Sustainable Design

March 5, 2022

Designers, Digital Design

Last Updated on: 5th March 2024, 08:13 pm

Sustainability in design is an approach that seeks to create products, services and solutions that minimize environmental, social and economic impact throughout their life cycle. This concept has gained significant importance in recent decades due to the growing awareness of the environmental and social challenges we face.

What is Sustainability?

Definition of Sustainability

Sustainability is a fundamental concept that refers to the ability to maintain and preserve a system or resource over time without depleting its resources or causing irreversible damage to the environmental, social or economic environment. In simpler terms, sustainability implies meeting present needs and aspirations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainability Cornerstones

Sustainability is based on three interconnected cornerstones:

Environmental Sustainability: This pillar refers to the preservation and conservation of the environment. It involves the responsible management of natural resources, the reduction of pollution and the minimization of the negative impact on ecosystems. Environmental sustainability seeks to maintain ecological balance and protect biodiversity.
Social Sustainability: This aspect focuses on equity, social justice and the well-being of human communities. Social sustainability addresses issues such as equal access to resources and opportunities, food security, health, education and democratic participation. It seeks to ensure that all people have a good quality of life and opportunities for development.
Economic Sustainability: Economic sustainability involves the prudent management of financial resources and the promotion of economic growth that is sustainable over the long term. This includes consideration of economic efficiency, employment generation and equitable distribution of wealth.

Sustainability recognizes the interdependence between these three pillars and seeks to balance their objectives. For example, a sustainable project or initiative must take into account how it will affect the environment, local communities and the economy as a whole.

Sustainable Design

The Rise of Sustainable Design

Beginning in the 1980s and 1990s, sustainable design gained widespread recognition. Sustainability had become an issue of global importance due to environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, as well as concerns about social equity and natural resource depletion.

Sustainability in design was born with the discussion of this topic in the circle of creatives and designers. Among them I would like to mention:

McDonough y Braungart

The book “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things” by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, published in 2002, was a major turning point. It proposed a design approach that considers the entire life cycle of products, from manufacturing to final disposal, and advocated waste elimination.

Thackara

John Thackara is a writer and designer known for his focus on sustainable design and creative solutions to contemporary challenges. His book “In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World,” published in 2005, raises several important ideas related to design and living in an increasingly complex and globalized world. Thackara presents in his work:

Human-centered design: Thackara stresses the importance of design that focuses on human needs and experiences. He argues that design should be sensitive to people’s everyday realities and improve their quality of life.
Sustainability and ecology: The author emphasizes the need for design that is environmentally friendly and sustainable. He advocates solutions that reduce the ecological footprint and promote resource conservation.
Location and context: He argues that design should be sensitive to local and cultural context. This involves tailoring solutions to the specific needs of each community rather than applying universal approaches.
Ethics and responsibility: Thackara urges designers to consider the ethical implications of their design decisions and to take responsibility for the impacts their creations may have on society and the environment.

In short, John Thackara’s approach is based on the idea that design can be a positive force for addressing contemporary challenges and improving people’s quality of life in a sustainable and ethical way.

Benson

For his part, Eric Benson, in an article written in 2007, considers some principles such as respecting and caring for the community, improving the quality of life, and minimizing the depletion of non-renewable resources; he encourages the designer to undertake more specific tasks, such as:

Choose local and sustainably sourced or recycled materials.
Select renewable energies to complete the manufacture of the object.
Educate the consumer about the life cycle of the object.
Employ suppliers that use socially equitable and environmentally friendly business practices.

Fletcher

The term “Slow Fashion” is generally attributed to Kate Fletcher and his collaborator Lynda Grose, who made it popular in their book “Fashion & Sustainability: Design for Change,” published in 2007. Kate Fletcher is an academic and author recognized for her work in the field of sustainable fashion. Her focus is on rethinking fashion and design from a more sustainable and ethical perspective. Throughout her research and writing, Fletcher has put forward several key ideas about sustainable design, including:

Sustainable Fashion System: Fletcher advocates a change in the current fashion system, which is often driven by planned obsolescence and overconsumption. He proposes a sustainable fashion system that is based on principles of durability, quality and ethics, rather than mass production and rapid trend turnover.
Regenerative Design: Fletcher promotes the concept of regenerative design, which goes beyond simple sustainability to restore and enhance natural and social systems affected by fashion and design. This involves considering how products and design processes can have a positive impact on the environment and communities.
Education and Change of Mindset: She emphasizes the need to educate designers, consumers and entrepreneurs about the principles of sustainable fashion and design. She also urges a change in mindset that values quality over quantity and ethics over ephemeral fashion.

Rams

Dieter Rams, an influential German industrial designer, is known for his “Ten Principles for Good Design.” While these principles do not specifically focus on sustainability, they are fundamental to a design approach that values durability, functionality and simplicity, aspects that align with sustainability. His overview of these principles and their relationship to sustainability is summarized in the:

Good Design is Durable: This principle is fundamental to sustainability. Rams advocates durability, longevity and quality in design, meaning that products should stand the test of time and not need frequent replacement.
Good Design is Honest: Honesty in design refers to authenticity and transparency. Sustainable products often honestly communicate their environmental characteristics, such as the use of recyclable materials or energy efficiency.

Rashid

Karim Rashid is a well-known industrial and product designer who has been noted for his distinctive style and innovative approach to design. Although his work does not focus exclusively on sustainability, Rashid has expressed views and adopted approaches related to sustainability in his projects. Karim Rashid’s overall approach to sustainability focuses on the:

Ecological Design: Throughout his career, Karim Rashid has shown an interest in ecological design and the consideration of environmental aspects in his projects. He has been involved in projects that incorporate recyclable materials and energy efficient technology.
Use of Sustainable Materials: Rashid has advocated the use of sustainable materials in design. This includes choosing materials that are recyclable, biodegradable or have a low environmental impact in his creations.

Characteristics of Sustainable Design

Taking into consideration the contributions of the mentioned designers, it would be possible to establish some characteristics that a design must meet to be considered sustainable:

Minimizing environmental impact

Sustainable design seeks to minimize the negative impact on the environment. This involves using recyclable materials, reducing waste and choosing cleaner and more efficient production processes.

Responsible use of resources

Sustainable designers are aware of the importance of using resources responsibly. This includes the proper management of energy, water and raw materials, as well as choosing renewable resources when possible.

Durability and longevity

Sustainable design focuses on creating products and designs that last over time. This means that products must be durable and resilient, reducing the need for frequent replacement.

Modular and adaptable design

Sustainable products and designs are often designed in a modular fashion, allowing for repairs and upgrades rather than discarding them when they become obsolete. This reduces the amount of waste.

Minimizing contamination

Sustainable design seeks to minimize pollution at all stages of the process, from production to use and disposal. This is achieved by choosing non-toxic inks and materials and reducing emissions.

Inclusion of local community

In sustainable design, the involvement of the local community is valued. This may include the use of local artisans and consideration of community needs and preferences in design.

Transparent communication

Sustainable products and designs often clearly communicate their commitment to sustainability through labels, packaging and clear messaging. This helps consumers make informed choices.

Circular economy

Sustainable design aligns with the principles of the circular economy, which promotes reuse, recycling and resource recovery rather than disposal.

Aesthetically pleasing and functional design

Despite its focus on sustainability, sustainable design does not sacrifice aesthetics or functionality. Products and designs must be attractive and serve their purpose effectively.

Sustainable designers consider cultural and social dimensions in their designs. This involves respecting local cultures and addressing important social issues in design.

Summary

The pillars of sustainability are: environmental sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability.
Beginning in the 1980s and 1990s, sustainable design gained widespread recognition.
The book “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things” by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, published in 2002, was a major turning point.
The characteristics of sustainable design are: minimization of environmental impact, responsible use of resources, durability and longevity, modular and adaptable design, minimization of pollution, inclusion of the local community, transparent communication, circular economy, aesthetic and functional design, cultural and social awareness.

Some Insights

Sustainability in design seeks to balance creativity and innovation with environmental and social responsibility. These features are fundamental to creating designs that are beneficial to both people and the planet.

Commitment to Sustainability

The adoption of sustainable practices in all areas of design has become a priority to address environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, as well as concerns about social equity and natural resource depletion.

Sustainability in design should be part of every designer’s ethical commitment. Therefore, sustainable design features should be part of the design process of every designer. Only in this way will we be able to build a more equitable and healthy future for generations to come.

Any Thoughts?

In the comments section, tell me if you already knew the characteristics of sustainable design. What has been your experience with sustainable design? Do your projects meet these characteristics? Do you practice sustainable design?

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Bibliography

Braun Audio. (s.f.). Dieter Rams. 10 principios del buen diseño. Braun Audio. Recuperado el 13 de marzo de 2022, de https://www.braun-audio.com/es-ES/10principles
Bullock; A.; Walsh, M. (2013). The Green Design and Print Production Handbook: Save Time, Save Money, Save the Environment. HOW Books.
Dougherty, B. (2008). Green Graphic Design. Allworth.
Fletcher, K.; Grose, L. (2007). Fashion and Sustainability: Design for Change. Laurence King Publishing.
McDonough, W.; Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. North Point Press.
Thackara, J. (2005). In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World. MIT Press.
Benson, E. (2007). What is sustainable graphic design? (PDF) What Is Sustainable Graphic Design? | Eric Benson – Academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/181397/What_is_sustainable_graphic_design

Ilka Perea Hernández Author

Graphic and Digital Designer with over 20 years of experience in the field of design, illustration, photography, and animation. She also teaches design at the University of Panama.

Sustainable Design