Speculative design, utopia, dystopia, predictive marketing, speculative artifact, design thinking, George Orwell, Plato, Thomas More, Francis Bacon, Tommaso Campanella, Karl Marx, Ernst Bloch, Michel Foucault, Ursula K Le Guin, Aldous Huxley, Margaret Atwood, Ray Bradbury, cinema
Utopia, in fact, describes an ideal state (or at least the best possible one): its roots can be found in Plato's Republic.
Dystopia, on the other hand, describes the negation of this ideal, often in the form of despotism.
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Speculative design is a design approach that imagines possible futures to question the present. It does not necessarily aim to solve immediate problems but to explore alternatives and critical scenarios.
[...] Why it matters: A chilling portrait of how language and information shape thought and power. Dystopia according to Aldous Huxley (Brave New World, 1932) Dystopia: Technocratic consumer paradise. People are genetically engineered, sedated with pleasure (the drug soma), and conditioned from birth. There's no war or poverty—but also no art, love, or true emotion. Why it matters: A dystopia of comfort, not terror—posing the question: Would we give up freedom for happiness? Dystopia accordin g to Ray Bradbury (Fahrenh eit 451, 1953) Dystopia: Book-burning future where thinking is dangerous. [...]
[...] The Ethics of Speculative Design – Conference by Stuart Candy. Exploration exercise What If Each group proposes three hypotheses of exaggerated, dystopian, utopian or absurd futures. Quick presentation of ideas in the form of an elevator pitch . Work in band Imagine a probable future in 2100 and design an object or a speculative service . Speculative Design methodology Here's a clear 6-step methodology for Speculative Design, based on the work of Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, two of the main pioneers in this field. [...]
[...] Producers (farmers, artisans, merchants): Provide for material needs. Philosopher-kings: Only those who understand the Forms (especially the Form of the Good) should rule. This is perhaps the most radical element— governance by wisdom, not wealth or birth. Censorship & education: Education is tightly controlled, art is censored, and the moral development of citizens is guided from childhood. No private property for rulers/guardians: To avoid corruption and conflict of interest, the ruling and warrior classes live communally. Plato's utopia is no democracy Plato's utopia is not a democracy, nor a society of equals, it's a highly hierarchical, rigid, and morally driven ideal, more concerned with justice than freedom. [...]
[...] Difference with Design Thinking : Speculative Design does not seek to arrive at short-term marketable solutions, but rather to propose reflections on plausible, probable or improbable futures. Icebreaker and exploration of representations Small group workshop: "What will the world be like in 2050?" (mapping of imaginations, spontaneous projection). Presentation of results in the form of mind maps NB Design Thinking overview Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that solves complex problems through creativity and iteration. Empathize – Understand user needs through observation and interviews. Define – Reframe the problem clearly and user-centered. Ideate – Generate many creative ideas without judgment. [...]
[...] Design speculative artifacts. Create a reflective or debate-provoking setup. Evaluate impact, not feasibility. Introduction to the final project Objective: Creation of a speculative artifact which will be presented at the end of the course. Formation of groups and first ideas for themes. What to do until the 2nd course? 1st step. • Define a critical theme or question. • For example: • What if water became a currency? • What rôle would humans play in a world governed by artificial intelligence? [...]
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