This week I am looking at speculative design. I am specifically looking at examples of near-future objects which I can use to inspire my own project of the underwater society.
Anab Jain
Anab Jain talks about the need to imagine speculative futures in order to look critically at current day problems. There are several examples she uses all of which I found quite compelling.
One future she imagines is one where drones are far more prevalant. They are used for policing and advertising (two absolute pillars of British society). The use of facial recognition mirrors technology that the Met have been utilising for a long time at protests and marches. The future Jain imagines is far more invasive and disruptive than what I believe would actually be implemented. However, in being so invasive and disruptive it is perfectly suited for sparking discussion and debate around the issues of data privacy, public safety and the surveillance state.
Jain’s work is physical and utilises current technologies in predicting future societies, resulting in designs that feel grounded and plausible. I like this approach to speculative design as it involves the viewer far more and immerses them in the designer’s imagined reality. I hope my designs can similarly mirror this immersive and realistic approach.
Museum of The Future
The Museum of The Future is a museum located in Dubai which houses a lot of speculative designs of various imagined futures. The Museum is optimistic, with exhibits themed around space exploration, and habitation. Digital recreations of nature and minimalist designs often seen in modern functionalist architecture.
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