Design × More-than-Human

with Marlène Huissoud (FR) & Decentering Design (BE), moderated by Anna Luyten (BE)

Design x More-than-Human delves into the growing realisation that we humans are not the sole inhabitants of this planet with a unique perspective. More and more designers and artists are exploring what we can learn from the non-human entities with whom we share our planet and how we can establish an inter-species dialogue. Next to that, we will also discuss the urgent need for design to confront its exploitation of non-human species and their materials we extract for human use. We are at a pivotal moment, calling for a rethinking of design that takes into account the more-than-human world.

Speakers

Marlène Huissoud (FR)

Marlène Huissoud is a Paris-based experimental designer working in the art and design world. In 2014, she received a MA in Material Futures from Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design in London with From Insects, a research project on materials derived from insects, such as the honey bee and the Indian silkworm. Marlène’s work challenges conventional design norms, prompting us to ponder the ethical implications of our relationship with natural resources and the role of design in today’s world. By uniting the chaos of nature with the human tendency to put meaning in everything, she dares us to consider whether it might be better to just let the world be. Her creations invite us to reconsider our human impact on Earth and advocate for responsible action.

Decentering Design (BE) | represented by Glenn Deliège

Decentering Design is a research unit exploring how designers can get to grips with working in and for a more-than-human world. Their basic intuition is that designing for a more-than-human world entails decentering the human experience within the design process. This is a necessary step towards recognising our world as a shared environment composed of a multitude of perspectives. Paradoxically, such a decentralisation of human experience starts with a rediscovery of our own sensoriality. Our senses are not passive sensors registering the environment, but active organs through which we can participate in a world of which we are clearly a part, but which at the same time always transcends ourselves: a shared, more-than-human reality. Through using and developing speculative design methodologies, Decentering Design aims to map out ways in which designers can take the more-than-human world into account.

Decentering Design is part of the research center Futures through Design, supported by the KASK & Conservatory / HOGENT and Howest, and the Howest University for Applied Sciences.

Design Dialogues

Design x More-than-Human is part of the curated lecture series Design Dialogues organised by KASK & Conservatory / HOGENT and Howest, and Design Museum Gent. Distinctive voices from the broad field of design are invited to reflect on the role and future of design in a changing world. Each Design Dialogue starts with in-depth presentations by the speakers around a specific theme, followed by a critical, moderated discussion and concludes with an open conversation between the speakers and the audience. Our mission: to provide engaging perspectives that could help us meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.