Utopia for designers: Making the unthinkable possible

“A map of the world that does not include Utopia is not worth even glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at which Humanity is always landing. And when Humanity lands there, it looks out, and, seeing a better country, sets sail. Progress is the realization of Utopias.” - Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)

Wilde’s words are every bit as resonant today. From a global pandemic resulting in the worst economic crisis in living memory to state-sanctioned violence to climate change-induced wildfires, America is up in flames— literally.

We’ve reached a critical juncture as a nation and it is more critical now than ever for us to dare to dream of a radically different future. Enter: utopian thought. Every milestone of modern civilization — the end of slavery, democracy, equal rights for women — was once dismissed as an unimaginable utopian fantasy. When imagining utopias, we are forced to acknowledge, question, and ultimately re-define what we take for granted, like social inequality. Whether or not the utopia is realizable is immaterial — and therein lies the power of utopian thought. Every utopian vision starts with the injustices of today.

In order to do so, we must first revive the art of dreaming. And who better to do so than designers? Designers are no strangers to creative thinking, as evidenced by the rapid pace of design-driven innovation in the technological sector. Blending theory with anecdotal evidence and peppered with examples of practical application, this talk offers a nuanced yet unflinching look at utopias through the lens of design. Join us as we critically examine the role of utopian thought in making the unthinkable possible.