#15013 - Distributed Design Platform

Detailed Description

The exhibition aims to promote empathy by humanizing technology through design, awareness
of the negative effects of rapid technological development, presentation of creative answers to contemporary challenges. Each edition is the result of the work of the research and research team and students of the Wroclaw Academy of Art & Design (Poland, Europe).
The presented solutions are hybrid prototypes on the borderline between utilitarian objects and interfaces.
The designers emphasize the importance of empathy as a tool for understanding the challenges of present times. The exhibition features, among others, innovative solutions promoting a harmonious relationship between people and nature, interactive furniture inducing contemplation or objects from the area of speculative design.
Design here becomes a mechanism for understanding emotions, social moods, as well
as a tool for manifesting, criticizing, educating or prototyping our future.
https://youtu.be/mE50GX7s3bc

Project Details

In your project's current stage of development, how does it align with the OPENNESS value of the Distributed Design Platform?: "Empathic Design: Technological Concern for a Better Tomorrow" embodies the principle of openness through its collaborative and educational framework. By involving a diverse team of researchers and students from the Wroclaw Academy of Art & Design, the project emphasizes a transparent and inclusive design process. The hybrid prototypes showcased in the exhibition are designed to be replicable and adaptable, encouraging other designers and makers to access, learn from, and build upon these innovations. This approach not only democratizes the design process but also fosters a community of practice that values shared knowledge and collective problem-solving.

In your project's current stage of development, how does it align with the COLLABORATIVE value of the Distributed Design Platform?: Participatory Co-Design: "Empathic Design" involves not just designers but also the broader community, including students and researchers, in the design process. This creates a participatory environment where multiple perspectives contribute to the final prototypes.
Active Citizen Engagement: By addressing contemporary challenges through design, the project encourages citizens to become active participants. Interactive furniture and speculative design objects engage the audience in contemplation and discussion, fostering a deeper connection and involvement.
Educational Integration: The involvement of students from the Wroclaw Academy of Art & Design means that the project is not only about presenting solutions but also about learning and co-creating with future designers. This educational aspect inherently supports collaboration and active participation.

How does "Empathic Design" align with the Distributed Design Platform value of being "Collaborative"?
"Empathic Design: Technological Concern for a Better Tomorrow" strongly aligns with the collaborative value by fostering an environment of participatory co-design. The project actively involves students and researchers from the Wroclaw Academy of Art & Design, ensuring diverse input and engagement in the creation of hybrid prototypes. By emphasizing empathy in design, the project encourages meaningful citizen participation, transforming passive observers into active contributors. The interactive elements of the exhibition, such as contemplative furniture and speculative design objects, invite the audience to engage, reflect, and co-create, thereby promoting a collaborative and inclusive design process.

In your project's current stage of development, how does it align with the REGENERATIVE value of the Distributed Design Platform?: Restorative Design: The project promotes innovative solutions that foster a harmonious relationship between people and nature, aiming to restore rather than exploit natural systems.
Sustainable Practices: Emphasizes empathy as a tool for creating designs that renew social and environmental systems.
Speculative Design: Uses speculative design to prototype futures that prioritize regeneration and sustainability.

How does "Empathic Design" align with the Distributed Design Platform value of being "Regenerative"?
"Empathic Design" aligns with the regenerative value by focusing on designs that renew and restore social and environmental systems. The project features innovative solutions that promote harmony between humans and nature, emphasizing empathy as a key tool. Through speculative design, it prototypes sustainable futures, prioritizing regeneration over mere replacement or devaluation.

In your project's current stage of development, how does it align with the ECOSYSTEMIC value of the Distributed Design Platform?: Complex Interactions: The project acknowledges and integrates the complex interactions between cultural, natural, and social systems.
Holistic Approach: Emphasizes a holistic design approach to improve the health of both social and environmental systems.
Empathy as a Tool: Utilizes empathy to understand and address the interconnectedness of these systems.

How does "Empathic Design" align with the Distributed Design Platform value of being "Ecosystemic"?
"Empathic Design" aligns with the ecosystemic value by recognizing and integrating the complex interactions between cultural, natural, and social systems. The project adopts a holistic approach, using empathy to design solutions that improve the health of both social and environmental systems, thereby addressing their interconnectedness comprehensively.