Process
The second assignment of DES231: The Future of Work and Play course involved creating a scenario that will paint a vivid picture of the future developed through research. This will show the problems, challenges and opportunities that the future scenario would give if it was to come aligning with the critical framework presented in the first assignment of this course.
During the first assignment of developing my own framework, I decided to look into the 11th UN SDG - Sustainable Cities and Communities as part of my worldview.
I had difficulty trying to decide on a specific domain to focus on during the process. After discussion with my tutor, I was able to narrow it down to the topic of investigating the local area.
"The Future of Auckland as a Sustainable City"
Due to the limitation of time, I had to begin researching about the experts that I would interview to receive insights into my topic.
The list included some of my favourite professional designers as I wanted to see their perspective of a sustainable city.
From left - Lee Yeon, Francois Hurtaud, Seungji Mun
Thanks to the tutor looking after my progress, I was able to add more names to the list of potential interviewees.
Process of email drafts:
As I was sending Korean designers to request an interview, I also created drafts in Korean.
And...
I was able to receive email replies with confirmation of interviews from three experts!
Interview questions for each interviewee discussing their design works as well as their perspective of the desirable future of the city they live:
Summary of each experts' desirable future:
(It is NOT a direct quote from the experts but a summary of what I personally felt and heard from them.)
Where everyone is enjoying and doing what they like - not creating something new that will create more waste but enjoying with what they have.
- Chris Berthelsen
The world's most livable city will be a resilient city. That means it can change in response to forces, 'sustain' itself.
- Gary Marshall
A system where the seller is able to replant the resources used, for example 'planting a tree' when a wooden product is sold to the consumer. A way that natural materials are constantly rotated like a cycle without creating more waste.
- Seungji Mun
Result
One interesting thing was that in regards to a sustainable city, all three experts have told me about the 'cycle of the product' where when a consumer buys then that is the end of the process - as after it has been consumed it goes into waste.
After processing through the discussions I have done with the experts, I was able to create an insight into the future scenario.
"Cities in the future, including Auckland, will sustain itself by regenerating energy from the waste that we create."
More in-depth process can be found here:
Final
Diary entry of a future person living in a sustainable city of Auckland:
Visualisation of Auckland in the future:
