Understanding Humans

Graphics by Jerker Lokrantz/Azote

Photo and Drawing by Jeremy Faludi

Sustainable Impact

by Jeremy Faludi

Get ready to leave behind the idea that design is only form and function with no other consequences. All products have environmental and social impacts, which can no longer be ignored—considering them is increasingly crucial for all human endeavours, especially manufacturing, business and design. This course opens your eyes to the environmental and social impacts of the products you design, and then gives you tools to improve them.

The core of this course is about being empowered to make decisions that are good for the long-term while helping you mature in your design process.

Learn how to work with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, translating these goals into practical priorities for your own design projects. Explore how to calculate carbon footprints, persuade users toward sustainable lifestyles, and prevent your designs from being thrown away so soon by using circular economy business models. Learn about quantifying environmental impacts using life cycle assessment (LCA), energy effectiveness, recovery strategies for products and materials, as well as product-service systems.

In the end, you will be able to understand environmental and social impacts, and design for their improvement rather than harm.

The tools and methods taught in this course can be applied to the concurrent Design Project 3, and coaching sessions throughout the class will help you do that.

“I’m proud to run this course because these are vital issues—the fate of the world and humanity are at stake, and these are solvable problems. Designers can go from being part of the problem to part of the solution.”

Semester 4

Follow your own Path

By the time you begin your fourth semester you have a solid grasp of the complexity of the design field. In this semester, emphasis is placed on social themes. The goal is to change the system by designing interventions for social problems. The focus is on one stakeholder, as well as the other parties involved. You learn that it is important to reflect upon your own position within design processes.

In addition to the design project, there are electives that can deepen your understanding of the following themes: people, organisations, technology, and skills. In each themes, you have the ability to choose courses that fit your personal interests. The electives run alongside the design project and because not everyone takes the same courses, you learn from each other. Having access to this kind of broad knowledge can play an important role in your development as a designer and the development of your project.