The last several months have been a cultural journey for me and my partner at Nonfiction, Phnam Bagley. We are busy exploring the world around us and discovering ways design can help elevate the human (and planetary) condition.?
Last month took us to Bali, Indonesia! Not for vacation, but for work on environmental projects. #Bali is a delicate and beautiful ecosystem quickly being developed. Nothing wrong with that, as long as it's done sustainably and with respect for Bali’s natural beauty. After all, people don’t travel to Bali to stay in giant developed resorts crammed next to one another. They go to celebrate life, pause for introspection, and discover the beauty of the land and its people. How do we keep it that way?
Being mindful of the local culture, behaviors, natural resources and traditions is key. One of the areas we are inspired by is the subaks. These are the traditional waterways, constructed by humans to irrigate the rice fields. The construction is generally considered very low-tech. However, the result is a complex, interconnected system that regulates the local economy, and resource allocation with the spiritual needs of the community. They are a shared resource that requires the locals to communicate, negotiate, and work together for the common good. Subaks are widely considered the fabric that binds the Balinese culture.
The Balinese pay homage to their rivers through water ceremonies. People make offerings that float down sacred rivers and include incense, flowers, banana leaves, and other biodegradable items. Bali is also a developing economy. As with similar countries, this often means a lot of waste and single-use plastics. We see it in shops, on the street, and clogging the rivers and subaks. People use single-use plastics as a result of economic necessity, as well as habit.
The Balinese economy is driven by tourism. When things like COVID happen, tourism takes a hit and the economy suffers. Consider this; subaks have been around for a thousand years. They are the lifeblood of this abundant island. Modern development can quickly disrupt this sustainable way of life.?
Nonfiction is looking into design solutions that both solve the problem of waste in waterways and respect (if not elevate) the spiritual and economic needs of the Balinese people.
Design isn’t simply about crafting a physical or aesthetic solution. It is about considering system-level change. Design involves research, strategy, and a deep appreciation for all the stakeholders… including past and future generations! We immerse ourselves into the problem, prototype and test again and again.
Human-centered design was once the ego-driven pinnacle of the design industry. These days we employ a planet-centric view also. We are at the very beginning of our Balinese journey. I hope you’ll follow us for more impactful solutions to come.?
#impactdesign #industrialdesign #plasticwaste #designstrategy #systemsthinking
