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Name: Alexa Tiong Xiao Xuan [N11006676]

DYB124 DESIGN CONSEQUENCES / A2 [ DESIGN MANIFESTO]

It is no secret that climate change is one of the defining issues of our times. Despite the doubt and disbelief of many, it is evident that our once idealistic fantasy of a utopian future is gradually transcending into something darker and something more sinister, with clear indicators presented in the form of rising temperatures and an increase in carbon emissions.

 Since climate change is an irreversible and inevitable phenomenon, we are then left with no other option but to simply embrace the harsh realities of climate change. Fortunately, we as humans from early on are blessed with the skill of adaptation, with evidence of human adaptation tracing back as early as the Stone Age, where our early ancestors managed to survive and flourish in a harsh environment. Unbeknownst to many, other than the ability to adapt to change, creativity is also a vital survival skill, especially in today’s day and age. 2020, the year of the pandemic, is a prime example of how crucial design is for survival. With a surge of covid cases following the pandemic, designers, specifically, architects had to work collectively with the hospital systems to quickly devise a plan to reconstruct the space to limit virus transmission. An example of this is the makeshift emergency hospital, LeiShenshan Hospital, located in Wuhan, China. 

 One may question themselves how we as designers can design to survive in the midst of Chaos? Several factors we can take into consideration when designing to survive comprised of the design’s practicality, functionality and, lastly but more importantly, the design’s accessibility.

Practicality

Practicality is one of the most essential aspects of design, especially in a survival context. The golden age of innovation has brought us countless numbers of unique and groundbreaking concept designs and inventions, but how many of them are actually practical or handy enough to be a commercial success? Unfortunately, most of them were either too impractical or couldn’t stand the test of time. Prioritising aesthetics over the usability of a design may be a trivial matter in the past. However, in present-day dystopia, the practicality of design might be a determinant of our chances of survival as it helps to ensure that our design solution is viable and feasible. To design with practicality for a survival situation, we as designers must identify any potential issues that might hinder the outcome of the design solution and understand the end-users and their needs.

Functionality

The functionality of a design plays a massive role in the design outcomes as it is what make or break the design. A functional design is a design that works well to meet the usability requirement and perform their assigned task efficiently, which may be highly beneficial for improving our odds of survival, especially in our current state. In contrast, as its name implies, a non-functional design, also known as a design failure, refers to a design that fails to perform its assigned task and typically causes a negative user experience. Additionally, in some instances, it may even poses as a health hazard and bring one more harm than good which isn’t very ideal for our current situation. Hence, to design with functionality, we as designers must consider the ultimate goal of the design and who the intended users are.

Accessibility

Last but not least, accessibility, one of the most overlooked factors by fellow designers, is actually one of the most critical factors that impact a design, especially in the user experience aspect. Unlike in the past, design in the present time shouldn’t have any sort of barriers. In fact, design should be universal and every individual should be granted equal access and opportunities. Accessible design can not only increase usability but also enhance one’s quality of life and life expectancy, which is advantageous for increasing our chances for survival. To design with accessibility, we as designers must determine any potential barrier that may compromise the end user’s accessibility to the design. Moreover, designers must also ensure that their design is easily adaptable to accommodate any modification or changes to improve the user experience.

In conclusion, designing to survive isn’t necessarily unachievable, but rather it should be executed in a well thought out and strategic manner. Since we as designers hold the key to our future survival, we are then responsible for ensuring we continue to uphold our values and commit to design with practicality, functionality and most importantly, accessibility. To put it simply, as quoted by Andy Goodman, “Design is not a luxury, it’s a necessity”. ( Goodman, 2013)

References

Kennicott, P. (2020, July 13). Designing to Survive. The Washington Post Magazine. Retrieved October 31, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/07/13/pandemic-has-shown-us-what-future-architecture-could-be/

Saval, N. (2021, September 16). Design for the Future When the Future Is Bleak. The New York Times. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/t-magazine/design-future-pandemic-climate.html