Designing Sustainability for All

Abstract

During the last few decades, the history of design culture and practice, when dealing with the issue of sustainability, has moved from individual products to systems of consumption and production, and from strictly environmental problems to a complex blend of socio-ethical, environmental and economic issues. In this context, a clear challenge is to provide Sustainability for All (accessible even within low-and middleincome contexts), coupling environmental protection with social equity, social cohesion and economic prosperity. Within this framework, it is crucial that design can take a proactive role and become an agent to extend access to sustainable solutions. Design can do so because within its genetic code, by principle its role is to improve the quality of the world: an ethical-cultural component that, though not generally apparent, can be found in a deeper examination of the majority of designers' motivations. Finally, it is evident that a key role has to be played by Higher Education Institutions, both in researching and defining the new roles designers may play, as well as in curricular proposals where a new generation of design should grow. A challenging journey is ahead of us. And from this perspective, we believe this book will contribute to a larger change in the design community invited to meet this challenge.

Topics & Concepts