Designers are in the position to lead the way in creating change.
Communicating the issues to the public, proposing the solutions and
rethinking day to day products. Through design we can encourage
people to rewild their minds. Can we evolve to be greener?
Can we grow back to nature?
As a race we face unprecedented challenges today. We’ve all heard about the problem; in the society we live in it’s impossible not to. The issues of climate change; diminishing resources, biodiversity waste, water scarcity, allergies and stress have come to humanity’s attention, and if not dealt with it will increasingly affect our lives and those of all the remaining species which also inhabit this planet. According to research by Siân Moxon, author of ‘Sustainability in Interior Design’, the Earth has warmed up by 4’C since the 1970’s.[i] This can be considered to be a direct effect of burning fossil fuels, deforestation and excess waste decomposing in landfill. If we fail to act, greenhouse emissions are projected to increase by between 25 and 90% by 2030, from 2000 levels, causing overall warming of 0.2’C per decade.[ii] Although humans and their shelters are part of the ecosystem, and they have a rightful place, there are limits. Today these limits have long been exceeded in the developed world and beyond those of ‘sustainability.’ The environmental reawakening has led to proposals for solving the problems, but mainstream focus is still on energy efficiency. Consequently, focus is being drawn away from alternate solutions, such as rewilding. Biomimetic architect, Michael Pawlyn declares that “We fooled ourselves that sustainability was getting us where we needed to go”, design that “just mitigates negatives”[iii] is not good enough.
Rewilding in essence is giving back to wildlife and wildlife giving back to the land.[iv] It is about working with nature and natural processes; viewing human activity and the environment in which we live as an integral part of an ecosystem. We need to view our planet as not just a place where humans live, but somewhere we live in harmony with other species; plants, animals, bacteria and fungi.[v] A group of students from Falmouth University set out to address the problem, focusing around the idea of rewilding or ‘The Gaia Theory’. Their images articulate the need for humanity to not only rewild their planet, but more importantly to rewild their minds. The key to its success is people; people can enable it, gain from it and enjoy it. The Norwegian philosopher and originator of ecosophy (ecology and philosophy), Arnas Naess, differentiates between shallow and deep ecology.[vi] Shallow ecology is concerned with halting pollution and depletion of the world’s resources. Argued by Naess to be a threat, leading to more ‘growth’ and therefore a larger gulf between developed and developing nations. Deep ecology, alternatively, focuses on changing the way people think. “Sustainability is a mentality” Wendy Plomp, curator of design collective Dutch Invertuals tells LS:N Global.[vii] “We need a change in the directions towards a vision that is uplifting for the future.” Sustainability is about optimism, rewilding offers the opportunity to restore nature, wonder and enchantment.
The creative community is now leading the way in how to communicate change. In order to keep up with a new generation of environmental consumers, sustainability is being drastically redefined through design. It is now about reconfiguring and rethinking what is possible, breaking free from stereotypes. A recent research by Unilever shows, a third of consumers buy from brands based on their social and environmental impact.[viii] So it is more important than ever for business to communicate their ethical values. Responding to the conscious consumption revolution, and “as business are encouraged to apply long term thinking, a vibrant visual landscape is emerging that inspired action and optimism”[ix] Using societies fast paced, highly visual environment, dynamic and naïve graphics and animations are being used to convey complex information and present brand identities. Reflecting this naïve aesthetic approach fashion brand AnoukxVera, which manufactures stock according to demand to avoid accumulating surplus stock, has created a stop-motion film, depicting a miniature on-demand production line covered in colourful props playfully assembled, to visually communicate its supply chain.[x] Softening the hard topics and using innate human curiosity is a method to bring to light and discuss the topic at hand.
Fashion and product designers are presenting alternative approaches to design, considering wellbeing, colours and future materiality. “To be green or eco is just one direction” suggests Wendy Plomp, “Recycling is a good thing, but it is just one way. It’s important to discover new materials instead of just reusing the old – otherwise you don’t change”.[xi] It is possible to create conscious products that are exciting and alluring on their own accord, and not solely defined by their ethical credentials. Natsai Audry Chieza, founder of Biodesign company Faber Futures, proposes the question, “what if we could harness the inherent intelligence of nature, to make things from living systems?”[xii]. Biodesign, ‘biofacturing’, is a system of production that fuses the art of working with nature directly and the science of engineering the optimum product, considering fit and functionality. In short, humans working directly with nature to grow materials and objects. Key materials for biodesign include algae, bacteria and mycelium. Fast growing, plentiful and versatile, algae is emerging as a ‘super material’. Milan Design week 2019 saw Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, in their project Microbe II, ‘A Day in the Life of Algae’, consider how to not only substitute materials and products with algae, but how to create new applications and usages.[xiii] Bacterial manufacture is being explored by designers as a way to create customisable, responsive and even living products. MIT Material Lab has collaborated with Puma to create the next generation of athletic footwear, where living organisms in the insole measure chemicals in the feet to give real-time biofeedback enhancing performance. Natural materials are more likely to be biodegradable or renewable, solving the growing consumer concerns around sustainability.
Building have significant impact on the environment, interior projects are no exception. With respects to climate change buildings account for up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Closer to home, 50% of the UK’s carbon emissions are produced by building and structures.[xiv] However, architects and interior designers, with their focus being lighting, materials and atmosphere are in the perfect position to instigate change. This change is affected by a combination of embracing new practices and technologies and relearning lessons from the past. The challenge that confronts architects and designers is providing a context in which the building works with nature to become an element of the whole system. London is one of the leading cities in terms of green spaces, with 40% of the city covered in green.[xv] A fundamental response to finding harmony with the land is permaculture. “It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people providing their food energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way.”[xvi](Bill Mollison, curator of the idea). We should be looking at interweaving green spaces into the urban environment. Government plans to turn Sloane Street into a ‘green boulevard’ and the proposed ‘biodiversity net gain’, which forces developers to prove their projects give back more than they take to the local environment, articulates the options open to industry and entices them to go green.[xvii]
“Dwellings and buildings are meant to be lived in, be enjoyed, providing enchantment and psychic wellness for their users,”[xviii] suggests author and architect David Pearson. Our ancestors were more aware and in tune with the environment and understood the importance of honouring primeval forces; the sun, earth and water. This is shown through remaining indigenous building and cultural traditions which strive to form harmony with land, humans and cosmos, linking earth and sprit. Exampled through the Eastern practice of Feng Shui. Society appears to be entering a period of massive change, there is an environment awakening. We see that it is no longer acceptable to reside in habitats that make little or no reference to environmental issues, or cause problems with our health, wellbeing and sprit. Therefore, around the world there is a new architecture emerging, which synchronises with the natural forces around it and blends in with the local ecosystem. Based on the belief from Frank Lloyd Wright that, “Buildings, too are the children of the Earth and Sun.”[xix] It recognises that green architecture must be nourished with an overarching spiritual commitment.
Rewilding isn’t about returning to life as hunter-gatherers. Rather it is about exploring our cultural norms and seeing how they impact the land, ecosystems and our physical and emotional health. It is recognised that the design and construction industries are major contributors to environmental issues, new approaches to buildings and products are long overdue. Designers and architects must lead the way in communicating change, taking a conscious approach to materiality and focusing on future scenarios to create solution-based design. Neri Oxman, MIT scientist and designer believes we are “moving from the age of machine to the age of organism”[xx]. Blending modern science with natural processes we are able to create designs which can be part of the ecosystem themselves, where waste can become raw material. Sustainability is not a trend; it is a mindset. It entitles consumers to coordinate their moral values with their purchasing decisions.
[i] Siân Moxon, 2012, [pg10], ‘Sustainability in Interior Design’ Laurence King Publishing’s, London. [ii] Siân Moxon, 2012, [pg10], ‘Sustainability in Interior Design’ Laurence King Publishing’s, London. [iii] Dezeen, Lizzie Crook, 07/10/19, “We Fooled Ourselves that Sustainability was Getting us where we Needed to go” – Michael Pawlyn, Architects Declare, Available as https://www.dezeen.com/2019/10/07/michael-pawlyn-architects-declare-interview-regenerative-architecture/ [accessed 22/11/19] [iv] Trees for Life, What is Rewilding? Available at https://treesforlife.org.uk/into-the-forest/rewilding/, [accessed 29/11/19] [v] David Pearson, 2000, [pg 72] ‘Earth to Sprit – In Search of Natural Architecture’, Edi 2, London, Gaia Books LTD [vi] David Pearson, 2000, [pg 72] ‘Earth to Sprit – In Search of Natural Architecture’, Edi 2, London, Gaia Books LTD [vii] LS:N Global, New Consciousness. Hannah Robinson, Amy Sellers, 12/04/17, Available at https://www-lsnglobal-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/design-directions/article/21140/new-consciousness [accesses 22/11/19] [viii] LS:N Global, Good Economics, Josh Walker, 07/03/17, available at https://www-lsnglobal-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/behaviours/article/20934/good-economics [accessed 29/11/19] [ix] LS:N Global, New Consciousness. Hannah Robinson, Amy Sellers, 12/04/17, Available at https://www-lsnglobal-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/design-directions/article/21140/new-consciousness [accessed 22/11/19] [x] LS:N Global, New Consciousness. Hannah Robinson, Amy Sellers, 12/04/17, Available at https://www-lsnglobal-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/design-directions/article/21140/new-consciousness [accessed22/11/19] [xi] LS:N Global, New Consciousness. Hannah Robinson, Amy Sellers, 12/04/17, Available at https://www-lsnglobal-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/design-directions/article/21140/new-consciousness [accessed 22/11/19] [xii] WGSN - Lifestyle and Interiors, Bio Design: Growing the Future, Sarah Housley, 26/0718, available at https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/79974/page/4 [accessed 25/11/19] [xiii] Design Group Italia, New Materials Frontiers, available at http://mdw.designgroupitalia.com/2018/emerging-themes/new-material-frontiers/ [accessed 25/11/19] [xiv] Siân Moxon, 2012, [pg13], ‘Sustainability in Interior Design’ Laurence King Publishing’s, London. [xv] Gale General OneFile, We Need to Rewild our Cities, Felicie Krikler, 26/07/19, available at https://go-gale-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA596495468&v=2.1&u=falmouth&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w [xvi] David Pearson, 2000, [pg 74] ‘Earth to Sprit – In Search of Natural Architecture’, Edi 2, London, Gaia Books LTD [xvii] Gale General OneFile, We Need to Rewild our Cities, Felicie Krikler, 26/07/19, available at https://go-gale-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA596495468&v=2.1&u=falmouth&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w [xviii] David Pearson, 2000, [pg 9] ‘Earth to Sprit – In Search of Natural Architecture’, Edi 2, London, Gaia Books LTD [xix] David Pearson, 2000, [pg 49] ‘Earth to Sprit – In Search of Natural Architecture’, Edi 2, London, Gaia Books LTD [xx] WGSN - Lifestyle and Interiors, Bio Design: Growing the Future, Sarah Housley, 26/0718, available at https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/79974/page/4 [accessed 25/11/19]