| Summary: | In this thesis I will discuss the state of the world today in the Anthropocene, and call attention to what it means to design in times like these. I will look to the past and touch on the sustainable architecture of the Torfbær (turfhouse) from the time of a pre-industrial Iceland and compare it to modern art and design examples of responsible creation which combine natural Icelandic recourses and modern technology. I will reference classic design practices that work within an industrial system as well as new design practices such as Speculative Design that uses experimental methods and mediums to provoke, inquire, examine, and address burning issues in modern society. I will investigate contemporary design practices in Iceland, how they align with sustainability practices and give insight into a possible future where we might channel nature as a force rather than a source to exploit. Alongside projects from Icelandic designers such as Valdís Steinarsdóttir working with sustainability and forwarrd-thinking future and Tinna Gunnarsdóttir, that work with natural materials. I will reference Björk an Icelandic musician, the writer Andri Snær and his book On Time and Water, as well as speculative projects that I have made in my product design progam to evoke emotions and start discussions. The questions discussed in this thesis are: How can designers and artists deepen the conversation and inspire new questions on what it means to create products and art in the age we live in? How can we reimagine the way forward to be in more harmony with the well-being of our planet and future generations?
|
|---|