A foray into not-quite companion species: Design experiments with urban-animals as signi!cant others
Abstract
This paper examines the project, Urban Animals and Us, as a journey - or foray - into the ‘terrain vague’ between people and (other) animals with whom we share urban space. Through three design experiments developed around speculative prototypes and co-design tools, we attempt to bring ’wild’ urban animals - like magpies and gulls into contact with the residents of a senior retirement home, to explore what new practices can arise between, otherwise, unconnected life-worlds. We expand the notion of companion species from philosopher of science Donna Haraway and begin to position the current project within a growing interest in animals in contemporary design research. Through analysis of the design experiments and the subsequent discussion, we argue, that a foray into interspecies relations, can inform the practical research agenda, and, help to re-articulate the dominant anthropocentricity of design research.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2013.034
Citation
Lenskjold, T.U.,and Jönsson, L.(2013) A foray into not-quite companion species: Design experiments with urban-animals as signi!cant others, in Brandt, E., Ehn, P., Degn Johansson, T., Hellström Reimer, M., Markussen, T., Vallgårda, A. (eds.), Nordes 2013: Experiments in design research, 9 - 13 June, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen and Malmö University, Malmö, Denmark, Sweden. https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2013.034
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A foray into not-quite companion species: Design experiments with urban-animals as signi!cant others
This paper examines the project, Urban Animals and Us, as a journey - or foray - into the ‘terrain vague’ between people and (other) animals with whom we share urban space. Through three design experiments developed around speculative prototypes and co-design tools, we attempt to bring ’wild’ urban animals - like magpies and gulls into contact with the residents of a senior retirement home, to explore what new practices can arise between, otherwise, unconnected life-worlds. We expand the notion of companion species from philosopher of science Donna Haraway and begin to position the current project within a growing interest in animals in contemporary design research. Through analysis of the design experiments and the subsequent discussion, we argue, that a foray into interspecies relations, can inform the practical research agenda, and, help to re-articulate the dominant anthropocentricity of design research.