Sense & Sustainability Symposium

What are future topics for design, designers and consequently design
education?

In 1990 The United Nations have set a set of millenium goals for
2015. Some of them were achieved and a number of issues has to
be addressed with even more force to prepare our society for a
better future with a stronger social and sustainable climate. Among
them the big five: energy, food, water, waste and well-being.

When it comes down to designing the future systems to live in and
the products to live with, the word sustainable pops up frequently.
But it also seems to be one of the most abused words that serves as
‘greenwasher’ once products consist of recycled, green or biological
material. There is much more to sustainability and there are many
questions to ask: What is the global or local impact and carbon
footprint of objects that we produce? Do we need more stuff? Should
our economy change? What can new technology do for a sustainable
future? Can we design sustainable at all?
Sustainability has many faces and for designers it is sometimes hard
to see the forest for the trees and to know what makes sense and
not.

This Summer Semester the Power House Project will end during the
‘Rundgang’ with a symposium on the sense and nonsense of
sustainability. International experts and designers are invited.

Speakers:

Ed van Hinte Wrote: Products that Last, product design for circular
business models. Studied industrial design at TU Delft but is known
as design critic and independent thinker. As protagonist of
sustainable future strategies he is involved in research into lightness
and dematerialisation of products. Ed van Hinte will set forth how
design can reduce our material and energy consumption and how
products can keep their value in the future.

Anne van der Zwaag Wrote: LOOKS GOOD FEELS GOOD IS GOOD,
a book about social design in relation to global environmental issues,
that aims to help businesses and governments see the power of
design to address key challenges facing the world. Is a Dutch curator
and art historian. Anne van der Zwaag will speak about sustainable
and social design and some inspiring case studies.

Tjeerd Veenhoven Works on new products made from new materials.
Reseach involves textiles to be made from algae with H&M, flip-flops
made from palmleather and a quest for new values for tulip
pigments. Dutch designer, researcher and material developer who
aims to make a Proof of Principle into Sustainable Business. Tjeerd
Veenhoven will speak about some facts and figures and his work as
sustainable material researcher.

Tejo Remy With his first work – Chest of Drawers, Ragchair and
Milkbottle lamp – he made ‘his own world with what he
encountered’, as Robinson Crusoë created his own paradise on his
island. These first Droog Designs got worldwide recognition when
terms such as cradle to cradle or sustainable design still had to find
their way. Tejo Remy will speak about this early work and how he
relates to sustainability today.