Designing with Nature for Sustainability

About

This course critically presents varied perspectives on multispecies, more-than-human and planet-centric approaches that have emerged in design and other disciplines. It views the approach of including and considering natural nonhumans as an important mechanism for shifting conversations from purely human-centric, economy-driven solutions towards a world in which multispecies flourishing is possible.

During the course, you will learn key theoretical views on designing with nature from sustainability science, environmental ethics, environmental psychology, systems thinking, multispecies ethnographic research, and design.

Through lectures and seminars, you'll explore multispecies sustainability, non-anthropocentrism, human-nature connections, and representation of nonhumans. Hands-on activities will develop your skills in systems thinking, multispecies ethnography, and creating nonhuman personas. The site visits included in the course schedule will showcase real-world practices, involving natural nonhuman stakeholders.

Most importantly, throughout the course, you will actively reflect on your own practice and develop actionable strategies for including natural stakeholders in their work.

Course leader

Dr. Emīlija Veselova is an expert in the emerging area of designing with nature–also referred to as more-than-human, multispecies, planet-centric design–that strives to address the sustainability crisis by including natural nonhuman entities­­, such as organisms, species, and ecosystems, as stakeholders in design processes. In her doctoral research, Emīlija coined the designing with nature for sustainability approach by building integrative, transdisciplinary links between design research and practice, sustainability science, socio-ecological systems, systems thinking, ecology, and environmental ethics. Additionally, her research pioneered a novel systemic approach and typology for identifying natural nonhuman stakeholders and critically investigating the identification of natural nonhuman needs. Dr. Emīlija Veselova holds a Doctor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree in design. Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher in multispecies design for sustainability at the Department of Design, Aalto University.

Target group

This course is best suitable for graduate design students and practicing designers. It is also well-suitable for students and practitioners in other disciplines–e.g. business, innovation, urbanism, city planning, political science, policy making, and law–who are interested in multispecies and more-than-human approaches.

Applicants to this course are expected to be either currently enrolled in a Master’s programme or have several years of work experience in a relevant area or, in special cases, be at the late stage of their Bachelor studies.

To succeed in the course, the student should be able to effectively engage in teaching and learning activities in English.

Additionally, all summer school course students must be 18 years or older, as it is the legal age in Finland.

Course aim

After completing the course, students are able to:
- Distinguish and compare varied framings of sustainability and discuss the role of natural stakeholders in them;
- Describe three reasons for considering and including natural stakeholders in design when aiming to contribute to sustainability and develop strategies for implementing these reasons in their practice;
- Recognize a varied spectrum of living and non-living natural stakeholders and practice strategies for including them in design and decision-making processes;
- Investigate contexts in a multispecies manner and develop socio-ecological systems maps;
- Formulate a plan for including natural stakeholders in their own professional practice.

Fee info