Abstract
As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, uncertainty looms over our collective future. We question the power structures shaping our lives—capitalist, religious, alien, or otherworldly—and their influence on our rights and freedoms. The student projects in this presentation explore alternative visions of “nations” through design fiction, provoking us to rethink the limitations of our current world. From utopias to technocratic states, these speculative societies span time and place. They include the revisionist history of Föhn, a utopian nation nestled in the Alps; Delta, a futuristic stratosphere inhabited by evolved humans; Holy Land, an afterlife devoid of earthly freedoms; and technocratic nations such as Primeland, The Nation of Fulfillment, and The District of Google Drive. These imagined nations come to life through “real” artifacts—flags, currency, uniforms, food—and “factual” accounts, including manifestos, style guides, and historical documents. They chronicle evolution, social unrest, governance, speculative interfaces, and more, blending the plausible with the impossible to explore future possibilities. These projects underscore the power of symbolism and civic design in shaping societies. By creating their own visual systems, students gain insight into how governments and nations use these tools today.
Presenters
Lee ZelenakLecturer, School of Design, DePaul University, Illinois, United States Heather Snyder Quinn
Assistant Professor, Design, DePaul University, Illinois, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Worldbuilding, Nation Branding, Branding, Civics, Culture, Design Futures
