Design for Degrowth
Design for Degrowth
The planet has limited resources, so why do we think growth is unlimited?
Resist the "more is better" narrative and design for intentions, slower rhythms, and the whole life cycles.
The planet has limited resources, so why do we think growth is unlimited?
Resist the "more is better" narrative and design for intentions, slower rhythms, and the whole life cycles.
What is it?
What is it?
Design for Degrowth actively challenges the notion of unlimited growth by resisting the impulse or market push to always quickly produce. It prioritises ecological limits, social justice, and well-being of all lives over profit, expansion, and efficiency. In essence, Design for Degrowth is a practice to slow down, sustain, care, and resist.
Degrowth asks designers to shift the focus from creating for the market to creating for communities, from maximising consumption to minimising harm, and from scaling innovation to nurturing maintenance.
Design for Degrowth actively challenges the notion of unlimited growth by resisting the impulse or market push to always quickly produce. It prioritises ecological limits, social justice, and well-being of all lives over profit, expansion, and efficiency. In essence, Design for Degrowth is a practice to slow down, sustain, care, and resist.
Degrowth asks designers to shift the focus from creating for the market to creating for communities, from maximising consumption to minimising harm, and from scaling innovation to nurturing maintenance.
Why Degrowth? Why now?
Why Degrowth? Why now?
Climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, resource depletions, and increasing inequality have exposed the limit of growth-centric economy. Design plays a crucial role in this by accelerating consumption of products and resources.
Degrowth offers a pathway for designers to reevaluate the definition of "success", from market expansion and gains, toward quality of life, planetary boundaries, and well-being.
Climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, resource depletions, and increasing inequality have exposed the limit of growth-centric economy. Design plays a crucial role in this by accelerating consumption of products and resources.
Degrowth offers a pathway for designers to reevaluate the definition of "success", from market expansion and gains, toward quality of life, planetary boundaries, and well-being.
“The thing about growth is that it sounds so good. It’s a powerful metaphor that’s rooted deeply in our understanding of natural processes: children grow, crops grow… and so too the economy should grow. But this framing plays on a false analogy. The natural process of growth is always finite.”
“The thing about growth is that it sounds so good. It’s a powerful metaphor that’s rooted deeply in our understanding of natural processes: children grow, crops grow… and so too the economy should grow. But this framing plays on a false analogy. The natural process of growth is always finite.”
Jason Hickel, Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World
Jason Hickel, Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World
Foundations
Foundations
Critique of Modernism
Modernist design (early-to-mid 20th century) was deeply tied to the modernity project which believed in progress, industry, and the human's power to engineer a future. Degrowth offers a critical counterpoint by questioning the excess of rationalisation, commodification, and ecological domination. Though Degrowth appreciates the gains of Modernism in human rights and scientific knowledge, it rejects the coupling of progress with exponential growth.
Life-Centered Design
While Human-centred design has yielded many improvements, degrowth thinkers would argue that an exclusive focus on the human user can blind design to broader ecological and ethical concerns. Degrowth designers call for empathy to non-humans and future generations. "Design in general should shake the dominance of human-centredness in theory and practice as it is a necessary foundation but too anthropocentric to lead design practice into the future on its own. Design for sustainability transitions should develop ways to give voice to voiceless." Degrowth emphasises shifting to life-centred or planet-centred design where the "user" is not just consumers but the ecosystem.
Appropriate Technology
“Is this technology necessary? Whom does it empower? What are its hidden costs?”
In recent years, the attitude towards design and policy has been grounded in the beliefs that new technologies will solve social and environmental problems, the so-called "techno-solutionism." Degrowth invokes the return to appropriate technology, a concept refined by E.F. Schumacher and Ivan Illich, which is the technology that are small-scale, low-energy, locally-controllable and aligned with well-beings and ecological contexts.
Prosperity and Desire
One underpinning of degrowth is the redefinition of what the "good life" means. Modern design has become preoccupied with creating and shaping people's desire for consumption. Degrowth urges designers to reimagine prosperity and focus on the values to the well-being of the people and community.
Critique of Modernism
Modernist design (early-to-mid 20th century) was deeply tied to the modernity project which believed in progress, industry, and the human's power to engineer a future. Degrowth offers a critical counterpoint by questioning the excess of rationalisation, commodification, and ecological domination. Though Degrowth appreciates the gains of Modernism in human rights and scientific knowledge, it rejects the coupling of progress with exponential growth.
Life-Centered Design
While Human-centred design has yielded many improvements, degrowth thinkers would argue that an exclusive focus on the human user can blind design to broader ecological and ethical concerns. Degrowth designers call for empathy to non-humans and future generations. "Design in general should shake the dominance of human-centredness in theory and practice as it is a necessary foundation but too anthropocentric to lead design practice into the future on its own. Design for sustainability transitions should develop ways to give voice to voiceless." Degrowth emphasises shifting to life-centred or planet-centred design where the "user" is not just consumers but the ecosystem.
Appropriate Technology
“Is this technology necessary? Whom does it empower? What are its hidden costs?”
In recent years, the attitude towards design and policy has been grounded in the beliefs that new technologies will solve social and environmental problems, the so-called "techno-solutionism." Degrowth invokes the return to appropriate technology, a concept refined by E.F. Schumacher and Ivan Illich, which is the technology that are small-scale, low-energy, locally-controllable and aligned with well-beings and ecological contexts.
Prosperity and Desire
One underpinning of degrowth is the redefinition of what the "good life" means. Modern design has become preoccupied with creating and shaping people's desire for consumption. Degrowth urges designers to reimagine prosperity and focus on the values to the well-being of the people and community.
Critique of Modernism
Modernist design (early-to-mid 20th century) was deeply tied to the modernity project which believed in progress, industry, and the human's power to engineer a future. Degrowth offers a critical counterpoint by questioning the excess of rationalisation, commodification, and ecological domination. Though Degrowth appreciates the gains of Modernism in human rights and scientific knowledge, it rejects the coupling of progress with exponential growth.
Life-Centered Design
While Human-centred design has yielded many improvements, degrowth thinkers would argue that an exclusive focus on the human user can blind design to broader ecological and ethical concerns. Degrowth designers call for empathy to non-humans and future generations. "Design in general should shake the dominance of human-centredness in theory and practice as it is a necessary foundation but too anthropocentric to lead design practice into the future on its own. Design for sustainability transitions should develop ways to give voice to voiceless." Degrowth emphasises shifting to life-centred or planet-centred design where the "user" is not just consumers but the ecosystem.
Appropriate Technology
“Is this technology necessary? Whom does it empower? What are its hidden costs?”
In recent years, the attitude towards design and policy has been grounded in the beliefs that new technologies will solve social and environmental problems, the so-called "techno-solutionism." Degrowth invokes the return to appropriate technology, a concept refined by E.F. Schumacher and Ivan Illich, which is the technology that are small-scale, low-energy, locally-controllable and aligned with well-beings and ecological contexts.
Prosperity and Desire
One underpinning of degrowth is the redefinition of what the "good life" means. Modern design has become preoccupied with creating and shaping people's desire for consumption. Degrowth urges designers to reimagine prosperity and focus on the values to the well-being of the people and community.
How Design for Degrowth challenges design
How Design for Degrowth challenges design
Business as usual
Design for Degrowth
Growth is the default measure of success
Growth is the default measure of success
Business as usual
Growth is questioned and sufficiency is valued
Growth is questioned and sufficiency is valued
Design for Degrowth
Global scalability
Global scalability
Business as usual
Local adaptation and contextual responsiveness
Local adaptation and contextual responsiveness
Design for Degrowth
Ownership and intellectual property
Ownership and intellectual property
Business as usual
Knowledge sharing, open source, commoning
Knowledge sharing, open source, commoning
Design for Degrowth
Optimisation of user flow and engagement
Optimisation of user flow and engagement
Business as usual
Invitation to slowness, friction, and reflection
Invitation to slowness, friction, and reflection
Design for Degrowth
Rapid prototyping and constant iteration
Rapid prototyping and constant iteration
Business as usual
Thoughtful, slower cycles prioritising longevity
Thoughtful, slower cycles prioritising longevity
Design for Degrowth
Individual "users"
Individual "users"
Business as usual
Communities, ecologies, and relationships
Communities, ecologies, and relationships
Design for Degrowth
Designed obsolescence
Designed obsolescence
Business as usual
Repairability and longevity as design priorities
Repairability and longevity as design priorities
Design for Degrowth
The 8 R's Framework
The 8 R's Framework
from Serge Latouche's 2009, Farewell to Growth
1
Re-evaluate
Look inwards and examine dominant values and priorities by questionings the relentless pursuit of economic growth
Look inwards and examine dominant values and priorities by questionings the relentless pursuit of economic growth
2
Reconceptualise
Shifting perspectives from purely materialistic to holistic understanding of design and production that encompasses social, ecological, and spiritual dimensions.
Shifting perspectives from purely materialistic to holistic understanding of design and production that encompasses social, ecological, and spiritual dimensions.
3
Restructure
Change economic systems and institutions to support more equitable and sustainable lifeways
Change economic systems and institutions to support more equitable and sustainable lifeways
4
Redistribute
Address fairness in distribution of wealth and resources to ensure everyone's basic needs are met
Address fairness in distribution of wealth and resources to ensure everyone's basic needs are met
5
Relocate
Shift economic activities towards local production and consumption to reduce footprints and strengthen autonomy
Shift economic activities towards local production and consumption to reduce footprints and strengthen autonomy
6
Reduce
Cut down energy and material consumption and avoid overproduction and waste
Cut down energy and material consumption and avoid overproduction and waste
7
Reuse
Extend the lifespan of products and reduce wastes by promoting repairs, repurposing, and sharing economy
Extend the lifespan of products and reduce wastes by promoting repairs, repurposing, and sharing economy
8
Recycle
Implement systems to recycle wastes into new materials, though this should be the last resource after Reduce and Reuse
Implement systems to recycle wastes into new materials, though this should be the last resource after Reduce and Reuse
Examples of Design for Degrowth
Examples of Design for Degrowth
LOW←TECH MAGAZINE
A solar-powered website that publishes resources and articles on Low-tech Solutions, High-tech Problems, Obsolete Technology. The site can be down when there is not enough the solar power. A great example that challenges the belief that everything needs to be available at all times.
A solar-powered website that publishes resources and articles on Low-tech Solutions, High-tech Problems, Obsolete Technology. The site can be down when there is not enough the solar power. A great example that challenges the belief that everything needs to be available at all times.
Image: Csaba Gyulavári
Image: Csaba Gyulavári
BCNecologia
Not just an urban planning project, but an implementation of a new philosophy. BCNecologia redesigns urban space that prioritises public mobility, returns the streets to the people, and slows down city life.
Not just an urban planning project, but an implementation of a new philosophy. BCNecologia redesigns urban space that prioritises public mobility, returns the streets to the people, and slows down city life.
Image: Marek Lumi
Image: Marek Lumi
Repair Cafe
We throw away a large amount of stuff, and many times just because because we don't know how to repair. Repair Cafe is a meeting point for people to share skills and repair things together. Currently, there are over 2,500 Repair Cafes worldwide.
We throw away a large amount of stuff, and many times just because because we don't know how to repair. Repair Cafe is a meeting point for people to share skills and repair things together. Currently, there are over 2,500 Repair Cafes worldwide.
Image: Heliberto Arias
Image: Heliberto Arias
Further reading
HOW TO CONDUCT AN ETHNOGRAPHY?
HOW TO CONDUCT AN ETHNOGRAPHY?
HOW TO CONDUCT AN ETHNOGRAPHY?
by A. Idil Gaziulusoy and Eeva Houtbeckers
by A. Idil Gaziulusoy and Eeva Houtbeckers
Have experience with this method?
Have experience with this method?
We welcome contributions from practitioners, researchers, and educators who’ve worked with this method in practice. Help expand our collective knowledge by sharing your perspective.
We welcome contributions from practitioners, researchers, and educators who’ve worked with this method in practice. Help expand our collective knowledge by sharing your perspective.
Contact
Contact
Contact