Co-producing, curating and reconfiguring dwelling patterns: A design anthropological approach for sustainable dwelling futures in residential suburbs

• Published in: Design studies Vol. 74; p. 101011
• Main Authors: Palmieri, Teresa, Huybrechts, Liesbeth, Devisch, Oswald
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2021
• Subjects: design anthropology; design methods; design process(es); participatory design; sustainability; design anthropology; design process(es); participatory design; sustainability; design methods
• ISSN: 0142-694X; 1872-6909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.destud.2021.101011

The increasing polarization of sustainability debates has enhanced the need for designers to re-engage with the politics of sustainable futures. This paper explores these debates in Flemish suburban dwelling contexts, where sustainable development strategies such as densification and depaving trigger conflict between dwellers, policy-makers, designers and organisations. This research investigates how a design anthropological approach could enable design researchers to go beyond polarization by collaboratively researching the politics of how dwelling futures are being shaped in people's everyday lives. It explores the co-production, curation and reconfiguration of dwelling patterns; an approach that combines the situated approach of design anthropology and the dialogical approach of participatory design in engaging with the politics of everyday dwelling and dwelling futures. •Patterns can re-politicize participatory design processes for sustainable futures.•Co-producing patterns enables contextualization of dwelling futures in everyday life.•Curating a catalogue of patterns supports the reframing of dominant conversations.•Reconfiguring patterns supports ongoing dialogue with actors at multiple scale levels.