Natural Cultures

A majority of contemporary design and development discourses often manifest at the cost of the natural environment, presenting a deep-seated dichotomy. While age-old traditional systems have championed building and designing-with natural systems, contemporary design and living continue to be defined by industry, which may often appear to be at loggerheads with the practice of sustainability. The talk then aims to explore how—as the consciousness around these systems and dichotomies grows—must we aim to recalibrate the culture around design. Is there an alternative to making? What are the new paradigms emerging from the tension between progress and ecological safety? How does mindful design mitigate the speed that defines our current systems of production and consumption? With thanks to our Curatorial Partner STIR and Programme Partner Lotus.