Climate Past, Present and Future: history and foresight in Design for Planet
Key moments throughout history have accelerated our need to create places, and things, that support the diversity of species and ecosystems of the planet. Research and data collection have made visible the large-scale impacts of consumerism and consumption. Global conferences have brought leaders together to discuss the impacts of climate change on their countries. New narratives have been construed by designers working to create systems that communicate positive messages about the future.
Knowledge of history, and the ability to think long term, are therefore vital for designers who want to think creatively and collectively in designing for the planet. An understanding of the histories that have led us to the current climate emergency can help us to identify what the root causes are. It can point out inspiring examples from history that we can learn from in the present. Further, climate change itself also acts on a different ‘temporality’ — it requires an awareness of deep time, despite the urgency of the here-and-now threat.
On March 17th, 2022, Design Council convened its fourth community of practice event with its’ Expert Network. The purpose of these sessions is to collectively explore current issues in designing for planet. This summary shares insight into key moments from history that have shaped responses to the climate and identifies ways that design can tell stories using language that inspires systemic change. We were offered two perspectives from designers — the first, a historical narration of key moments in history that have helped to construct our scientific and sociological knowledge of the planet today and the second, a provocation to speculate on the role that designers play in creating a more equitable and regenerative planet in the future.
Sunand Prasad on key moments in history leading up to COP 26
Sunand Prasad is a past President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and is currently an architect and senior partner of architectural practice Penoyre & Prasad, a multi-sectoral practice working across health, education and civic buildings. Sunand offered a plotted history of design’s awareness of, and response to, the climate crisis, acknowledging that this was only one history — told through a Western perspective.
The importance of research and data collection in designing for planet
Data collection is key to recording and making visible the effect of human consumption on our ecosystems. The ability to record and share scientific data on climate change is crucial, as it provides evidence for the creation of policies that support and protect places and diverse species across the world.
As early as 1846, researchers were capturing data on the climate. Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius researched the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and how this led to rapid global cooling, or global warming (the ‘greenhouse gas effect’). In 1960, the Keeling curve was introduced, which highlighted annual fluctuations of CO2 in the atmosphere, it was this which alerted people to its rising levels. It is now common practice to measure our impacts on the climate, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has produced five reports since its’ creation in 1988. The capture and communication of data allow questions to be asked on who is producing the most emissions and how we can collectively design efficient mechanisms that can support biodiversity and regeneration. These approaches continue to be central to design practices using data to address social and environmental justice issues today.
Recognising (the limits to) growth
Historical events have highlighted the limits to growth — the 1986 Earthrise image from Apollo 14, Buckminster Fuller’s 1969 ‘Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth’, Barbara Ward and René Dubos’ 1971 ‘Only One Earth’, and the 1972 ‘Limits to Growth’ report were all remarkable in highlighting the finiteness of the earth, understanding the consequences of exponential growth, and the limit to resources. From the 70’s designers were already identifying how products can feed back into a circular economy, or how the built environment can be regenerative by default. For example, Walter Stahel’s ‘cradle to cradle’ concept dates back to 1976, followed by various publications and conferences on regenerative design. Kate Raworth’s more modern 2007 ‘Doughnut Economics’ theory identifies how we can thrive within the planetary boundaries. Changing how we measure ‘growth’ will lead to a transformation in how we see and record value in the future, something we at Design Council have been exploring through our latest Design Value Framework — a tool to help designers measure and consider the holistic value of design, beyond the narrowly economic.
The need for equity
Tracing historical events highlights a lack of equity globally and helps us to chart and make visible the power relations that have led to these changes — for example, the impact of extreme weather causes unpredictable growing seasons, crop loss and hikes in food prices amongst other effects. Low-income and marginalised communities often bear a disproportionate blow of these changes, living within areas at risk of flooding or more extreme weather, or are on the receiving side of increased costs.
This uneven distribution of cost and effect highlights the need for an equitable approach towards the politics of climate change. Events such as the UN Climate Change Conferences (COP) allow representatives of those most affected by climate change to discuss the key political and social issues facing their countries. The 2015 COP Paris Agreement was a significant reminder of this. At the ground level, climate strikes and protests (spearheaded by Greta Thunberg) have campaigned for climate justice for generations to come.
Sunand’s history of design and climate change reminds us of the need to take collective approaches towards designing for planet that accounts for the roles and responsibilities that politicians, researchers, economists, companies, designers, and citizens can take to begin to construct new narratives around addressing the planets most urgent needs.
Nat Hunter on ‘design as rescue’ from climate doom
Nat Hunter is a designer, educator, and coach, currently exploring how regenerative culture and organisational behaviour can positively impact people, society, and the planet. Whereas Sunand’s presentation outlined some design and climate histories, Nat turned to the future to share some ideas on communication and systems design that can positively inspire designers and their practice.
Why language matters when we talk about the climate
We tend to discuss the future of the planet in a language that implies impending doom. This has led to commonly-used phrases — we have a ‘lack of time’, ‘deadly extraction’ to the tag-on words of ‘sustainability’ and ‘net zero’. There is a need to think beyond these phrases and begin to use terms that suggest a notion of care, understanding and responsibility — for example, using ‘regenerative’ rather than ‘net zero’ when describing the key objective of a project. In changing the language used to describe the environment, we imagine a best possible future. This future could be considered our ‘north star’ — an ideal scenario that can guide and direct. Building narratives using powerful language is a useful tool for designers and non-designers working to develop solutions to challenges to our current ways of living.
Systems thinking for the future
Speculative design is a branch of critical design practice that envisages how to design products, services and scenarios that address opportunities and challenges in the future. Speculative design is, therefore, very useful for designers looking to create resilient products, services and systems that respond to changing climates and ecosystems.
Good examples of speculative design can be seen in the work of Superflux, a design and experiential futures company’ that aims to confront diverse audiences with the complex and deeply interconnected nature of the challenges we face today. ‘Subject to Change’, their recent exhibition at the Droog Gallery in Amsterdam, invites us to remain open, hopeful and able to positively navigate the uncertain and sometimes sudden changes that may happen due to climate change in the future.
What other tools can designers use to help? In 2021, Nat contributed to the Design Council’s Systemic Design Framework. In producing this framework, some of the most successful systems designers were interviewed. Four characteristics were discovered as the reason behind the successful teams. These were: a systems thinker, a leader and storyteller, a designer and maker, and a connector and convener. These characteristics can be held be one individual, or by a team. Designers working towards transforming their practice, or the systems they work in, can use the System Design Framework, and key characteristics, to support change.
Nat’s investigation of the key dynamics behind systems change suggests that for designers and non-designers, it is possible to create behaviours that positively impact people and planet. Language, communication, and a clear sense of the bigger picture crucial for this to be successful.
Tools, examples, and recommendations for designers looking to design for planet
· Research and use speculative design in practice. This allows imagining future scenarios and what it would be like to live in practice. A postcard from the future may be a useful tool to facilitate this.
· Look at what open-source tools and software are available, and if you have the ability, help contribute towards evolving them. This will help speed up finding solutions to some of the biggest challenges. For inspiration, look at Wikifactory.
· Identify some of the key events that have happened in history and how they shaped society, for example, industrialisation and its’ effect on the food system. Are there possible similarities with examples from today? Can we learn and adapt from previous events?
· Seoul New City Hall, in South Korea designed by IARC Architects is an example of a building that responds to the culture and climate surrounding it.
· Digital archiving, as can be seen in the Modern Architecture Archive Encyclopaedia by MAXXI is an effective way of saving and sharing historical information whilst preserving architectural items in history.
· Northala Fields in Ealing used spoil from the production of Wembley Stadium to produce a public park for residents to enjoy.
· The Centre for Alternative Technology in Macchyleth, Wales is a utopia for designers looking for practical, positive solutions to climate change.
