Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
DSDN 481: Project 2
Design Led Futures
Part ~ 1
EM Sniffer Dog
Dunne & Raby’s EM Sniffer Dog is the result of a project for a specific exhibition titled "Spymaker", organised by the organisation "The Science of ...". The concept revolves around outfitting dogs with the capability to detect electromagnetic frequencies (by connecting a digital device to their brains and crossing their sensory pathways) in order toguide their users to EM-free areas where their owners would not be monitored. Dunne and Raby's unique approach to the contentious issue of digital surveillance deserves praise, as it facilitates the evasion of privacy infractions through a biomechanical means. However; the project fails to touch on the ethics of the sensory remapping of a living being, as well as ignoring the potential of a purely electronic approach.
The consideration of electronic privacy invasion as well as the integration of electronics in a biological creature confronts a variety of issues. How far are we willing to go to protect our privacy? Where do we draw the line on manipulating the world around us? Where can we take the world in a design led future?
Dunne, A., & Raby, F. (2007). EM Sniffer Dog. Retrieved from http://www.dunneandraby.co.uk/img/projects/large/spymaker-0.jpg
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СВАЛЬБАРД /Svál’bard/Conterfactual Story of a Sleepless Archipelago
Lavorel's approach to transhumanism is one of retrospection. Posing the question "What if a small human society didn't need to sleep?", Lavorel explores a speculative future through a social archeological exposé on a small community from the Sixties that stopped sleeping in order to adapt to their environment. Lavorel has exceptional attention to detail and considers a large variety of aspects of this scenario in an exceedingly interesting way, analysing how time might socially progress as well as the design of spaces. A further consideration might have been to expand and project the potential effects of this on a more modern world.
The project looks at the social ramifications of "enhancements", and explores the nuances that might arise from having different parts of the brain awake at different times. What sort of behaviours could arise in a future where no one sleeps? How would our culture change and adapt to such a base-level alteration of the human condition?
Lavorel, F. (2013). СВАЛЬБАРД /Svál’bard/Conterfactual story of a sleepless archipelago. Retrieved from http://com.core77designawards.c77ad2012.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/8680/originals/4940532b66a92ef23.pdf
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Parasitic Products
Studio PSK takes a critical stance towards technology, looking at ways in which they could begin to take on a parasitic existence. This parasitic analogy is drawn to real-life parasites, and the way in which three distinct creatures parasitise on other lifeforms. These particular methods have then each been abstracted to create three different radios that work by leeching off other devices. This exploration of the interrelationship between devices and considering them as being wholly dependent on another part is a valuable critique as well as an intriguing evolution of the radio. Expanding the critique to include more technology-human parasitism would have worked in their favour.
The relationship between products is being more and more evident nowadays with the development of cross-device applications, so this progression towards actual physical dependence takes it another step forward. Whether this product-to-product dependence is ideal is up for speculation, but as a critique on our future dependence on technology it works well.
Studio PSK,. (2013). Parasitic Products. Retrieved from http://www.studiopsk.com/parasiticproducts.html
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Part ~ 2
Speculative Everything
It almost seems impossible to discuss speculative design and the accompanying process without talking about Dunne & Raby. Their book discusses the experience with coming to terms with what speculative design should be as well as where it can be useful to the broader research and development sphere. The understanding of speculative design is something that Dunne & Raby have been working very hard to proliferate and the book speaks successfully at great length about their personal forays into the topic. One shortcoming is that sometimes the designs created seem to be self-effacing and as a result don’t carry themselves very far in terms of relevance.
Ultimately the book appears to attempt a variety of investigations into the strengths that a design-led future could provide, which is exactly the angle that Design Led Futures wants to take. The speculative nature of the work that Dunne & Raby engage in constantly is an essential precedent.
Dunne, A., & Raby, F. (2013). Speculative Everything : Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
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From Speculative Nanoethics to Explorative Philosophy of Nanotechnology
Grunwald’s piece on Nanoethics explores the effectiveness of the terminology “speculative nanoethics”. It addresses the concern surrounding the exploration of it in a speculative capacity as opposed to vetting designed and scientific uses of nanotechnology. Grunwald also considers the study of the social impact and effects that nanotechnology could have. The exploration of nanoethics appears to be a fairly confusing and challenging consideration for scientists and theorists, as the applications of the technology seems broad and the desire to experiment is high, yet ethical consequences need to be taken into account. The journal would do well to elaborate on the potential ramifications of neglected nanoethics.
Ethics are a vital component of speculative research, as designs for the future need to take a broader look at the context than designs for today might. Is the context going to change? Are our ethics going to change? If so, how do we ensure that we’re taking an ethical stance when designing for a speculative future?
Grunwald, A. (2010). From speculative nanoethics to explorative philosophy of nanotechnology. Nanoethics, 4(2), 91-101. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11569-010-0088-5
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Future Climate Impacts on Building Design
One future consideration that ends up cropping up a lot is the environmental change that the planet is going through. This article uses building energy modeling frameworks to examine the future impact of climate change on home energy use. Using a variety of projections and algorithms allowed Schuetter and his team to simulate likely scenarios and calculate likely energy usage changes. This article takes an objective approach to the research, which is useful for making effective scientific predictions such as these. The article does as a result also fail to make any speculations outside the realm of the prediction, which limits its scope.
Scientific studies such as these are useful for creating a more grounded basis for more subjective speculation on the future. They can inform and project the constants that are still likely to form the future. This creates an effective platform to then spring more subjective speculations and designs for the future.
Schuetter, S., Debaillie, L., & Ahl, D. (2014). Future climate impacts on building design. ASHRAE Journal, 56(9), 36+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA393659738&v=2.1&u=vuw&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=69054648b98a60037d15ee297a1bd3f8
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Bibliography
Dunne, A., & Raby, F. (2007). EM Sniffer Dog. Retrieved from http://www.dunneandraby.co.uk/img/projects/large/spymaker-0.jpg
Dunne, A., & Raby, F. (2013). Speculative Everything : Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
Grunwald, A. (2010). From speculative nanoethics to explorative philosophy of nanotechnology. Nanoethics, 4(2), 91-101. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11569-010-0088-5
Lavorel, F. (2013). СВАЛЬБАРД /Svál’bard/Conterfactual story of a sleepless archipelago. Retrieved from http://com.core77designawards.c77ad2012.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/8680/originals/4940532b66a92ef23.pdf
Schuetter, S., Debaillie, L., & Ahl, D. (2014). Future climate impacts on building design. ASHRAE Journal, 56(9), 36+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA393659738&v=2.1&u=vuw&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=69054648b98a60037d15ee297a1bd3f8
Studio PSK,. (2013). Parasitic Products. Retrieved from http://www.studiopsk.com/parasiticproducts.html
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
DSDN 481: Project 1
Q ~ 1
A critical research paradigm has a propensity to rely on dialogue between the researcher and participants. This tendency towards combining discussion with observation is one of the cornerstones of this paradigm, and allows it to provide a healthy, substantiated critique of the status quo. Looking at why something is and how it could be better is one of my primary avenues of thought with respect to design. Utilising the critical paradigm as a personal philosophy creates a position where describing or commenting on the monitored situation is not enough; I actively want to change it. Design affords a special relationship with society when it uses this paradigm as a backbone for innovation, as creating new products within this theoretical framework grants them a greater degree of credence.
Another element of the critical paradigm that I subscribe to is the recognition of the difference in degrees of positive association between objectivity and subjectivity. This preference towards more commonly objective natural sciences, and said research being "superior", is something that I recognise as being a component of our language and scientifically oriented society. This could be a factor of our societal structure designed to privilege scientific research, the rationale for which I believe might lie in a search for more “absolute” and objective truths. I don’t necessarily see this as a situation that should be questioned, because I still see the merit in these being necessary to create stable laws. I think that the critical questioning should be focussing more on questioning the success and suitability of more subjective research.
Q ~ 2
I believe that design research should be multi-specific, as it often embodies a multidisciplinary approach to designing systems, objects and services. My approach to viewing design as a dynamic system for creating and solving wicked problems suggests a "Research through Design" affinity. This more general approach allows for a broader avenue for critique that can still be situation-specific and tailored to specific projects. At the same time I feel that applied research acts as an enabler for broader design research. Permitting the researcher to look at societal issues and search for solutions while looking through a design lens allows for the “through Design” approach. This ties in with the critical research paradigm because it suggests an analytical approach with a practical outcome. However, I argue that the other two approaches are key in informing this more general research strategy.
The in-the-field type of research that "Research for Design" utilises affords it a more direct channel for solving distinct design challenges. I believe these approaches and corresponding results should then be collected and collated to create knowledge and practices for future designers and researchers, enabling more directed and effective systems to be established. These outcomes should then be substantiated with the theoretical approaches to design from "Research about Design" and create a variety of well-informed systems that operate within the wider design framework. However, these methods and responses should not be afraid to push the boundaries of the larger design framework, enhancing the borders of what we know and consider to be valid in this area of study.
A critical research paradigm has a propensity to rely on dialogue between the researcher and participants. This tendency towards combining discussion with observation is one of the cornerstones of this paradigm, and allows it to provide a healthy, substantiated critique of the status quo. Looking at why something is and how it could be better is one of my primary avenues of thought with respect to design. Utilising the critical paradigm as a personal philosophy creates a position where describing or commenting on the monitored situation is not enough; I actively want to change it. Design affords a special relationship with society when it uses this paradigm as a backbone for innovation, as creating new products within this theoretical framework grants them a greater degree of credence.
Another element of the critical paradigm that I subscribe to is the recognition of the difference in degrees of positive association between objectivity and subjectivity. This preference towards more commonly objective natural sciences, and said research being "superior", is something that I recognise as being a component of our language and scientifically oriented society. This could be a factor of our societal structure designed to privilege scientific research, the rationale for which I believe might lie in a search for more “absolute” and objective truths. I don’t necessarily see this as a situation that should be questioned, because I still see the merit in these being necessary to create stable laws. I think that the critical questioning should be focussing more on questioning the success and suitability of more subjective research.
Q ~ 2
I believe that design research should be multi-specific, as it often embodies a multidisciplinary approach to designing systems, objects and services. My approach to viewing design as a dynamic system for creating and solving wicked problems suggests a "Research through Design" affinity. This more general approach allows for a broader avenue for critique that can still be situation-specific and tailored to specific projects. At the same time I feel that applied research acts as an enabler for broader design research. Permitting the researcher to look at societal issues and search for solutions while looking through a design lens allows for the “through Design” approach. This ties in with the critical research paradigm because it suggests an analytical approach with a practical outcome. However, I argue that the other two approaches are key in informing this more general research strategy.
The in-the-field type of research that "Research for Design" utilises affords it a more direct channel for solving distinct design challenges. I believe these approaches and corresponding results should then be collected and collated to create knowledge and practices for future designers and researchers, enabling more directed and effective systems to be established. These outcomes should then be substantiated with the theoretical approaches to design from "Research about Design" and create a variety of well-informed systems that operate within the wider design framework. However, these methods and responses should not be afraid to push the boundaries of the larger design framework, enhancing the borders of what we know and consider to be valid in this area of study.
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