moved by movements
What is a 'design diploma' amidst global complexities that feel as abstract as they are concrete?
Through the lens of systems-oriented design and service design, my diploma project, moved by movements, in collaboration with Benjamin Romm, explored the complexities of global climate breakdown as they played out in our immediate surroundings and within ourselves — as emotional, cultural and political expressions.
In a social paradigm that values certainty and scalability, we proposed the systemic value of hyper-local plurality and linnear uncertainty as driving values for building resilience and semiotic scaffolding meeting ambigous change.
We did this by developing an action-oriented framework called Chaining, inviting the public to follow everyday fascinations by arranging experiments (moving), built on the premise of being unfinished, and dependent on allowing others to take part (joining), in turn observing how experiments transform into patterns that tell new stories (noticing).
The framework was uploaded and shared through hand-to-hand distribution of USB-sticks, featuring the cornucopia of experiments that were instigrated during the timeframe of the diploma, auditive and visual material explaining the framework and methodology, a guestbook, and a 21-day reminder to pass it on once the time is up. However, that was at the time of distribution. Now, they might carry PowerPoint presentations, Excell sheets or family photos.
How could multi-entranced local networks of action—grounded in people's fascinations with their surroundings shift systems thinking into systems doing?
Our curiosity was not only about how such a culture might emerge, but also where we fit within it as designers, collaborators and individuals — as well as how a diploma project can serve as a vehicle for something unfinished and uncertain. The half-year project included a series of research-oriented workshops, situated experiments performed by ourselves and others, a project report and conclusive exhibition visible in the school and in the cityscape at large.
Excerpt from an experiment passed on between two unfamiliar city-dwellers:
"Dear passerby.
I found this hole in the fence a Sunday in March. What a shame, I though. Luckily, I had some metal binders and an earring I didn't need in my pocket, so I thought I might as well start some sort of reparation. Unluckily for me, I didn't possess enough metal binders (or earrings) to complete the reparation. If you possess some metal binders (or earrings), you are more than welcome to continue the reparation.
All the best,
A citizen."
"To a citizen.
Thank you for trying to do an effort for the community! Thank you also for making me notice. It is striking how much one oversees if one isn't looking for it. But, I saw the note, and I fixed the fence.
Best regards,
Passerby."
