Design Research

Ecology & Sustainability Design is a research and practical perspective that combines findings from the natural sciences and engineering, theories and methods from the social sciences and cultural studies, and speculative design approaches.

In practice, Ecology & Sustainability Design develops products, systems, and interfaces that take into account the complex interaction between nature, technology, and society. The latest research findings are used to integrate sustainable materials, renewable energies, and the circular economy into the design process. In addition, critical design practices explore alternative relationships with nature, ecologies of care, and more-than-human designs.

Research in Ecology & Sustainability Design examines, among other things, complex socio-ecological systems (global and local), the sustainability of products and processes, the connection between globalisation, extractivism and the climate crisis, and the aesthetics of the Anthropocene. At the same time, the speculative design approach provides space for criticism of solutionist approaches and for research into future scenarios and the possible effects of new design concepts on the environment.

This link shows a selection of projects from the field of Ecology & Sustainability Design.