Throughout my design journey I have felt a strong connection to industrial designer Dieter Rams, and his design ethos.

I admire Dieter because he created restrained products, devoid of excess and unnecessary complications. Dieter’s minimalist approach is best described by his own phrase of “less, but better”. This personifies his approach to the design of products and systems he created throughout his life.

Modern society, particularly that of the 21st century has slowly moved away from the minimalist model perfected during the mid 20th century. Rampant, often toxic consumerism driven by global corporations has created an excess the likes of which the world has never seen. ‘Future rubbish’ perfectly describes many of the consumer goods available today. Consumer artefacts are no longer built to last, they are instead built to be replaced.

HUMAN CENTRED DESIGN 

I believe one of designs most praised developments, human centred design, has only increased the negative effects of consumerism. 

The negative outcome of this process is the creation of more user-friendly products, adding to the overall consumer demand of these superior artifacts. Coupled with mass production and global corporation’s negligence surrounding environmental sustainability, and their total disregard for the negative effects their products have on the planet, has led to an ecological catastrophe that is only becoming more deadly.

However, when you couple a human centred design approach with closed loop systems it becomes immeasurably positive. Products designed better, for all kinds of people. Built using ethical, environmentally sustainable materials. This creates products that have a low impact on the environment, and a highly positive impact on the people that use them.

Humanity needs to harness the power of ontological design.  

Through the creation and continued interaction with systems designed to prioritise ecologically sustainable, ethical, human centred, minimalistic design, humans will inherently embrace these systems. Not only because they become a part of the system, but because they have designed the system.  

I believe this approach gives humanity the platform to be intrinsically caring and compassionate towards the environment. The new normal will have the environment at the centre of all decisions. This will see the creation of built environments utilising environmentally sustainable building methods and materials, filled with artefacts that are minimalistic, ecologically sustainable, and closed loop. Once these principles begin to be embraced, they will manifest in all anthropological systems.  

I believe that capitalism can be harnessed to deliver this ontology to humanity. Capitalism is the most successful economic model to ever exist. Leveraging the capitalist system will allow these new ideas to propagate into modern society. Changing the toxic consumer system from the inside.

This is a bottom up approach to changing the way people interact with artefacts and the built environment. Once there is a consensus within society that these toxic consumer habits must change, there will be a gradual shift towards more sustainable systems.

DESIGNING FOR THE PLURIVERSE

I believe design can be used as a tool to transition the state of the world from one of excess and pollution, to one of ethical consumption and sustainability.

It is the responsibility of future designers to be conscious of the impact their designs have on other systems. It is their responsibility to unlearn the destructive ideas perpetuated by the current state of the world, and re-learn constructive, progressive ideas that create a positive change. To learn from nature, and other systems outside of those created by humanity.

Future design should focus on constructive practices, not destructive practices. Designers must become accountable and resourceful, instead of ignorant and compliant. If designers can be better than the systems they exist within, the world will become a better place.