What is Speculative Spatial Design?

Over the last decade, as my research and teaching practice have expanded in to the futures space I have been searching for disciplinary and methodological relatives for what I am increasingly now referring to externally as Speculative Spatial Design. And the more I do so, the more people are asking me about it. So for those who are interested, I have roughly crafted an ongoing definition;

Speculative Spatial Design (SSD) studies and critiques emerging transitions in humanity and society and their relationship to space; specifically its potential near future implications on daily inhabitation, spatial requirements and emerging programmes of use. It is a signal-driven, research-led, design exploration of the spatial possibilities, probabilities, plausibilities and potentials of a future yet to begin. SSD is closely related to the spatial disciplines of interiors, architecture and city design. It shares methodological roots with critical design, speculative design, design fiction, design futures and futures studies.?

SSD is not architecture/spatial design projects set in the future (because isn’t that all projects that are yet to be built!?) in the same way speculative design is not just designing new things for tomorrow, but using design as a tool to identify and debate crucial issues that might happen in the future [Dunne & Raby, Speculative Everything]. Because fundamentally the design of all objects, spaces, places is the creation something that doesn’t yet exist.

SSD is, like its critical and speculative design relatives, is focused on critiquing intention, process and outcome, unlike many other design-based disciplines which are driven (rightly for them) by the need to find the best answer to a set problem;

• SSD is pluralist, not solutionist
• SSD dissident, not affirmative
• SSD is socratic, not didactic
• SSD is different, not better

I could say so much more, and I am sure that as soon as I hit publish I will wish I did, but for now this it is. It will shift and change, as the subject emerges, and as I read and learn more. Thanks to those who have lead me here, you know who you are. This is an intentionally short post so anyone who wants to know more, do send a message or email.

Now... to figure out where it sits on Elliott P. Montgomery 's Unresolved Mapping of Speculative Design. Wish me luck!