DESIGNING FOR MORE THAN HUMAN FUTURES – Rethinking design education beyond human-centered realities
How can design contribute to disrupt human-centered realities in the Anthropocene?
The master's project responds to the challenges in the Anthropocene, a time in which, we, humans have fundamentally changed our planet to adapt it to our needs. Naturally, we are now facing the consequences such as climate change, species extinction, pandemics, and wildfires. The central questions are: How can we shape the future on this planet? What new perspectives, concepts, and design strategies are needed to achieve this? New design proposals are traced that signal a change in thinking and acting and disrupt the current human-centered narrative. Interviews with experts and participatory workshops provide valuable insights into how we can actively shape this change. It becomes clear that a rethinking in design education from the ground up is necessary. Design activism is the foundation. The result is the activist campaign "Apocalyptic Optimists", a design intervention that travels across different design institutions and disrupts educational settings to sensitize and inspire not only young designers but also educators to rethink their practice.
