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Tad Hirsch: TRIPWIRE

This week I was most interested in the article by Tad Hirsch on contestational design.  Hirsch states that contestational designers are “openly partisan practitioners who take sides in pressing issues of the day.”  He also states that “While mainstream design emphasizes workplace productivity and consumer experience, activist innovation is generally concerned with personal empowerment, collective action and non-hierarchical organization models.”  He also makes the point that contestational designers don’t have clients or consumers, they have collaborators who are also committed to taking political action.  Which is why there is little monetary support for this type of political activist design.  It doesn’t necessarily support capital gains.

Positive
Minimal Capital
Quick Deployment

Negative
Short lived
Little testing

Positive/Negative
+/- Public Experiments
+/- Open IP

The first thing that came to mind as I was reading this article was the Obama campaign.  Here is a video of Scott Thomas, Design Director Obama Campaign, talking about what was going on behind the scenes.  He discusses the changes taking place in unbelievably short timelines and the need for incremental design improvements as part of the process to creating a successful campaign.

Moving from political to environmental subject matter is the idea of design activism.  Alastair Fuad-Luke defines this approach to design on his website : “I believe that as an educator in ‘Design for Sustainability (DfS)’, as distinct from ‘Design’, there is always an implicit notion that DfS is trying to embrace new ways of thinking about how design can catalyse, nurture, enable and activate positive societal changes towards more sustainable ways of living and working.”

There are a multitude of approaches to design being discussed right now.  It is difficult to delineate one from the next and while lines are blurred I find the easiest way to think about them is in terms of non-partisan or partisan design.

IDEO Human Centered Design Toolkit

Non-Partisan Design Approaches: User Centered Design, Human-Centered Design, Participatory Design, Co-Design

Partisan Design Approaches: Catalyst Design, Design With Intent, Persuasion Design, Contestational Design

I find myself utilizing an approach from the partisan design category.  Over the past few years I’ve become more informed of the environmental implications of our actions and it is not something I can deny or easily dismiss.  I think it would be extremely difficult for me to compromise that to design something that I didn’t find morally or environmentally just.  I don’t have a problem with utilizing design to start a movement or to intentionally create something that limits someone’s environmental impact.

In contrast, non-partisan design takes a neutral stance.  According to an article in ChangeObserver written by FROG Design’s Rob Fabricant: “Using the UCD approach, designers are one step removed from the action. We influence behavior and social practice from a distance through the products and services that we create based on our research and understanding of behavior. We place users at the center and develop products and services to support them. With UCD, designers are encouraged not to impose their own values on the experience.”

There is a place for both, but I also think designers have an opportunity, if not a responsibility, to design products, systems, and services that account for and encourage sustainable behavior.

The article Learning from Activists: Lessons for Designers by Tad Hirsch speaks about the Constestational Designer as “an activist who responds opportunistically to dynamic political, legal, and technical environments.” Design activists consider their work to be motivated by personal commitment and commentary on certain political and social issues and generally have a very short amount of time from initial conception to realized outcomes. Because of the limited amount of time given to some of these projects, it is hard to accurately collect concrete statistical data as to whether the project was fully successful. Design activists however benefit from being able to pick and choose whom they decide to work with (mostly volunteer based) and are more focused on enabling self-empowerment, collective action, and non-hierarchical organizational models. According to Tad Hirsch, “activists are people for whom existing social structures are somehow unsatisfying or inadequate. It is in their nature to continuously experiment with social form, innovating new organizational structures and new social relations.”

An example of changing social structures and context can be seen through the eyes of Stand Down Founders, Robert Van Keuren and Dr. Jon Nachison. Stand Down is “an intervention that was conceived from the ground up specifically for veterans, by veterans”. This is essentially an event that takes place once a year in order to help get homeless veterans off the streets and on to a better life. Some issues relating to homeless veterans include:

- unemployment – the current percentage of unemployed veterans is double the national rate (20%)

- drug and alcohol abuse

- debilitating illness.

- Currently there are over 9,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans living on the streets.

- The rate of homelessness among current Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is happening at a much faster and high rate than past veterans (generally within                               one year)

- We are starting to see more homeless women on the streets due to the fact that women make up 14% of our armed forces.

The primary goals of Stand Down are to provide:

1. Immediate relief from the trauma and isolation of homelessness: Participants are brought together in a safe environment free from stealing and abuse.
2. Access to short-term resources: Shelter, beds, food, showers, clothing, and haircuts
3. Access to long-term resources and providers: Drug and alcohol recovery, medical and dental treatment, employment counseling, legal matters, etc. In the process, barriers between homeless vets and providers are broken.
4. Community Awareness about homelessness (particularly homeless vets): Elected officials participate in Stand Down in order to generate awareness.
5. Replication: The event was designed to inspire similar efforts in other locations
6. Development of longer-term solutions in the community: Direct connections are made between the providers and volunteers that help put on the event. Typically over 2000+ volunteers help assist San Diego Stand Down during its three-day event. This is meant to help improve working relationships between organizations in the hopes that coordinating veteran services can be improved upon throughout the rest of the year.

In his article, Tad Hirsch addresses how design activists generally contend with oppositional forces from state, corporate, and non-governmental agents. Because there is little time and large potential failures with these endeavors, these projects are not usually seen as long-term sustainable events.  With an event like Stand Down (San Diego), this type of activism may not embrace the newest technological innovations but nonetheless there is an overall concern for participant feelings of self-empowerment, dignity, and pride in what they accomplish during this event.

Since this event takes place once a year over the course of three days, it is sometimes hard to match the needs of every participant. For example some veterans who lead sober lives can’t get into appropriate housing due to the fact that they don’t need rehab. In addition, it is also hard to track the status of 1000 homeless veterans. There’s no way to know how many are actively looking to change aspects of their lives. Stand Down simply tries to provide the necessary tools needed to empower change and give hope to those who are willing to accept it.

Overall Stand Down has grown over the last 22 years through the process of refinement in order to have the most impact in a short amount of time. Since their start in 1988 Stand Down has evolved in trying to establish a “military camp” environment that fosters a context in which homeless veterans remember a time in which they felt proud of themselves. The Stand Down model has been replicated in over 90 cities in the United States which revolves around the creation of a community that is based on person-to-person contact rather than person-to-system in response to how the traditional way of handling this situation is not successful.  Through solid leardership, effective planning, community assessment, and perseverance, Stand Down is a place that effectively provides hope, self-esteem, and empowerment not only for the homeless veterans who participate, but also for those who volunteer and contribute to the event’s success.

Contestational Designers are cutting-edge, politically motivated, technologically driven, passionate activists. They have developed an infrastructure of technical devices including websites, blogs, cell phones, low-power FM stations and SMS broadcast systems to address deeply felt contemporary needs such as human rights and social injustices.

The pros include innovative solutions as a result of using and embracing technology in new and experimental ways; immediate, short-lived time frames with political, legal, and environmental impact; resourceful creativity due to design constraints; immediate feedback leading to more refined or discarded ideas; taking risks against opposition and accepting failure; strong and lasting collaborative relationships; empowered individuals; evolution of new technologies such as Twitter and micro-blogging; new models of interacting, inspiring those in the technical community and traditional designers; all engaged in the process collaborate fully, equally, and without constraints of legal contracts and formal structures; and widely sharing intellectual property. The cons of this movement include lack of funding; often “rough and tumble” because of limited resources; an absence of accounting for productive human labor involved; a volunteer activity most often; can be engaged with extra-legal activities.

Designing freedom is a concept of offering stimulating, invigorating, and challenging learning experiences in design schools to stimulate innovation among craftsmen of India through collaboration with engineers, designers, government officials, and NGOʼs. Presently, a large number of people and policy makers have the perception that craft in India is old fashioned; no longer important in the culture; technology is more significant than craft in solving problems; craftsmen no longer take pride in their work; it should only be a tourist attraction; and most of the craft today is kitsch and non-functional. Designers and design firms have been enlisted to update crafts to more contemporary products without involving the craftsmen. This is causing problems. The pros of providing design schools include innovation through collaboration with many stakeholders; can devote time to long-term projects as well as research and involvement; availability of young, energetic designers to nurture, developing and train craftsmen; empowering them to creatively solve future problems such as globalization; encourage children of craftsmen to carry on traditional crafts; linking thinking and making once again; renewal of craft within the context of the culture; restores equality to the process of making crafts and sense of identity; allows for flexible economies, such as combining craft and law; integrating craft into lifestyles and community practices; helping shape social and economic issues; realization of roles can begin at design schools; and brings awareness to protecting the earth.
The cons are the availability of design schools; the perception of a large number of people and the role of crafts in the Indian culture as sited above; the power of the policy makers wanting crafts to be produced for export; lack of respect for the craftsmen in todayʼs society.

Yes is More is about the Big architectural firm saying “Yes” to resolving almost any request or problem and finding a solution suitable to all of the diverse parties involved. They do not compromise. They incorporate conflicts and concerns into design resolutions and turn them into architectural assets. The architectural practice has grown bigger and the projects are bigger, with many more ideas, models, and materials creating a design evolution leading to architectural selection. They are combining urbanization, architecture and research development.
Pros for Yes is More include keeping standards high; using architecture to answer lots of problems in society; taking full responsibility for how cities have been created and how they will be re-created into places where you want to live; humor and joking are part of the creative process; unexpected, unconventional results; open to all kinds of ideas for inspiration; and have a good time.

As a designer, I like the Yes is More approach of working with different interested parties; being part of a collective that challenges ideas and materials and tests them with models; has a great can do attitude; successfully resolves problems with architecture and urbanization; and has fun creating purposeful design. I would love to
be part of this firm.

The following categories are based upon separate articles that represent three divergent ways of approaching design—and the successes and challenges that each of these methods face.

urban activism at work

Contestational Design: focused on the role of design activism, seen particularly through the lens of the technology utilized by activists

This mode of activism as design acts separately and autonomously from other systems—it works from the outside in, functioning on the outer limits of the mainstream, while also somehow managing to steer the trends of broader society.

Positives:

+new ideas are developed quickly out of necessity to meet every-changing needs and desires

+the unique context of the development of contestational design leads to innovation that often results in solutions that address broader trends

+higher degree of autonomy than design counterparts working in the commercial realm

+inherently creates personal connections, as the work often relates to the empowerment of the individual, and collective action

+long-lasting relationships are formed between designers through genuine solidarity—not just written agreements or documents

+ provides rewarding and meaningful work for those involved—because it is separate from career-driven work

Natalie Jeremijenko's Feral Robotic Dogs

Negatives:

-heightened pressure and opposition from external forces

-minimal data collection involved in design work

-replicability and speed are favored over long-term sustainability

-face overwhelming challenges and pushback from various levels of power (political and otherwise)

Indian craftwork in the marketplace

Designing Freedom focused on the interaction between designers and traditional craftspeople in India

This particular lens sees the role of design as working in partnership with other modes of creativity and making.

Positives:

+designers can be trained to help empower craftspeople—and to help others solve their own problems in general; act as co-creators

+may act as catalysts for change by posing the right questions, in order that people become engaged of their own accord

+the designer has the possibility of being the “integrator, the bringer-together, the crucible between customers and craftspeople”

+ “design can empower the individual craftsperson to create balance between these forces, and thus make ‘right’ decisions”

+design as collaborator be may used to clarify issues that are associated with craft, create ways to strategize, and “leverage the situation for the benefit of craft”

+can help create a bridge between craft and the citizens of the 21^st century

+ can help in the process of role-realization for craftspeople

Negatives:

-design solutions that merely partner with makers often do not take into account the craftsperson’s point of view

-design as a separate entity from the making too often results in the establishment of the “upper” (an elitist, status division)

-design can cause there to be a distinction between the thinking and the making of the object—good design thinking should connect the left and the right brain

-danger of design allowing a loss of rootedness in tradition and inherent community connections

Faroe Islands Education Center: by Bjarke Ingels Group

Yes is More. focused on the work of the Bjarke Ingels Group

This kind of design makes all the decisions—it is the overarching and dominant force behind the concept, creation and completion of an idea.

Positives:

+designs through the lens of incorporating a variety of concerns and thinking through all possibilities

+ design as a way to enter the system at a leverage point, to “shortcircuit an irresolvable political debate”

+ merging the master plan and the masterpiece means you really get to produce something you want; you recognize the problem and actualize the solutions

+ addresses issues that cross all borders—social concerns, issues of urbanism, aesthetics, architectural plans, etc.

Negatives:

-there is the danger of only producing one point of view if one cohesive group is responsible for so many levels of decision-making

-one individual entity is responsible for solving all the issues

-when one takes on this much power, there becomes the necessity to negotiate politically at some level, as well

-much more prone to receive criticism if responsible for all decisions

So where do I fit into these design schemes? Speaking purely objectively, I would like to most identify with designer as partner, simply because this framework makes sense to me as a tool for the empowerment of others. However, the idea of Gesamtkunstwerk is quite central to the way I work—I love having a vision of the big picture and the capability to fashion each facet myself—and so, in truth, I think I am much more aligned with the approach of Bjarke Ingels and his team. I see nothing inherently wrong in working this way, although there is the fear that with much power, one can become rather dictatorial or totalitarian in thought. As Poonam Bir Kasturi states in her piece on Designing Freedom, “For learning, power is a disability. ” Though it seems as though Ingals is able to continue being a listener, and to take other ideas into the fold of his work, I see there being a danger of the separation between “uppers” and “lowers.” To use a slightly non-sequiter example, I am reminded of the world of fashion, and Anna Wintour’s (the head of American Vogue) role within in it. She has this kind of overarching, dominant power which allows her to have a very clear, distinct vision of what she wants Vogue to be (and exercises her power to do so), but as a result, the American public sees fashion through the eyes of Anna Wintour, as opposed to a variety of viewpoints.

And thus, I believe that working this way—to be the choreographer, the dancer, the set designer, and the musician—can make for very exciting, cohesive, seamless results, but it also requires one to walk a very fine line. One must stay open and receptive to the ideas of others in order to learn first, and then succeed.

20 minute talk – Creating Agency with Incremental Building

Monkeys

Humans have evolved designing our habitats.  In order to survive and increase comfort we move close the the systems that sustain us.  Where and when we choose to live are often dictated by climate and topography.    Although humans are highly adaptable, we often alter our surroundings in order to thrive.

Peechee

We find value in the freedom to customize our products and environments.

When left to our own devices we will create personal relationships with our surroundings.

When we do this we establish a greater connection to these things and places.  They become an extension our personalities.

Garage

Too often our products and the built environments we occupy are over-designed, leaving little room for modification or personalization.  When this happens we again become designers and alter our spaces to fit our needs.  Flexible environments can evolve with us to meet our needs

Porch

Built spaces that are too specific often secumb to modification.

A front porch is allows us relief from the hot summer interiors of our homes.

The breeze and open view is nice, but the bugs are not.

Screened Porch

Screening a porch exposes us to the cool evening breeze with out the bugs.

We spend more time in this more comfortable space and maybe move dining room furniture to accommodate meals.

With such open views outside this porch starts to rival the interior of the house.

Walled Porch

With the addition of walls and windows the porch has become all-season.

In the winter it can be heated but,with windows that can be opened on three sides, it still has the views and summer cooling effect.

This porch evolution is an example of the concept behind incremental housing.

Incremental Housing Project in Chile

This housing project was built around the idea of helping people improve their housing with out taking away their agency.  This project was intentionally half built so each family could add and expand to fit their specific needs.

Incremental Housing Project in Chile

Motivated by keeping costs down, leaving the finishing and details became an act of empowerment for the user.

As these spaces evolve with the users while they are living on site continually supporting family and community relationships

Haiti Map

January 12, 2010 a 7.0 earthquake hit the center of Port au Prince.  Already home to repeated hurricanes and floods, hunger and poverty was a constant.  Now with international aid pouring in the question is how can Haiti become sustainable.

Haiti Before Quake

Before the January earthquake Haiti was in serious need of housing and basic infrastructure.  With little natural resources Port au Prince was dependent on imported goods to sustain its population.  This lack of resources makes the rebuilding again, mainly dependent on outside help.

Haiti Quake Rubble

Most of Haiti’s housing was built from inconsistent concrete mixes with little reinforcing steel.  These structures were quickly turned to rubble during the earthquake and resulting aftershocks.  The death toll was very high due to falling debris.

Haiti Tent Village

Faced with the overwelming task of removing and sorting the concrete rubble, thousands are still living in tarp villages.  These structures will not survive heavy storms and create a haven for vermin and crime.  With out any materials or equipment how can the Haitians build more substantial housing?

Sandbag homes

In South Africa, sandbag construction has been very successful in housing the homeless.  It is low tech and using materials from the surrounding environment.

The people can build their own houses giving them an understanding for the process and maintainence.

Sandbag domes

Cobb can be added to the exterior of sandbag homes giving them a natural finish that will resist the elements.  A crutial part of this system is involving the homeowners in the construction process.  They retain their agency and have the skills and knowledge to maintain their homes.

Pallet Racks

Designers are constantly working on humanitarian structures to house the less fortunate.  Often looking to repurpose preexisting materials or systems.  These guys are creating living units from pallet storage racks, which are built to survive earthquakes.

Incremental housing drawing

Incremental housing projects seem to be one solution to creating structurally sound homes for the Haitian refugees.  Using sections of shipping containers the people can be given the beginning core of a home that provides their basic needs.  With a solid frame people can infill and add on to fit their specific needs.

Shipping containers

Already in huge supply shipping containers can be easily moved from place to place.  Port au Prince already has the infrastructure to handle these possible building componants.

Container Housing Complex

People have been pushing the potential of prefab housing made from these containers for years.  Because of their inherent structure and stackability great denisity can be achieved.  Over time the container has become a modular building icon.

Container Housing Complex

This model using the doors as porches has been replicated many times and put into production.  Although steel is not the most efficent building material, it has superior strength and durability.   Now that global shipping is becoming more expensive, maybe there will be a surplus of these containers.

Haiti Container Housing

This is a container being developed into a disaster relief shelter.  Although it’s supposed to be temporary it has potential for incremental growth.