Sustainable by Design Explorations in Theory and Practice

-Presents and develops theory into practice through worked design examplesSustainable by Design offers a compelling, innovative, and design-centered approach that explores both the meaning and practice of sustainable design. Walker explores the design process in the context of sustainability, and challenges conventional ways of defining, designing, and producing functional objects. He discusses the personal design process, tacit knowledge, ephemeral design, experimental design, and the relationship between intellectual design criteria, physical expression, and aesthetic experience. This book will introduce vital concepts and inspire by providing a well-articulated basis for understanding the complexity and potential of sustainable design, and extolling the contribution of design to the creation of a more meaningful material culture.

To advance the subject of design one has to engage in the activity of designing. Sustainable by Design offers a compelling and innovative, design-centred approach that explores both the meaning and practice of sustainable design. Walker explores the design process in the context of sustainability, and challenges conventional ways of defining, designing and producing functional objects. He discusses the personal design process, tacit knowledge, ephemeral design, experimental design, and the relationship between intellectual design criteria, physical expression and aesthetic experience. This book will introduce vital concepts to students and will inspire designers by providing a well-articulated basis for understanding the complexity and potential of sustainable design, and extolling the contribution of design to the creation of a more meaningful material culture.

Introduction * Rethinking Material Culture * Sustainable Development in Context * Design Process and Sustainable Development * Enduring Artefacts and Sustainable Solutions * Reassessing 'Good' Design * Design, Sustainability and the Human Spirit * Fashion and Sustainability * The Application of Theory * Tacit Knowledge in Design * Reframing Design for Sustainability * Time and Design * Creating Objects in a Saturated Culture * Ephemeral Objects for Sustainability * Intellectual and Aesthetic Understandings of Design * Bibliography * Index

Stuart Walker PhD is Professor of Environmental Design and Associate Dean (Research and International) at the post-graduate Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Canada. He is also Visiting Professor of Sustainable Design at Kingston University, UK.