designers help to develop solutions to contemporary problems (collaboratively and independently), and communicate about them inside and outside teams.



SUSTAINABILITY.



Sustainability in Consumer Society

Consumer society started to emerge strongly at the latest in the latter half of the 20th century. However, many of its ingredients were planted far before the 20th century.

Most importantly it seems that the consumption society is connected to economic capitalism that is enhanced with extremely efficient industrial production.

An era of second modernity?

Along the emerging consumer society design emerged as a discipline and became industrialized, connecting strongly with manufacturing industry and focusing on increasing efficiency, functionality, styling and advertising.



Designer responsibility and sustainability

Design as a problem solving activity? Or as a problem creation activity?

In Victor Papanek's (1927-1999) view: "There are professions more harmful than Industrial Design, but only a few.”

We all design but not all of us are professional designers – with have a higher level of responsibility of design action.

In the brief history of industrial design, designers have done their part by not questioning the practices of work.

- How are we doing?



Weak or strong sustainability?


Three pillars of sustainability Three pillars of sustainability – Nested within the ecological

dimension


Whose sustainability?

The history of capitalism can be traced back to early forms of merchant capitalism practiced in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, but only industrialized mass production has created possibilities for contemporary models of consumption.

Today, economic growth based on planned obsolescence has become force majeure in the ‘developed’ societies. Combined with the economic imperative of growth it has led to ecological crisis.

No one can deny negative ecological impacts of consumption. Allegedly, however, economic growth has created increased societal wellbeing.

- Does consumption produce societal welfare and wellbeing?




Source: www.treehugger.com

No genuine progress in the quality of life (USA):



Source: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/


So are we getting sustainable?Cleaner production, growing welfare and decoupling of wealth and pollution seem to be (at least partially) only myths…

Rebound-effect is driven by the economic imperative, as markets aim to produce more stuff as impact per unit decreases.

Even if factor 10 (ten times more effective production of services) is achieved by 2050, there can only be negative growth in consumption, and also in economy in the ‘developed’ contexts.

We seem to approach the depletion of all the resources within 21st century.

According to some estimations, as business-as-usual continues, a global collapse is closing in around the middle of this century.




Source: “A safe operating space for humanity” (2011) by Stockholm Resilience Centre/Nature



Global collapse within this century?

Source: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, via Scientific American


Sustainability in the making…

Role of design shifting from details to systems level and eventually towards societal transformation (Aminoff, et al. 2011)

Context-dependent sustainability should be defined among a larger group of stakeholders, including laypeople

Design approach in solving difficult and complex problems and problem-contexts - “wicked problems” (Rittel & Webber, 1973)

Design thinking and reflection (problem-driven and solution oriented) helping collaborative process by creating new integrations of signs, things, actions and environment (Buchanan, 1995)




Source: The Natural Step, see: http://www.naturalstep.org/


From design in transition…

Contemporary user-centered design is unable to produce more sustainable solutions as long as it works along the imperative of economic growth.

Suggested improvements as new approaches have been (more) functional and systemic design, but they embrace the existing power structures.

A shift in our mode of being is required, from quantitative to qualitative, from consumption to conservation, and from imperialism to co-existence.

This must happen under the imperative of sustainment – design must become a part of politics (Fry, 2008; 2010).



…Into Design for Sustainability

Challenges of sustainability are often complex and multi-faceted and require mediation between several concepts, contexts and interests. Accordingly, sustainable design should be based on a broader view, constructed in collaboration between several experts and laypeople.

Hence, design and research for sustainability must have a systemic approach (Shedroff, 2009) and a trans-scientific character (Tukker, et al. 2008).

Sustainable design requires transdisciplinary knowledge and action within a real-life problem context. It requires an expanded, systemic and collaboratively mediated perspective



…And design activism!

Design activism can be defined as “design thinking, imagination and practice applied knowingly or unknowingly to create a counter-narrative aimed at generating and balancing positive social, institutional, environmental and/or economic change” (Fuad-Luke, 2009).

Design activists (working voluntarily or with a salary) are designing for a reason – to create counter-narratives to the unsustainable status quo.

Design activists create platforms to address and discuss some contemporary problems in society, everyday life and in design itself.



PLATFORMING.



New types of knowledge and learning

Developing inter-professional collaboration (Hukkinen, 2008): multidisciplinary > interdisciplinary > transdisciplinary

New type(s) of knowledge and learning in meeting points between different professions: “Mode 1” vs. “Mode 2” knowledge (Gibbons, et al. 1994) and collective knowledge creation (Engeström, 2008; Hakkarainen, 2004); Hybrid knowledge (Bruun, et al. 2005)

"Shared problem space" to integrate and translate (disciplinary) knowledge with a “transdisciplinary design dialogue” (Wahl & Baxter, 2008)

Different backgrounds and different types of people (education, profession, experiences and history)



Platforming for sustainability

Learning for sustainable design calls for problem and project-based collaborative learning (Blunden, 2011) and transdisciplinary design dialogues (Wahl & Baxter, 2008)

Communities with epistemic traditions, or “communities of practice” (Lave & Wenger, 1991) -> Towards a "community of interest" (Fischer, 2001)

Affecting factors: Professional background, different personal histories, tools and activities, trust and orientation, management support



(Co-)Design(ed) platforms

New knowledge on the role of design as something that mediates social relations in contemporary daily living has to be developed through transdisciplinary design dialogues involving a wide group of specialists and laypeople.

These developments require a widespread discourse on the values and driving forces behind the process. How to prioritize stakeholders or their interests and from which perspective to assess sustainability? What is the designer's role and responsibility? What are the most important areas of development?

Design projects around sustainability can function as mediums to support such discourse, if they are reachable and open.



Design for Transdisciplinarity


Transdisciplinary action for sustainability (Marttila 2013; DRS/Cumulus conference)


Design for The Imaginative

Anthony Dunne suggests (2005) that we require “poeticizising the distance between people and [electronic] objects” to encourage “sensitive skepticism” rather than “unthinking assimilation”(Ibid.).

Such actions call for “breaking through the white noise” of our contemporary existence(Fuad-Luke, 2009).


Design academia and experimenting (Marttila 2013; DRS/Cumulus conference)


PRAXIS.



Platforming in praxis

Design action, as well as design(ed) platforms address articulation, mediation and exploration.

If they are open and accessible to the potential problem owners they can also induce more sustainable action.



Example.1Developing CS MA program


Creative Sustainability (CS) is a multidisciplinary MA program that initiated in fall 2010 in Aalto University.

All CS students attend to common introduction courses (6-10 total ECTS). These students also attend to complete modules (up to 20 ECTS) that are engaging students from several study programs in real-life cases and in transdisciplinary teamwork.

See: http://acs.aalto.fi

Creative Sustainability Master’s Program


Developing CS program:

The pedagogical approach is based on “integrating teaching and research, problem-based learning, blended learning and strong connection to practical outcomes” -> constructive and open approach.

Vague topical areas such as design and sustainability

Several degree programs collaborating -> difficulties to develop common contents.

Students started involving themselves in developing the program.



“Stuff We Do” on CS website:



CS student initiated projects:


image courtesy: Whose* Issues Project blog (whoseissues.tumblr.com)


CS program spin-off: Big Plans Bakery

Big Plans Bakery is a seven-member interdisciplinary organization somewhere between a think tank and a design consultancy – which is why it’s a think/do tank.

While being partially CS student initiated, it is also now participating to CS teaching.

“We’re at our best in producing solutions to problems that come between people and a sustainable future. Our solutions are based on valid theory that is proven in tangible actions – this assures the scientific and ethical integrity that is the centre of our operational values.”

See: http://bigplansbakery.com/



Example.2 WDC2012 Wellbeing projects


365 Wellbeing consists of 12 projects which represent actual services or processes in the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Lahti.

Projects addressed different dimensions of wellbeing, focusing in particular on municipal wellbeing services and patient-centered health care solutions.

A part of the official WDC2012 program.

See: http://365wellbeing.aalto.fi/


Repicturing Suburban Neighborhood:


Material by TANGO project team


Alternative Design Capital (ADC) 2012:

Alternative Design Capital (ADC) was born from the need to have a platform for open, experimental and critical practices excluded from the official WDC2012 programme.

ADC is aspiring to continue in Cape Town 2014 (World Design Capital 2014).

See: http://adc2012.org/



ADC2012 projects:


Image courtesy: Kallio Kukkii ja Soi!



Image courtesy: Alternative Design Capital 2012 | adc2012.org


CONCLUSIONS.



Design platforms for sustainability

Instrumental approach to sustainable design is not enough.

New collaborative and transdisciplinary approach is needed.

Design aiming for sustainability can address efficiency, but not without addressing also the meanings that are attached to things.

Thus, sustainable design must reach towards metadesign level, where “conscious awareness, value systems, worldviews” are collaboratively defined (Wahl & Baxter, 2008).

New type of decision-making is required, including increased knowledge base through transdisciplinary design dialogues between experts and laypeople (Ibid.), but also new types of power structures.



Design platforms for sustainability

The challenge of sustainability is to design a new way of being. Design practice, education, economic activity and interaction within the social have to be addressed as a whole.

One aim of sustainable design should therefore be to create the supportive platforms that enable better awareness, more informed collaboration and more genuine interaction, with a wide public audience and several stakeholder groups, co-aligned under a new direction.

Design education can provide its educators and its future professionals with specific skills, to enable them to better facilitate collaboration and communication among several participants.




From details to consequences(or vice versa?)


THANK.YOU!



References


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