Task08.1: Sustainable Design
Sustainable design is fundamental to addressing environmental problems and their systemic roots.
In the last 100 years, human civilizations have significantly altered virtually all of Earth’s environments. While technological development and resource extraction have dramatically improved standards of living for many, destruction of natural ecosystems and environmental contamination have bred innumerable interrelated problems. If current rates of environmental degradation, resource consumption, and population growth continue, the well-being of future generations will be increasingly compromised.
With an environmental situation of such magnitude, there is a incredible burden, not only in terms of financial costs, human lives, and quality of life, but also with respect to the sustainability of Earth’s resources and of human societies. Perhaps more challenging is the growing awareness that our environmental predicament is rooted in human cultural patterns, such as our alienation from nature, reliance on technological solutions, emphasis on short-term gain, and proliferation of exploitative economic systems.
Evolutionary change is essential. Patterns of development, waste management, and resource use contribute to both local and global environmental problems, and can be influenced by personal action as well as through collaboration of individuals from different disciplines. By proactively shaping human environments and consciousness, we can further promote environmental sensitivity in attitude and behavior.
In this context, I think design is pivotal. Not only does it often draw upon natural resources for materials and energy, but the finished result, be it a brochure, product, building, or system, can directly affect levels of consumption, waste and contamination. While destructive impact must be minimized, it is also essential that design’s constructive potential be fully exploited. Designers play a central role in molding human culture, shaping information, entertainment, tools, and physical environments. Harnessing and appropriately directing this potential is fundamental to ensuring a sustainable future.
Here I found some interesting Sustainable design projects, in fact, the starting point of each designer are closely related with our lives.
Wishbone Bike
Wishbone Bike from Skip Hop ~ with thoughtful, beautiful design for such playful, fun kids products, Skip Hop has yet to disappoint! Their latest addition is gaining distribution rights to New Zealand designed: Wishbone Bike, a 3 in 1 starter bike that grows with kids… from the stable lightweight tricycle, to pedal-less running bike, to normal bike for kids up to 5! It is also environmentally sustainable design and a Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association 2008 Innovation Award Winner.
Grassy Phone
In today’s rapid consumerist society, consumption comes into question. How durable do we want our devices to be when they become near obsolete in 5 years? The source materials that make up their build often take hundreds of years to break down. An alternative ideology are disposable products made from natural sources. The Natural Year Phone is made of hay, sans screen and soft keys. The hard components get recycled while the hay is um. . . well I wouldn’t smoke it.
Designer: Je-Hyun Kim
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Useful advice depends on the designer
10 Commandments of Design, conceived by German industrial designer Dieter Rams, sum this up well enough that we could just about put “sustainable” in the middle and call it good.
Designers and fans of where stuff comes from, take heed:
1. Good design is innovative
2. Good design makes a product useful
3. Good design is aesthetic
4. Good design helps a product to be understood
5. Good design is unobtrusive
6. Good design is honest
7. Good design is durable
8. Good design is consistent to the last detail
9. Good design is concerned with the environment
10. Good design is a s little design as possible
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