Abstract
In the field of product design for sustainability, to date, much attention has been paid to environmental and social dimensions. The economic sphere and its interactions with the other two pillars of sustainable development, and especially with a fourth transversal pillar organized around culture, have been much less explored. The economic pillar is usually examined through the lens of efficiency and optimization, as in the case of the circular economy, inspired by the industrial ecology that emerged in the 1970s. While social economy and social entrepreneurship seem to represent promising avenues for operationalizing more sustainable modes of development in the face of political insecurity and climate disruptions, the role of product design at the interface of these approaches remains underexplored. Based on theoretical material and an ongoing research-creation initiative for economic resilience based on increased localization, the paper discusses the role of culture for design for sustainability.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Economic, Social, and Cultural Context
KEYWORDS
SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL CULTURES, LOCALIZATION, LOCAL KNOW-HOW, ECONOMIC RESILIENCE
