Speculative Design Studio

Design can do more than solve problems. It can also be a way to imagine and explore future possibilities. This helps designers and the public to grapple with emerging technologies and the social realities they unleash, and develop informed critiques about how the world could and should be.

The Speculative Design Studio centres DfI theme 3: Design for Emerging Sustainable Futures. Speculative design is an approach to manifest and critically explore possible and preferable futures. The course offers students an opportunity to create rich, convincing experiences of future possibilities in a grounded and thought-provoking manner. These allow the public to ‘try on for size’ alternative futures and form a critical position in regards to the current social, political and environmental situation.

The course is based on three pillars:

• Creative and rigorous worldbuilding through the development of future scenarios based on concrete issues, and in light of future technologies and trends;

• Technological storytelling that brings alternative futures to life as interactive experiences developed through iterative prototyping, testing, and evaluating

• Experiential enactments of alternative futures that convey key insights in critical and compelling ways

Students will work in groups, with a focus on exploration, creativity and experience.

The first part of the course introduces speculative design and futuring methods alongside technological and experiential techniques in a guided journey. The second part supports a more open, autonomous process of design with coaching and peer critique, providing students with the space to suggest guest lectures or topics for discussion.

At the end of the course, students will have created compelling visions of a possible future, showcased through interactive technology in an exhibition setting.