Abstract
The Anthropocene is a concept that has been stimulating several initiatives among theorists and practitioners in Design. This paper explores how Design has been coping with this concept. It builds from a literature review to elaborate three challenges with themes related to the Anthropocene. They are: unsettling Modernity; noticing neglected multiplicity and creating new imaginaries. We share 12 projects related to these challenges were selected. The projects were analyzed considering how they address the theme they were attached to, and how they elaborate tactics and mechanisms to cope with the challenges. Based on such analyzes, the paper presents a matrix on how the relation between the themes, tactics, and mechanism can be considered. Finally, it attempts to suggest a means for mapping the situation regarding the relation between design and Anthropocene. The paper aimed at contributing to the discussion on design's role in these turbulent times.
Keywords
speculative design; anthropocene; modernity; multiplicity; imaginaries
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.286
Citation
Englert Corrêa Meyer, G., and DiSalvo, C. (2024) Designing With The Challenges Of The Anthropocene, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.286
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Research Paper
Included in
Designing With The Challenges Of The Anthropocene
The Anthropocene is a concept that has been stimulating several initiatives among theorists and practitioners in Design. This paper explores how Design has been coping with this concept. It builds from a literature review to elaborate three challenges with themes related to the Anthropocene. They are: unsettling Modernity; noticing neglected multiplicity and creating new imaginaries. We share 12 projects related to these challenges were selected. The projects were analyzed considering how they address the theme they were attached to, and how they elaborate tactics and mechanisms to cope with the challenges. Based on such analyzes, the paper presents a matrix on how the relation between the themes, tactics, and mechanism can be considered. Finally, it attempts to suggest a means for mapping the situation regarding the relation between design and Anthropocene. The paper aimed at contributing to the discussion on design's role in these turbulent times.