The Solarpunk Way
What is Solarpunk?
Solarpunk is a global movement that focuses on a future we can hope for. It is an optimistic vision and path of action; that embraces technology, self governance and a sensitivity towards our planet.
The Merge
Technology has develop rapidly over the last few decades; we have witnessed exponential growth and innovation in infrastructure, medicine and computation. However, in this race toward proficiency we have greatly forgotten our natural world; sidelining it as a mere resource to extract from.
The Solarpunk mentality, revives the importance and interdependence of nature within technological development — it views technology as a tool to uplift our entire planet and out of this build a more prosperous society.
More so, it strives to do so in style — you’ll often observe high backend technology with a minimal and almost naturalist interface — this is the Solarpunk way.
Design Principles
Solarpunk’s core design principal is to create with nature; exploring how human structures can coordinate with their environment and embody the aesthetics of the organic world; swooping curves, fractal geometries and the breath of open space.
This extends to the materials employed too, often being low carbon or efficient choices. On the one hand, this may take a rudimentary approach; repurposing and upcyling existing objects. On the other hand, this may be more technologically refined; featuring newly sysnthesized materials and in some cases facilitating organisms, often insects, to produce them.
Aesthetic Influence
Solarpunk is a unique blend of styles; it takes influence from 1800s age-of-sail living, Art Nouveau and is acknowledged to draw upon the style of Hayao Miyazaki (director of the film Spirited Away).
Correspondingly, this is what brings its softly-lit mood as well as its allure towards nature and mystery — it invites us to dream.
The Power of Punk
Solarpunk is suffixed by the word ‘punk’. It recognizes the social and environmental challenges of living in a top-down society, driven by governments and corporations. Solarpunk seeks to challenge these powers; encouraging independence as well as empowering and energising the individual. With this, it heroes self-orientation, decentralisation and features a more localised and craftsmen-led society — where you ‘do it yourself’.
Why are we embracing Solarpunk with our project?
Naturally we deeply resonate with the principles of Solarpunk; in terms of valuing the power of technology and ecocentrism. In fact at the beginning of our project, we were attracted to our artist João Queiroz because of his visualisation of new possibilities for Amazon and indeed his contribution to Solarpunk.
Secondly, we believe in the immense power of art and visualisation; painting the hues of tomorrow so that they shall become today. As stated in the Solarpunk Manifesto, ‘Solarpunk recognizes science fiction as not just entertainment but as a form of activism.’ It is in providing ourselves and our culture with a clear vision, that we can find the strength to move past deficiency and evolve in light of a greater purpose.
Thirdly, comes the aspect of practicality. Solarpunk not only envisions a future, but emphasizes taking small actions today; whether it’s growing your own herbs, up-cycling furniture or taking sovereignty over your money through DeFi (decentralised finance). For this reason we were inspired to bring forth the SolarPunkademy in our roadmap; an education platform empowering our NFT holders to reclaim their self-sufficiency and independence from the incumbent systems. We will bring together experts in Solarpunk art, business & sustainability practices to offer a range of trainings and catalyse this movement.
Lastly and imperatively, we feel there’s a great need for us to stand up for what we believe in. It is on the back of suppression and non-action that we have arrived to planetary disarray. Reviving this voice, coming into this power, is the core value we are building our project upon. This is reflected in the way we are creating a community-led Impact Fund; where our NFT holders can vote upon and direct capital towards projects that support marine and wildlife conservation.
Solarpunk is the world we hope for. It is to see we have a choice.
Solarpunk is to overthrow, out-innovate and rise-up to those that dictate.
Solarpunk is open and evolving — it is for you to channel and embrace it in your own way.
Join the conversation and stay up to date with our latest resources & events.
