Ontological Design and Speculative design
Introduction
An interdisciplinary design project exploring how environmental degradation could transform future food systems and everyday life in Aotearoa. Through speculative design, I envisioned a future where traditional meals are replaced by nutritional pills, using an imagined scenario to question the long-term consequences of today’s environmental choices. The project also drew on ontological design by examining how such a fundamental shift in food culture could reshape human behaviours, lifestyles and our relationship with the environment. Through storytelling and visual communication, I challenged audiences to reflect on how the futures we create can, in turn, shape who we become.
the problem?
Need to address the escalating problem of waste accumulation, obesity and chronic diseases, biodiversity crisis, unemployment and increasing population density which is creating a critical need to reevaluate our fundamental systems and beliefs and starting a conversation about what our society will be like in the future.
WASTE ACCUMULATION
New Zealanders generates an estimated 15.7 million tonnes of food waste each year. This equates to approximately 31 kilograms of food waste per person each year.
OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASES
Childhood obesity is a growing concern, affecting 1 in 9 children aged 2 to 14. Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes and place a burden on the healthcare system.
BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
Livestock farming produces significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. These emissions contribute to climate change and global warming.
Overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices, driven by food habits, endangered marine species and disrupt aquatic ecosystems.
UNEMPLOYMENT
The overall unemployment rate stood at around 4.9% as of the latest update in Jan 2022.Youth unemployment is the biggest concern, with a higher unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24. The rate for this group was around 12.7%
INCREASING POPULATION
New Zealand’s Population in 2012 was 4.41 Million and is tentatively increased by 20% in one decade. Population in 2022 stands at 5.18 Million.
Key takeaways
The project shifted my perspective from designing solutions to exploring how design shapes the way we live, think and interact with the world. I learned to use speculative scenarios to challenge existing assumptions and ontological thinking to examine the deeper impact of designed futures on human behaviour and everyday experiences. It strengthened my critical thinking, conceptual storytelling and visual communication skills, while expanding my understanding of design as a tool for questioning the present and reimagining possible futures.