Future workshop
A hands-on, participatory design workshop where viewers try their hand at creating future objects. The goal of the workshop is to inspire attendees to partake in the future making process as a democratic community. It is intended to challenge the idea that the future is built by a select few and promote the idea that we all get a say in how we want or don’t want things to go.
Critical Design
speculative design challenges narrow assumptions, preconceptions and givens about the role products play in everyday life.
“The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.”
William Gibson
A free workshop where you can try your hand at building future parts and accessories.
Will your robot need a sphincter adjuster when it's producing robot poop? Let's build that! Is your dream to have a nasal brain cell repair injector unit? Let's get this done! We'll get a chance to experience and evaluate the future as a momentary reality.
Throughout this workshop, participants will have an opportunity to design objects from the future. Instructors will introduce design methods and provide technical support. Participants will work collectively to turn their visions into physical manifestations and objects that can be picked up and handled.
We provide parts and shop space, but as you envision your creation you may come up with the parts yourself. Don't limit yourself to the junk we found, unless you need our group's inspiration.
Hosted by NorK, a division of uASS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Xanadu @ 5015 Bond.
About the workshop
Participants showed up for the Saturday workshop to build future objects from the future. Each participant was given the same instructions:
Pick 2 headlines from a bowl – What will cause for this future technology to emerge?
Apply focal points – what kind of impact will this technology have?Technological impact
Ecological impact
Social impact
Political impact
Economic impact
Apply a story arc – What kind of change will the world need to undergo for the technology to emerge?
Grow - the world grows as it does today
Collapse - scenario where things fail dramatically leading to a different world
Plateau - where things don't change, a world of stasis
Transform - unexpected event changes the world in an unforeseeable way
Bring it back to today – What is this technology and what does it do?does.
Objects created
Automatic jean cleaners
Cockroach protein grinder
Light stopping & sanitization unit
Pocket robot tailors
Artificial coffee pod
Hen simulator