Future Working Habitat
Project: Future Experiences (group)
Duration: October-February 23/24
BRIEF
The brief was to explore and apply Life-Centred Design practices, expanding beyond traditional human-centred approaches to include all living and non-living entities, with a focus on ecological, environmental, and social impacts. Students collaborated in groups to create a Future World exhibit that addressed shifts within the domain of Habitat, incorporating perspectives from Future Working. This collaborative approach aimed to foster innovative thinking by designing products, services, and experiences that consider long-term interactions and impacts on both human and more-than-human communities.
THE RESEARCH
We began desk research gathering information on working and habitat, our main areas of focus. From mapping our insights we formulated statements that captured the shift from human-centered to life-centered, which were:
- From mass consumption to ethical consumer.
- From traditional hours and working space to nature centric working.
- From rigid authoritarian hierarchy to naturally co-dictated working systems.
- From profit making urbanisation to non-human centric holistic approach.
From this we combined our final scenarios which were rapid skill-based learning, natural working cycles, and co-enhabitated workspaces. for our future world in 2033. We began creating initial ideas for our exhibition and developing our world.
DEFINE AND DEVELOP
DELIVER
OUR WORLD
In our world, holism is at the forefront of civilization. The future of working is no longer confined to the traditional 9-5 schedule but instead synchronises with the natural cycle of the seasons and individuals circadian rhythms, fostering a deep and interconnected relationship between society and the environment.
Automation has brought about an increased need for new jobs, prompting rapid skill-based learning that encompasses a wide range of expertise through collaboration.
In the realm of our future habitats, fast-construction practices have been replaced with a sustainable, enduring approach. These habitats are designed to be wildlife-friendly, allowing humans and other species to co-inhabit harmoniously. The focus is on creating ecologically balanced working spaces that offer planetary compensation, emphasising the shared responsibility of humanity for the well-being of both people and the Earth.
HOLI
Holi integrates work-life harmony into existing businesses, prioritising personal well-being over company productivity. Our main focus is: Work, Engage, Rejuvenate.
As little as one-sixth of the day is allocated to work. It is a dynamic mix of skill-building, eco-conscious productivity, and seasonal interdisciplinary projects, fostering well-being, sustainability, and innovation. Workplaces are striving to enhance both individual fulfilment and global betterment. Individuals devote up to half their day to engaging, nurturing our personal and altruistic needs. This involves skill development, connection with nature, community engagement and quality time with loved ones. This plays a part in our personal growth and ecological responsibility. We value mindful personal hours, dedicating around one-third of the day to rejuvenation for enriching experiences, balanced meals, meditation, relaxation, and sleep.
Baton, Sharing Collective Knowledge
Project: Future Experiences (individual)
Duration: Novemeber-February 23/24
DELIVER
Based on our future world, I decided to focus on engagement for my individual project.
Baton is a community-led service that brings sustainable skill-building to residential areas. We recognise that individuals have diverse circadian rhythms, and there is a continuous demand for sustainable practices during engagement time. Through a locker system, app and community hub, Baton creates an inviting atmosphere for all. Whether contributors are sharing their expertise through physical templates, audio, and video, or learners are absorbing knowledge from others, Baton provides a supportive space where citizens can build skills and embrace sustainable practices at their own pace, fostering personal development.
It disrupts traditional models of top-down knowledge sharing by allowing citizens to take ownership of their learning experiences. It has introduced new roles within the community; for example a community archivist, that allow individuals to express their expertise in a meaningful and collaborative form. Additionally, Baton celebrates cultural nuances with promoting diverse cross-cultural understanding and exchange with the increase of movement from citizens due to work opportunities from HOLI.
Every community holds uniqueness and Baton wants to celebrate the collective intelligence of diverse skills from each resident to embed sustainable practices within our everyday.
