SUSTAINABLEFUTURES(Split,Interakcije2012) Context: Inthelast1020yearsresearchersandpolicymakersincreasinglydevelopandusevisionsof sustainablefutures.Thesefuturescenarioshavehadmodestimpactsofaroneverydaylive andpractices.Onereasonforthiscouldbethattheyaredoneonahighermoreabstract, topdownlevelnotincludingmultipledimensionssuchasproduction,consumption, economics,lifestyles,andvaluesandtheirimplicationsformaterialculture. Asdesigners,wecanmakeuseofexistingproductmythologiesthroughthesemanticsof objects;transferringandquestioningconnotationsofmeaninganduse,toexplorehownew typesofmoreenvironmentalpracticescouldlooklike.Whenattemptingtocreateanew artefactorpractice,wecandeliberatelycutandpaste,mergeandusethepreexisting commonknowledgetiedtothedominatingperceptionsanchoredinthematerialityof societyaswellasininternalmodelsoftheuser.

. Brief: Theobjectivehereisto,bydesigningfictionalartefacts(designexperiments,prototypes, domesticationprobesetc.),questionpresentnormsandpracticesandexploreandtryout newalternativewaysofthinkingaboutsustainablefuturesindialogwithourpresent materialculture. Choosetoworkwithasituationalcontextthatyouhavefoundrelevant.Itcouldbea publicplace,anoffice,ahousehold,transportationoranythingelse. (Re)designanalternativesystemforalteringexistingperceptionsorintroducenew onesaroundthetopicofthesustainablesociety. Examplesoftopicsofinvestigation: Howwillthematerialstructurescorrespondingtothismodernutopialooklike? Whatsocialpractices,contextsandvaluesmighthavegottenlostinthepast thatcouldberesurrectedandreusedinnewways? Doweneedtoresurfacesomeunderlyingtechnologicalmechanismsto increaseaneverydayunderstandingofresourceconsumption? Whatkindidealscanwereinforcetomotivateahighertypeofengagementthat wouldmostlikelyberequiredforamoresustainablelifestyle?

Preading/preparation/inspiration: Asapreparationfortheworkshop,readthetextslowdesignbyAlastairFuadeLukeabout designanditsimplicationsforsustainability.Readthetextandthinkabouthowitmight relatetoyourownpracticeandexperienceaswellasyourdailylife.Collectmaterialrelated tothisthatwouldinformandprovokeinitialgroupdiscussionsandbrainstormingsessions. Suchmaterialshouldbewiderangingandmayincludeanythingfromexamplesofworkfrom designers/artists/architects,literaryandfilmreferences,sciencefiction,newspaperreports andmuchmore.Itcanalsobefromtopicsnotdirectlyrelatedtosustainabilitybutthatyou thinkcouldhavevaluefromadesignandsustainabilityperspective.Everyparticipantwill presenthis/hersresearchfindingstotheothergroupmembers.Itwillprovideagood opportunitytobegintoassesswhatapproachyoumayliketotaketowardsthebriefand alsotointroduceyourselfandyourspecificexpertise.

Background: Theworldismovingtowardsclimatecrisisfuelledbyamassiveoveruseofnatures resources.Whatisbuiltintothestructuresofsocietythatallowsthistoprogress? Onereasonpointedoutisthatwe,inmanypartsoftheworld,havenolongeran understandingforthecostoftheenergyouttakethatourlifestylesentail.Forexample,an averageAmericanrequiresbetween100to200energyslavestheequivalenttothe humanworkforceofthismanypersonstosustaintheircurrentwayofliving(e.g.Boyden, 1987).Thissystemisbuiltintotheverymaterialstructuresofourcivilisations.Postmodern societyandnewtechnologicaldevicesdetachusfromprocessesthatwepreviouslyengaged inornurtured.Wehavebecomecontrollersofappliancesandprocessesinsteadofbeing anembodiedpartoftheunderlyingprocesses(Borgmann1987,c.f.Dreyfus1990).For example,ouruseofenergyforheatinghastransformedfromtheoncemanualtasksof choppingwoodtosimplyflippingaswitch.Onalargerlevel,energyproductionsitesare oftensituatedfarfromtheactualpointsconsumptionintodayscitiesandwedorarelysee thenegativeenvironmentalimpactsofouractions.Wehaveescapedmanyharshrealities thattheworldonceimposedonus.Notuntiltechnologyceasestofunction,likeinapower out,dowerealisehowdependentwehavebecome.Thistechnologyhasbecomeinvisible anironicallyitonlybecomespresentinourminds,whenitisnotpresent. Technologycreatesconvenienceandfreesuptimeforotherformsofactivitiesthatwethink ismoresatisfying.Thedesignofthingsfacilitatesmassproductionandrapidturnaroundof newstylesensuringshorterproductlifecyclesandencouragingconsumptionforself fulfilmentratherthanrealneeds.Speedandefficiencyhasbecomethesymbolofmodernity andtechnologyandourpursuitofmodernityhassoughttoannihilatefundamentalelements astimeanddistance.Ofcourse,thiscomesatapricesincethereductionofthese fundamentalfactorsdemandsaneverincreasingamountofenergyandresources.Itis becomingincreasinglyobviousthattechnologyalonewillnotsaveusfromtheclimatecrises wehaveinflictedonourselves.Wealsoneedtocriticallyreflectonourvalues,normsand behaviouralpatternsandhowthesearebuiltintoourartificialworldthatissurroundingus. References: Borgmann,A.Technologyandthecharacterofcontemporarylife:aphilosophicalinquiry. UniversityOfChicagoPress,Chicago,1987 Boyden,Stephen.(1987).WesternCivilizationinBiologicalPerspective:Patternsin Biohistory,OxfordUniversityPress. Dreyfus,H.L.BeingintheWorld:ACommentaryonHeideggersBeingandTime,DivisionI. TheMITPress,1990.