Designing Cities For All: RE-generation started off 2023 with a new Fellow: Singapore-based urbanist, strategist, curator, writer, and educator Sarah Ichioka. Together, we created five thought-provoking programmes about Regenerative Design at Pakhuis de Zwijger. DCFA dipped into the thematics of Flourish, Sarah and co-author Michael Pawlyn’s book, which puts forward an alternative perspective on designing social systems that restore planetary health.
The Fellowship explored Regenerative Design by connecting the broader goal of regenerative system creation with a local context, inviting changemakers from many places and disciplines. Together with academics, artists, entrepreneurs, activists, architects, designers and other wisdom keepers, we explored different knowledge systems, collective action approaches and the overall role of design in shaping the future.
To start off, Sarah set the tone in The Bigger Picture by pointing out the faulty narrative of existing systems. Instead of continuing to sacrifice people, places and the planet, there is urgency to repair and heal — to come home to Earth. With Jayati Ghosh, Robert Gilman, Yukiko Nezu, Thieu Besselink & Lisa Best.
As one method of moving away from an anthropocentric worldview and towards a more ecocentric perspective, We Are All Stewards explored the concept of stewardship. This position elevates the natural world as something worth protecting and allows for humans to accept their responsibility in the restoration of the planet. Indigenous knowledge has always incorporated this nature-centred way of thinking. With Lyla June, Willem Koning, Juliana Perrone Celotti, Hakim El Amrani, and Teresa van Twuijver
To further challenge the Western perception, Design For Time attempted to rethink the linear standardisation of time. The programme explored an alternative clock that syncs up the hours of daylight with bodily rhythms. Healing needs time, and questioning our perception of it is the first step. With Jeroen Timmer, Jessica Wawoe, Ella Saltmarshe, and Tatsuyoshi Saijo.
In Regenerate & Activate, we discussed more in-depth how to activate one’s own potential to participate in the transition to regenerative systems. Sarah showed how individuals use their design background to support climate action. Merging private with professional skills and interests and finding strength in your own intersections can lead to powerful actions. With Angelina Kumar, Victoria McKenzie, Marc O’Brien, Tara Gbolade, and Maaike Boumans.
Finally, A Plan for the Planet featured Sarah in person at Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam! The epsiode focused on letting go of competition thinking and instead learning to live in symbiosis with nature and each other — which actually means: to listen to the planet and realise it already has a plan. It just needs to be given a voice. With Quint Verschuren, Marian Stuiver, Selçuk Balamir & Juneal Holder.
As the speakers have shown, there are many initiatives around the world – including in the Netherlands – that are making change happen. Biophilic architects like Hakim El Amrani that borrow from organic forms to reconnect humans with nature, researchers investigating soil history pre-design, using ‘waste’ from canals in soil-restoring tiles, or discovering your own indigeneity through fashion design like Teresa van Twuijver: we all have a role to play in regenerating our surroundings.
Design, in our broad approach of it at DCFA, plays a crucial role in exploring alternative mindsets and shaping our systems in a way that allows for the planet and all living beings to heal. The DCFA Fellowship with Sarah Ichioka has helped debunk degenerative perspectives and invite a regenerative way of thinking about design.
Up next, Designing Cities for All: RE-generation will dip into the practice of commoning in the transition to a more just, social and sustainable future, together with our next DCFA Fellow: spatial planner and researcher Roberto Rocco. Hope to meet you on May 1st for the first episode of In Common!
