Reflecting on my experience in the Design for Sustainability subject
Reflecting on my experience in the Design for Sustainability subject
Developing myself as a designer and student
Who I am as designer, student and researcher is intertwined with who I am in private and in public. I am an optimist and I am naturally drawn to seeing the bigger picture, beyond the tree trunk, I choose to see the whole tree from the roots to the tip of the leaves and how they flourish in the sunlight and rain. This subject of Design for Sustainability has always touched on aspects in my life I hold dear. How I express myself and how I view the world is shaped by my assumptions and experiences I have built up in my life from childhood. This is one of the reasons I value education and learning, because it allows and forces me to unpack all the pivotal moments that has happened in my life up until now. With every subject I change my understanding of what is possible in this world. With every subject I move my perspective from what can't be changed to a more optimistic view of what can be. With every subject I contextualise myself within the literature and this coupling forms a new branch of understanding. The concepts of 'liminality' and 'tipping points' has come up during this module and will refer to these two ideas throughout my reflection in order to keep the context close to the trail even though I am tempted to wander off into all the micro-discoveries made during the subject. This is a sketch of the Three Horizons Model done during our block week class. I enjoy the feel of putting pen to paper in a world where digital technology forces us into cookie cutter moulds, and perfect efficiency is the order of the day, by writing things down I reaffirm how I learn in this reality.
In our first week each of us had to read an article relating to sustainability and discuss what argument the authors are making, how does it relate to other literature, what are the findings and how does it connect with our current perspectives in design. My article discussed how the Three Horizons Approach (Taimur et al, 2024) can be produce learning transformations and facilitate outcomes aligning to sustainable development goals among SMEs in the Canadian Biosphere region. It was a daunting read yet highly interesting. My interests in design are education and learning in particular collaborative approaches in design pedagogy. If it was up to us to choose which article to read I would choose the same one. The article discusses how in three horizons or stages, participants working in groups with the past as context, can through design and research methods, unpack their perspectives and formulate strategic means to bring about change in the present and future. The model also speaks to the idea of designing for divergent futures speculating different possibilities that may occur as a result of change over time. As a designer this idea of deconstructing the present and bridging to the future is borderline radical yet I believe we need the momentum that radical changes in design can bring in order to affect perspectives. Two powerful points surface from the article. The importance of working collaboratively so that we as community can learn from each other and bring about change together. The other point is that for perspectives to change and transformative learning to occur there has to be some sort of mental shift that disorientates the individual making them vulnerable and question their assumptions. Through out the subject modules I have developed myself in my design abilities and processes. With each subject I am introduced to new knowledge that affects my understanding and grows my thoughts in design in connection to the global discourse. I have learned to think more critically and developed skills to assist me in reading literature, unpacking research and design methods, and broadened my range in absorbing all sorts of subject matter in order to apply my thinking in my own context. Simply put I get better with every week in my studies and it's what keeps bringing me back to academia. My soul feels at ease when I am working on assignments. These are slides from my literature presentation showing the stages of how transformative learning occurs when the Three Horizons Approach is synthesized with the Transformative Helical Model.
In the Three Horizons model there is an emphasis on time. Time is not a cultural object, yet it is a commodity that provides me with a guide to all my daily activities. Time does not belong to anyone yet it's an important marker in my life. Islam started in 610CE and the first Muslims, who were under persecution at the time, were forced to migrate from Makkah in Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia. Migration translates to 'hijrah' in Arabic and the hijri (Islamic) calendar is based on the phases of the lunar cycle. Central to Islam and cultural tradition is time and the lunar cycle.
My thoughts on District Six, CPUT, Sustainability and Food Security
In our block week, as part of our subject excursion, we went to the District Six Museum. In order to understand my perspectives on CPUT and District Six I need to add some context. I grew up as a 'mixed' race, shy and creatively talented Muslim boy in Cape Town during the eighties and nineties. The suburb of Lansdowne in Cape Town was and still is my home. My cultural identity started forming in my teen years. To this day I refuse to call myself 'Coloured' because this is term devised by Colonial oppressors to subjugate, confuse and categorise my rich cultural legacy. I also refuse to call myself 'Cape Malay' as my lineage has African, European and Asian roots. Jappie (2011) posits the term ‘Malay’ as misleading, as the early muslims at the Cape hailed from all over the Indian Ocean rim and not only from the Indonesian archipelago and the Malay peninsula as it is assumed. In 610CE the first muslims in history were driven out of their homelands and they migrated bravely into a new world believing in themselves. The first mosque in Cape Town, the Auwal masjid, was established in 1794 by Muslim exiles and labourers in the Cape. This is an image of the Auwal mosque situated in Dorp street Bo-kaap Cape Town.
Mosques were essential to regulation and organisation of community, cultural and religious activities. They were social hubs where people were educated and support was provided through all the years of colonialism and apartheid. I'm sure many can relate, I experienced the end of Apartheid and it was a time of celebration and uncertainty over the future. To this day I still find my story unsettling and I am comfortable with this knowing that I can persevere to develop, break down barriers, and ground my character through anything life throws at me. This fuels my spirit to make a mark in this world in the unknown as an unknown person who does not come from a wealthy or well known family. I feel I have a lot of value to give in design as a researcher, practitioner and student. Values are intangible yet they are the sails that help me to steer the ship in this life that can get quite chaotic at times. Physical spaces can be places of belonging and can encourage the spirit of community. I refer to the context of District Six where the importance of community ties and caring for one another was most important. Before the laws of apartheid devastated many family structures and bonds, communities diverse in culture and beliefs lived in harmony. The qualities of what makes a successful ecosystem, where all parts are respected and voices included, are eternal and live in the hearts and minds of people spanning throughout time.
My experiences has made me fearless. Inspired by Don Mattera's poem on District Six I rise every morning wiping away the dust of the previous day to start fresh. My parents were forcibly removed as kids during apartheid. They did not have the opportunities that I have today, yet they worked hard to provide for me and my siblings with education, clothing and a roof over our heads. I have respect for those who selflessly fought for our freedom in this country and I have a responsibility to be a role model and contribute to improving my community and country. Too many have sacrificed their lives so that I can be here in this context. I feel the pressure and it motivates me to do better than the day before. Laughing and crying in the context of this great nation, I hold the past on one hand and the present on another as I put my feet forward into the future and this is the balance I hope to achieve in design. The beauty of ordinary lives that hold immense meaning differs from person to person. I could always find solace and ease in the cultural events, clothing, and eating foods I grew up with. My fondest memories in life involved food. It seems to be one of the only times people could relax, forget about the humdrum of making ends meet, share stories and enjoy each other's company. In keeping with the topic of food security, sharing food and eating together is the norm in Islamic culture in the Cape. This is part of the religion and it is encouraged as a practice because it brings 'barakah' in Arabic or 'barakat' in Malay (spiritual blessing from God) into our lives. Sharing of ones' wealth, knowledge, and sustenance also brings forth barakah which explains it's popularity. From a cultural perspective food security was ensured by sharing food with your neighbours. To this day it is the norm and a good practice to carry through as 'normative'.
More than remnants of a forgotten era, the District Six museum provided me with symbols of hope and community. On the day of Arafah, a holy day in Islam where sins are forgiven, I look back and reflect on what was and prepare for what is to come. Through this reflection I consider the past, present and future as one, and in that constant movement of liminality, transitioning over a threshold, I'm at ease with the temporary nature of this world. As I look forward from the present, I carry with me the good of the past, in my plans to build a better tomorrow. Through images, words and artifacts, that encapsulated the spirit of humanity, I carry fortitude and foresight to put the pieces back together. From idealistic models of what society was, to destruction and to positive interventions, I'm reminded of how transformation is cyclical. We are not meant to stay the same, rather we are to move forward ever expanding the silver lining into threads of meaning that make up the fabric of our homes. Gratitude is the spade we can use to dig up treasure that has always been in the earth. It's from this idea of liminality, of moving through space from past to future, with tools to identify the treasure in our midst, I find peace in a time of darkness. We can lose our physical homes but not our hearts. I remain positive that good exists and better possibilities are out there if we choose to see it as Siddique Motala mentioned in his documentary on District Six and Cape Town. These are objects and images from the District Six museum.
The main idea I took away from our visit to the District Six Museum was the importance of community, social integration and the destruction that occurred after. The reality of apartheid and the group areas act was the disorienting dilemma we required as a catalyst to shake up our perspectives for the assignment ahead. I could feel the pain as social activities were essential to my childhood and they still are pivotal in my life today. These activities take the form of religious gatherings, cultural events, family and friend celebrations, milestone ceremonies, and physical fitness activities. Social activities are important as they promote unity and love for each other. Through social activities people learn each other 's cultural practices, understand differences and celebrate life. One of the principles in Islam is to strengthen family and community ties. Through these ties the whole community benefits and a s a result the greater society benefits. Social activities is where I meet friends I have not seen in a long time, meet new friends, dress up in cultural attire, and share a meal. Fitness activities were important to me growing up. They allow me to let go of all the thoughts in my head and unwind. We went to the beach as a family regularly. We did not have holidays overseas, yet what we had was better. The beaches and mountains in this province were my play grounds. My parents and relatives showed me how to appreciate and enjoy the beauty surrounding me. In a few minutes I could escape the monotonous facade of suburban housing and let go of whatever was troubling me at the time. These activities also help regulate my emotions and well being by adding a balance to my mental activities and getting into the world and interacting with people and the environment that I am a part of. Part of the sadness I feel towards what happened in District Six was that people were uprooted and the meanings that held immense value to them was destroyed. Not only in the time of the group areas act, the effects of apartheid is still doing damage to this day in the mental, physical, financial, spiritual, social and environmental collective psyche of our people. District Six was a model of success where the ecosystem rewarded everyone in the community and not a select few on the top as we see today in global societies where the gap between the wealthy and the poor gets bigger by the day. Regardless of race or religion the community of District Six stood together, celebrated and supported each other. They had a perfect ecosystem. I believe nature holds the answers and so we look towards nature's models to inform out design intervention.
Myself capacity within a group context and our design intervention
In our block week we were reminded of the importance of discovering the context of the environment, in relation to District Six, in informing the future of CPUT. Terms such as 'genius of place', indigenous knowledge, and designing 'with' and not 'for' all speak to including all parts of the ecosystem in the design process so that everyone has a say in what materialises. It is clear that all diverse parts of the ecosystem must be included in plans for betterment. It is also important that any intervention proposed is sustainable and continues to give back to the ecosystem in all the spheres of economy, social and environmental. We discussed the importance of food security and a word came up. 'Gcwalisa' a isiZulu word for the act of 'filling up' which in our case refers to the act of filling up a bucket with food or water in order to share in a community setting. We watched a video on Ladles of Love, a local NGO tackling food security and sustainability, and Siddique Motala's documentary. We looked at the three pillars of sustainability indirectly discussing how important each pillar is for all three to function successfully. Here is a diagram of the three pillars.
In relation to the Three Horizons approach we discussed the importance of experiential learning and how it has the ability to transform perspectives. In each subject I am amazed at the perspectives and shifts in understanding that takes place not just for me but for everyone. We all have become comfortable with one another and this shows in how we open up and share in our group tasks. We have all grown to understand one another and how we can leverage our strengths to our advantage in this course. Working together as a group has empowered us to refine our collaborative skills and our unique abilities in contributing to collective output in our assignments. The benefits of working in groups are numerous. We help one another understand theories and methods. We assist each other in any way possible. Collaborative design is not just a tool for research and design, it is also a means of interaction between people in our everyday lives. This is evident when we get together in our block weeks. With this background knowledge we approached the tasks organically. Each member took a task they were comfortable with and no one was forced into taking a task. In our group setting certain roles were taken and others were shared. Supportive roles and data gathering roles were shared as these are roles that we each do already as part of our course modules. Roles tend to shift as the reality of contributing occurs differently for us in a group. We all live different lives and so the changing of role responsibilities is organic. I am a leader by nature yet I also observe to see the holistic picture, and this case it lends itself as a supporter role. As a supporter I get to see the bigger picture and I can add value through steering the group towards beneficial actions, highlighting models and theories, and questioning decisions.
Through conversation we unpacked the three pillars of sustainability. The social, environmental and economical components of what constitute a success ecosystem. It was mentioned that in an ecosystem all parts matter and should be preserved. Places with rich cultural history should inform the future of those who inhabit the land. The social and cultural habits of those who inhabit the land influence the access to and food choices of those who frequent it yet we did not experience this. At the main cafeteria we discovered that not all cultures were catered for, people with certain disabilities were not catered for, there were no discounted or incentivized price options and rewards for students, and there were no healthy raw produce options. The was no community spirit and we used this information to ask how can students and staff benefit from a food system that is equitable in providing access to nutritional food that is affordable, rewarding and culturally sensitive. Part of our challenge was to uncover the hidden parts of the system obscured by power inequalities within the CPUT environment. Meadows (1999) talks about leveraging points in the ecosystem where a small shift can lead to big changes. When asking a Food Technology student we discovered that food sharing, distribution and food garden prospects as part of an existing Food Technology curriculum are examples of such points that exist. These points are hidden and obvious and, aided by interviews and CPUT website information, these became apparent as we moved through the user journey of those who would interact with the food system at CPUT. Our group quadrant mapped the main components of food security at CPUT seen here.
With this information we applied existing knowledge and assumptions on the Three Horizon model seen here. We decided that to clarify on what points existed we required feedback from students and staff that use the food system at CPUT. The information we gathered pointed us into areas that answered what type of economic pressures students felt in regards to food access and what could possibly alleviate those pressures. The data informed us on what social and environmental interventions were possible as seen here. At the end of the block week we took tasks home with us and did further work. There are various challenges when working in group dynamics. For me the biggest one is working together at the same time and exchanging ideas the way you would in class. I do believe that challenges are an opportunity to grow and learn and certainly there are skills that one can acquire. The group energy was great and the value we have among ourselves collectively was an advantage to achieving our goals. We experienced making knowledge together and we transformed our perspectives as we learned in the research and design process. None of us are experts in research theory and design models, yet I am impressed at how we moved through the stages of the horizon.
We made progress day by day on Miro and the 'magic' of working together started appearing. Everyday I looked at Miro I would see some form of contribution. Everyone in the group contributed to what seemed like a mammoth task. Yes there are 7 of us, and as much as we can add to the work load as a group, I feel we had to be careful not to do too much. Too many ideas can spoil the few good ones. One of the challenges I found was in decision making and refining ideas. Another challenge was the designing of items. We met for one hour a day to share what we did and if a change or breakthrough was made we would meet online to discuss. The fact that some of us had experience in actual systems design made a massive difference in how we moved through the steps. We had to motivate each other, as a group we had to pull each other towards the goals we set which seemed to drift further away from us the deeper we went into the project. Here are pics of some of our process work. In spirit of the seven steps we formed our own community.
Identifying my learning edge through the lens of the Three Horizons Approach
In uncovering and discovering how and what I contribute to learning I am reminded of the term 'genius of place' where the context of an environment is covered up by sediment. For myself the many layers of sediment are my assumptions, strengths, weaknesses, skills, perspectives and experiences that have developed over time. I find the Three Horizons approach a fitting lens for unpacking these layers that have developed and will emerge over time. In the first horizon I have my strengths and weaknesses. Some of the strengths I will hold onto and carry into the third horizon. The weaknesses will be worked away as I transition into the second horizon with qualities and skills that are not apparent and that I will need to work on in order to excel in the third horizon. In the first horizon I see value as a supporter and one who responds assertively to challenges. I am an optimist which is always a good trait to have. I believe even in conditions where you feel there is no hope, you have to see the positive and what you can learn from the negative or less than ideal situation. My perspective defines the way I approach design and research.
The world is full of wicked problems and one needs a positive attitude to get through and make change happen. Life does not always go your way, and how you view it depends on how you rise to the occasion. The road is filled with potholes and bumps, and at the same time it is smooth and downhill. There is a lesson to be learned through every stage of the journey. I am not a perfectionist. There is no perfection just an appropriate order applied to the context. From an ideation perspective my strengths are jumping into challenges with minimal knowledge and figuring out how to navigate to ideal situations. I believe you need to be able to perceive both sides of the coin to get to a well informed decision. In my experience I have progressed greatly when undertook challenges I knew I was not strong in. Through a process of getting knocked down I managed to pick myself up mentally and physically. Life is full of challenges and obstacles that will knock us down, and as long as we get up and keep moving forward we can achieve a great result. What we plan to accomplish does not always end up the way we envisioned, and in order to get better you need to let go of what feels safe and be willing to change. By casting my supportive net I provide strength and guidance to those in my team. I will carry my supportive net throughout all three horizons as it always has and will provide value in my approach to design.
I now look at what I will let go as I bridge from the first to the third horizon. These will be weaknesses and currently these are taking the lead and implementing a clear directive. I’m not great at persuading people. I tend to see humour in things that others do not and this could come across as unproductive when it’s just me keeping a positive mindset. I’m not the best at being social and leading the room. Analytically I do not always consider the finer points and often over shoot or miss the mark. I can offer a team the spirit to push through ideation challenges and take divergent paths that may or may not lead to the goal. Sometimes I’ll make jokes just to break the tension which in a pressurised environment can be a great motivator. I tend to get along with rationale people who consider the details thoroughly, such as costs. Based on my experience in job settings I have had a few people tell me I’m not the most vocal person yet I always prioritise getting the job done. My weaknesses are monitoring at all times because I’m not always logical and I overlook certain details in favour of getting a job done. Another weakness is specialising. I don’t do well with information overload. In-depth information is important, yet I feel I’m losing out on the goal when dedicating too much time in one area.
In the second horizon I will look at those small things I do that I don't pay attention to and that has tremendous benefit in a group setting. These are things that are hard to pin yet can be leveraged as an advantage. I can offer the team the energy required to get the job done. I’m willing to get my hands dirty and keep things moving, which is vital in a situation where time is limited. Productivity is key to completing tasks. I can provide the ambition required to get through the work. The challenge for me here is to meet people at the same mood and emotion they are at and work with them to raise the energy. Magical connections occur when everyone is invested in the process. Weaknesses can be turned into positives. Areas of weakness are points that can be improved upon through iteration and the second horizon is where they can be improved upon. My strengths are being able to push through the exercises even when I feel drained. My belief is that with difficulty comes ease. I won’t always be 100% but at least I can show up and do what needs to be done. I don’t enjoy pressure 100%, yet I do see it as an opportunity to grow. I allow myself to suspend judgement in order to perceive reality from other sides, and at times this is not easy in a complicated world. Certainly these good qualities can be normative in a design setting. It became clear that I grew stronger in my capacity to ground the group through theory and context. I also found that I provided the group with the ability to see the bigger picture unfolding various aspects of the assignment multi-directionally. This ability provides everyone in the group with questions that they never though of in addressing challenges. I won't say that this is a unique ability as everyone in our group has provided a different perspective on how we approach the steps in the assignment. Taimur et al. (2024) describes how collectively people are stronger in solving challenges than if they did individually.
In the third horizon I envision all the good I am capable of which I can access from my design tool box. These include my experiences, skills, foresight, intuition, abilities, work ethic, sensitivity, and awareness. The future is unclear and can be cognitively blurry when plotting a way forward into the unknown. I would say that the Three Horizons are iterative and that there are infinite horizons as time unfolds. My life's horizons build upon the place and people that were here before me and what I leave will affect the horizons of people who come after me. My life in connection to others can be seen as an ecosystem and I have a responsibility to look for closed loops where feedback can benefit all.
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