Closing the Circle: Design as Leverage for Sustainability

Our western consumer culture does not value durability. Old goods are "expired" - perceived as unsuitable for further use, and thrown in the trash. We’re not expected to develop loyalty to products, and what motivates us is the constant search to satisfy our needs.

This culture has led to an increase in the amount of waste produced each year. Governments and organizations worldwide are facing the challenge of transitioning from linear to circular thinking. And so, we are presented with a unique opportunity to redesign our world.

The summer course "Closing the Circle: Design as Leverage for Sustainability" will address the challenge of this shift in mindset to circular design. We will dive into the waste challenge - the extent of the phenomenon, its implications for society, the environment, and the economic system. We will meet companies, organizations, and designers whose circular use of resources is an integral part of their DNA. They will constitute our clients - together we will define the issues we would like to address as part of the course exercise. We will practice principles of design thinking - development and examination of ideas, as well as presentation to a "client".

The course will move between several sites, during 6 days over a period of two weeks, as part of the summer semester.