Degrowth: Theories of Design for an Abundant World

3 units

What will the world look like beyond the climate crisis? What will be the role of designers? In recent years, social theorists and economists have become increasingly convinced that the global economy cannot continue to grow forever. To live sustainably with an equitable distribution of resources, some consumption will need to be reduced -- this is the argument of the degrowth movement. What will this mean for architecture? Will adaptive reuse replace the construction of new buildings? Will architects engage in the design of global systems (geoengineering)? Will philosophies of minimalist asceticism surge in popularity? What can we learn from indigenous societies with traditions of living within relative ecological balance? This course engages directly with economic, ecological, and design theories that ought to be relevant in the years ahead, as the profession of architecture adjusts to a world beyond perpetual growth. Analysis of contemporary projects will be paired with a history of architecture that places special emphasis on modernism, counter-cultures, and systems/ecological design.