by Cathryn Anneka Hall and Laetitia Forst, PhD students, Chelsea College of Art
Circular Design Lab is a discussion group in which we approach the timely themes of sustainability through the lens of design practice. Hosted by Centre for Circular Design PhD researchers Cathryn Hall and Laetitia Forst, its aim is to bring together a community of post-graduate students from across UAL with interests in sustainability, circular economies and in design as a tool for positive change. In the Autumn term we have organized three meetings to question our roles as designers in creating more sustainable futures. These aimed at starting conversations and triggering reflection for students to translate into their practice.
The first meeting took place at the V&A with a visit of ‘The Future Starts Here’ an exhibition that offered food for thought about potential futures by considering 100 projects which are shaping the world we live in. From artificial intelligence to social movements, it questioned if and how the planet should become our design project. The students were able to visit the exhibition for free and to engage in discussion with leading academics Prof. Becky Earley and David Cross. While the exhibition proposes a very broad perspective, the conversation was strung around the implications for a circular economy of various products and technologies, such as the automation of domestic chores or flat-pack refugee shelters.
The second session built on the V&A visit, applying the concepts brought to light to ongoing projects within the Centre for Circular Design, thus initiating an open conversation. The approach here was to introduce concepts of design for the circular economy. The Centre for Circular Design was introduced and Prof. Becky Earley gave some insights on the importance of design practice as an essential part of research for sustainable alternatives to current models by reviewing her own journey through sustainable fashion textile design and in creating the research centre. The PhD researchers Laetitia and Cathryn then gave a quick summary of their own research projects before steering an open conversation about the role of designers in challenging the current unsustainable status quo. This conversation spanned questions of material choices when designing, the difficulty of dealing with complex systems, and navigating different approaches to sustainable design, challenging overconsumption and fast fashion. One of the main takeaways from the session was the notion that there is no single silver-bullet solution to environmental issues, and that designers must work to understand how their specific skills and motivations may best be put to use.
The third meeting was led by David Cross, opening the discussion to a more holistic and activist perspective. This session was based on two texts, one by Peter Sloterdijk, asking ‘How Big is Big?’, and analysing Buckminster Fuller’s approach to Spaceship Earth, and the other was a review of the Limits to Growth’ model, 40 years after this was published, by Graham Turner. Through these, the idea of a frame to design research was deeply questioned, returning to the point taken up in the previous session over a designer’s role in addressing a specific problem within their own range of expertise. We questioned the connections between our respective design work and our roles as citizens and activists, particularly taking into account the potential of practice based research in providing solutions to current issues.
Bringing together students from various courses across the university’s different colleges, these conversations allowed MA and PhD students to exchange knowledge and references, thus enhancing the scope and depth of each’s sustainability literacy. This provided a platform to discuss ongoing projects and get feedback on various stances taken regarding aspects such as waste management, dematerialisation or the implications of the use of certain materials such as leather or polyester. Having been opened with the futurescoping approach of the V&A exhibition, this first series of sessions took on a broad approach as an introduction to sustainability challenges and the circular economy.
More information, including how to join the group and a list of references can be found on The Circular Design Lab website