Vital materialism design methodologies for social change

Abstract

Socially responsible design education is often grounded in case-based approaches. The problem with these approaches to socially responsible design is that they are usually based on a given set of design methods. Such methods respond to conditions of practice that are outmoded and don’t respond to the contemporary presence of the image, and it’s affect on materiality and the body in design practice. This is a problem in relation to evolving ecologies where new methods are needed to tackle problems that arise because of the change. In response, this work tries to develop alternative design methods for social change, particularly by exploring the relationships between image and vital material as a key variable. Through a series of experiments the work argues for the potential of material as foundational for creating changing within a system. This proposes engagement with material, body, space & image as a precursor to the linear and formalistic version of the design process.