Transformation Design I – origins

theoryArved13. September 20162

I recently got accepted for the master studies in Transformation Design at the Braunschweig University of Art. So a lot of people have asked me what Transformation Design actually is.

For one, it’s new. There is a Wikipedia article about it, but it hasn’t been translated to any language other than English yet.

So, since it was -and still is – difficult for me to describe in simple terms what’s it about. Therefore, I’m going to present it here, one part after another.

Today, I’ll start with how the idea came up, and from which core elements it started evolving.

windowfarms revived & what failed the first time

practiceArved20. August 20161

Have you ever thought about growing your own food? I have. But I generally am a lazy person, and maintaining a garden is a lot of work. Also, I live in a small city flat without a garden.

But a while ago, I saw a TED Talk about a DIY upcycling hydroponics system called ‘windowfarm’ for home use. Growing my own food inside my apartment sounds good, especially in this semi-automated way. I also like the concept of upcycling stuff you’d otherwise throw away. So, I was amazed. But not for long.

the need for things

theoryArved26. June 20161

"we buy things we don't need, with money we don't have, to impress people we don't like."

- fight club

The need for things is one of the core elements of human culture, only the amount changes, depending on cultural belonging and level of prosperity as the main factors.

Since the want for stuff is also the driving force of the whole economy, it’s basically a huge lever on the economy. This lever is at all times pulled in various directions by many kinds people. With varying success.

new ways to an old goal – about me & this blog

theoryArved3. May 20160

Hi!

My Name is Arved, and in this blog, I will talk about the use of design for building a better future.

I am a 26 years old industrial designer, 3D-print tinker, SciFi audiobook junkie, and mostly unobtrusive vegan. I was born and still live and work in northern Germany. The concept of environmental-friendly living always struck me as sensible. In the age of 15, I stated that my first car will be an electric-driven one.

I finished my Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design and am now aiming towards self-employment and master studies. Before and throughout my design studies, there has always been a thought which troubled me.