Talk

Circles

1 December 2011
18:00 designforum Wien MuseumsQuartier Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna

Circle 00003 (r=4): Sustainable Design.

Strategies for social change!

Today, the industrialized countries consume so many resources that developing countries will take every chance to achieve a similar level of prosperity. Why do we fail to design reasonable production and consumption patterns that would put a stop to the overexploitation of nature? How we can at least respect the biophysical boundaries of economic activity?

(r=4) the four guests

Fifty years ago, there were visions for change, but they could not be realized technologically. Today we have the expertise, but lack the far-sighted design and the political will. A fundamental redefinition of the design of our future living environments must accompany the energy transition. As agents of this transition, can designers positively influence the product and consumer culture in the direction of social and ecological sustainability? At which interfaces must a change in thinking take place?

Guests:

Georg Guensberg, consultant on environmental issues in strategic communications and politics, Vienna

Sigrid Stagl, environmental economist, Professor at the Institute for Regional and Environmental Economics, University of Economics and Business, Vienna

Ursula Tischner, Director of econcept Cologne, Professor of Design for Sustainability, Savannah College of Art, USA

Moderated by: Harald Gruendl, design theorist and CEO of IDRV, designer (EOOS), Vienna.