Mending by Design: Making Bags to Ideate Mending Excess Waste in the Ecological Environment Through the Aesthetic Lens in Design
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Authors
Mowatt, Una
Supervisor
Jowsey, Sue
Item type
Thesis
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Publisher
Auckland University of Technology
Abstract
Using a design-based ideation process, I have paid attention to how sensory aesthetics can communicate ecological narratives. This research project considers ways design can creatively raise awareness of product and material excess. Applying a mending-drawing philosophy, I have explored how felted wool can be used to make bespoke shopping bags. The ideation process employed to create these works is personal and evolving. Through ideating, I have been able to think, reflect and make thoughtful products. ‘Mending’ as an ethos has also guided my decision-making and provoked me to experiment with new tools and materials. The notion of aesthetics, when applied to design, is often interpreted as referring to ‘surface’ or ‘superficial’ attributes. I have questioned these assumptions, contemplating how aesthetics-in-design contribute to an understanding of the value and worth of a product. Set within an environmental conversation, the bags I have designed, speak to my ecological concerns and are part of a broader strategy to instigate change. These products draw attention to my understanding of our need to repair, restore and aid the recovery of planet Earth.Description
Keywords
Mending in Design, Sensory Aesthetics, Material Drawing, Washing machine felting