January 16th to 19th 2023 : Remixing Materials¶
The concept of meaning is central to human existence. Meaning is what gives our lives a sense of purpose and direction… to have meaning is to conjure harmony in the natural chaos and imagine a sense of order in our lives. For this we have birthed myriads of fields of thought. Philosophy, religion… design. All of these practices grapple with the question of meaning, but their approaches differ. In philosophy, meaning is the fundamental concept that concerns the nature of reality, language, and thought. In religion, meaning is often associated with transcendent reality or deity. In design, meaning is about tying our creations to a purpose. Design, especially, is an industry that plays a significant role in crafting the material reality of our daily lives. It shapes the prompts all around us that resonate with meaning, be it aesthetic, functional or capitalist. From the products we use to the environments we inhabit, design influences the human psyche and experience in profound ways. Knowing this, there is a lot to criticise about the design industry. Namely, its superficiality: in a capitalist system that prioritizes mass production, efficiency, and profit it is easy for meaning to be manufactured as well. In fact, environmental historian Jason W. Moore argues that designers need to consider the role of capitalism in shaping our world. Moore suggests that designers need to challenge the dominant economic system and work towards creating a more sustainable and just world. He feels this can be achieved by designing products that are more durable and long-lasting, rather than disposable and short-lived. He argues that by doing so, designers can promote a culture of care and responsibility that is more in alignment with other species and planetary boundaries. So designers have the power to infuse their work with meaning and care. The design process as I have always viewed it should be a process of deep intentionality. But meaning is subjective, and meaning has different layers. As a human I can rationalise my choices. I can make up explanations that are logical, compelling, reasonable. But these rationalisations might be pure invention. And that fact, that superficiality, might be hidden to me if I do not pay attention. The human psyche or is capable of manufacturing meaning in the smallest of things. So what distinguishes the meaning we find to continue daily life - and the profound meaning that shapes a happy life?
Kevin Slavin, a designer, and technologist, argues that designers need to take a more active role in shaping the world around them. He suggests that designers need to engage with the systems and structures that govern our lives and question their underlying assumptions. Slavin argues that designers have the power to create products that not only serve a practical purpose but also have a deeper meaning, specifically because they are in connection with others. And that his can be achieved by designing products that are more sustainable, ethical, and socially responsible.
So designers are accountable for shaping the world. From the products we use to the environments we inhabit. However, for too long, designers have focused solely on human-centric design, ignoring the role of non-human actants in our lives. Trends in design have taken many names. And from Bauhaus to Nordic-chic, they have failed to encompass the wider ecosystems we are part of. They have manufactured layers and layers of meaning but they have failed to truly connect with our ecologies. Non-human actants are entities that have agency and influence in the world, such as animals, plants, and technologies. And it’s clear that to create truly sustainable and equitable design, designers must integrate non-human actants into their practice. For designers to shift their focus from a human-centric worldview to an ecocentric one, a designer must acknowledge the interconnectedness of all living beings and the importance of the natural world in shaping them. Meaning in design is hence not just tied to connection with the wider world but to the history and future of all these things together. Meaning — is intricately linked to time, and a deep intention around it: designers must consider the impact of their designs on the environment and the non-human actants that inhabit it in the past, present and future. For example, when designing a building, one needs to consider the impact of the building on the local ecosystem. They need to consider how the building will affect humans as well as the flora and fauna in the area and how it will impact the local water supply, as much as how it respects a place’s history and the impact of the building on the ecosystem’s future. It is a challenging dance of factors to design for, yet it is the only profound course of action. Raj Patel, an academic and writer, argues in favour of this. He feels that design needs to be reimagined in the context of a more sustainable and just world. He suggests that designers need to think beyond aesthetics and functionality and consider the broader social and environmental impact of their work. Patel argues that designers need to work in collaboration with other disciplines, such as ecology and sociology, to create products that are in harmony with the natural world and promote social justice.
In a way, we find meaning when meaning is reflected back to us. When the impact of our actions reverberates positively in our timeline. Also in a way, the current climate emergency presents a unique opportunity for designers to be filled with meaning. For centuries, humans have been focused on the pursuit of material wealth and the accumulation of resources, often at the expense of the natural world. However, as the effects of climate change become increasingly evident, a new set of challenges and ways of existing in the world have been presented to us. The climate emergency is forcing us to confront some fundamental questions about our relationship with the natural world (and our place in the universe!). We are being forced to re-examine our values and priorities and to reconsider what it means to live a meaningful life. In doing so, we are being given an opportunity to redefine ourselves as a species and to create a new sense of purpose and direction.
One of the ways in which the climate emergency is forcing us to find meaning is by challenging us to think about the legacy we will leave behind for future generations. We are being forced to consider the long-term consequences of our actions and to take responsibility for the impact that we are having on the planet. This is causing us to re-evaluate our relationship with the natural world… to consider the ethical implications of our behavior. By highlighting the interconnectedness of all things, the events of the last decades be it pandemics or natural disasters, are forcing us to recognize that our actions have a direct impact on the health and well-being of other species and the planet as a whole. This is causing us to re-evaluate our sense of self and our relationship with the world around us. We are being challenged to embrace a more holistic and interconnected worldview that recognizes the inherent value of all life.
Furthermore, the climate emergency is also providing us with an opportunity to rediscover a sense of community and togetherness. As we confront the challenges of climate change, we are being forced to work together in new and innovative ways. We are being forced to collaborate across national boundaries and to come together as a global community to address this existential threat. In doing so, we are rediscovering the importance of empathy, compassion, and solidarity. Essential ingredients for a meaningful life.
For Gregory Bateson, a philosopher and anthropologist, meaning is not something that can be found in the object or experience itself but is rather a product of the relationship between the individual and the environment. Bateson suggests that designers need to consider the relationship between the user and the product and design products that promote a meaningful relationship. This can be achieved by designing products that are more interactive and engaging, that encourage the user to form a deeper connection with the product. Today this connection has to take the form of a question “is this object or experience respectful of the wider ecological reality I belong to?”
Designers must now think more holistically about the design process, considering the full lifecycle of a product and the impact it will have on the environment. This requires designers to integrate non-human actants into their practice, taking into account the materials used, the energy consumed, and the waste generated. By doing so, designers can help to create products that are not only functional and aesthetically pleasing but also sustainable and ecologically meaningful. One of the key challenges facing designers in 2023 is the need to create products that are less reliant on non-renewable resources or extractive in nature. This requires designers to look beyond traditional materials such as plastic and metal and explore alternative materials that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly. For example, designers may look to natural materials such as wood, bamboo, and cork, which are renewable and biodegradable and growable with low impact.
In conclusion, the utility of a designer in 2023 is not just to create aesthetically pleasing designs, but also to integrate non-human actants into everyday design as a response to the ecological emergency we find ourselves in. By considering the full lifecycle of a product and the impact it will have on the environment, designers can help to create products that are not only functional and aesthetically pleasing but also sustainable and environmentally responsible. This requires designers to look beyond traditional materials and ways of doing and explore alternative materials that are more sustainable, to explore new technologies that are more energy-efficient, and to think more broadly about the ecological impact of their creations. By doing so, designers can help to create a more sustainable and resilient world that is better equipped to deal with the challenges of the 21st century. An exercise in deep meaning.