Design for Sustainability

The book gives a panoramic introduction to design for sustainability to students, with input for undergraduate students, design students, and interested design practitioners. It is based on frontier research, give insights into best design practices to clarify the application of design strategies and offer a systematic review of sustainability. Through its novel approach to the topic, the book gives a systemic perspective instead of focusing on single environmental or social perspectives. Additionally, it builds a theory-practice parallel as means of introducing the topic. This aids readers in establishing an integrated understanding of design for sustainability.

The book summarises sustainable design strategies with chapters on the track of product, service, social, and system. The design strategies are introduced with dimensions on history, theory, and empirical cases. The author maps the design for sustainability with a theoretical framework as well as the best design practices. Moreover, the book is based on long-term interdisciplinary collaboration. By working with environmental scientists, sociologists and citizens, the author expands traditional design capacities into dedicating the perspective to a more concrete knowledge of design for sustainability.

Students are increasingly interested in design for sustainability. However, it is difficult to find guides on this topic. Books with related titles are research-oriented, theme-oriented, or focusing on specific topics like environmental, material, or social issues. This book aims at exploring the field of design for sustainability with in-depth insights on multiple levels. This book helps students gain an overview of the topic and include insights in their future studies. Overall, the book provides opportunities for instructors to share these perspectives. Additionally, it helps establish a structured course system with a multitude of advanced cases, several interrelated themes, as well as insights into the theoretical underpinning of design for sustainability.

The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.