This week was focused on the reading by Fallen and Jørgensen, the article explores the need to interconnect the concerns about the environment with designers. Environmental history often doesn’t reflect the impact from human-made design, connecting the two fields could create a beneficial understanding of the problems within our natural environment that are fuelled from design choices. What ways does design connect us to nature, are these connections transparent? How is it even possible to define the true starting point of the Anthropocene when the effects on the environment span over a geological epoch.

Rollin’s reflection on the SUV makes an interesting point about the paradox between the SUV having a negative impact on the environment but being “marketed with nature imagery”. (Fallan.K & Jørgenson, F.A  2018) This imagery and marketing constructs a false cultural message for the consumer mediating the perception of the SUV’s effects on our natural environment.  An example of this which relates to the field or Design is the large-scale residential development’s popping up around the world with imagery of plants and nature. These developments promote an ideology that connects the consumer with nature but often these developments destroy many acres of forestation and natural ecosystems during the construction process. In our more modern society this form of marketing/architecture is a form of “greenwashing” selling a false ideology. Having more knowledge on environmental histories would arm the design and architecture field with better solutions and a more transparent approach that doesn’t create a false dichotomy. (Ghisleni.C, 2022)

Residential Development Promoting Nature (Ghisleni, C 2022)

Annotation of Image (Lancaster, J 2024)

 

Having a proper understanding of how design can impact the environment is an extremely useful tool for future designers. More education about the effects of design history on the environment enables us as designers to think and act with a transparent, well-educated approach that leaves minimal impact on the natural world. Historically design as a discipline has negatively influenced the environment. Material choices that follow “trends/fashions” often do not account for the use of natural resources and the pollution caused by manufacturing processes creating an unsustainable approach to design.

This can be exemplified through the material of Oak-Wood which is seen to be natural. Although the rate in which we use this material means that the natural product (oak tree) does not have time to regenerate at the rate it is being consumed making certain types of the material unsustainable to the natural environment. (Hoskins, R 2019)

Lifecycle of an Oak Tree to Fully Mature (Kilgore, G. 2024)

 

By educating ourselves on material choices and construction methods used in historic designs we as designers would have better perspective on how these choices and approaches to design impact the environment. Understanding the sustainable/unsustainable impact of historic design choices provides us as designers with the valuable knowledge needed to design responsibly in the future. I believe this knowledge allows us to be totally transparent about the environmental implications of our decisions. It gives us the knowledge to educate clients on sustainable practices that prevents greenwashing, creates transparent ideologies and allows us to participate in a positive impact on the man-made world.

Bibliography

Fallen, K & Jørgensen, F.A.  Histories of Design: Towards a New research Agenda. doi:10.1093/jdh/epx017. Journal of Design History. Vol. 30 No. 2
Accessed on  11/09/2018

Ghisleni.C, 2022. Archdaily. [Online]
Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/978874/50-shades-of-green-the-contradictions-of-greenwashing-in-architecture#:~:text=A%20classic%20example%20is%20the,use%20native%20plants%20in%20landscaping.

Oct 1, 2024