Proactive Design: Nurturing Creativity and Preparing the Soil
Using ecological metaphors and a range of practical activities and provocations, this phase is about preparing the soil; nurturing the conditions in which meaningful, purpose-driven design can take root. It invites designers to slow down, observe deeply, and cultivate awareness of patterns, relationships, and systems over time. It is the act of looking and seeing, of building creative resilience and a proactive stance through openness, experimentation, curiosity, and reflection.
Proactive Design is the formative stage that precedes (“pre-seed”) the SEED framework, currently being developed through PhD research and practice.
It focuses on seeking opportunity, innovation, and creative potential. It represents the years of imaginative and systems thinking development, creative skill-building, and interdisciplinary exploration that occur before a brief is written or a problem is even identified.
The PROACTIVE Design conceptual framework charts this development:
Groundwork
This stage is about laying the groundwork that is conducive to creativity; establishing the conditions for innovation to flourish. It involves understanding the context, immersing oneself in the system, and being open to diverse perspectives. It’s about absorbing information, being curious, and reflecting on what’s observed.
- Preparation
- Research
- Observation
Cultivation and Sprouting
Gathered insights are gradually pieced together, forming a cohesive idea or range of ideas. It’s about connecting the dots, fostering collaborations, and adapting existing knowledge to conceive fresh insights. Once ideas are formed, they’re put to the test. This stage is about refining, iterating, and integrating feedback to ensure the solution is both innovative and functional.
- Adaptation
- Conceptualisation
- Testing
- Integration
Flourishing and Future Potential
This stage is about looking ahead and forecasting. It’s about ensuring the design not only serves the present but also considers the future. It encompasses the ethical implications and the long-term impact of the design.
Proactive Design implores designers to be holistic thinkers, to navigate the intricate space between past lessons, present challenges, and future possibilities. It’s about crafting outcomes that are innovative, responsive, and ethical.
- Vision
- Ethics
By embedding slow, reflective practice and interdisciplinary learning, Proactive Design enriches the SEED process.
Grow the tree, share the fruit.
Matthew Lahoud, PhD Candidate
Planetary Health In Action: Nurturing the Well-being of People, Place, and Planet (Robba, Lahoud and Capon, 2021)
This graphic was conceived for our students to keep value sets and ethos in the forefront of their minds when approaching their design projects. For them, it was important to build eco-literacy in combination with the stated objectives, for; shared values, shared commitments, shared benefits through shared stories. The interdisciplinary link between art, science, and design are uniquely positioned as a knowledge and cultural exchange to express and disseminate complex issues.
Designing for
a Sustainable Future
At SEED Lab, we drive transformative change in design by embedding social and ecological values into every project. Our innovative approach aims to create a more sustainable and equitable world, prioritising both human and planetary health to inspire positive change in communities and ecosystems.
We aspire to lead a global shift towards sustainable and responsible design. By merging academic insights with real-world applications, we aim to set new standards for innovation and resilience.
We envision a future where every design project fosters ecological and social well-being, empowering designers and researchers to make a meaningful difference and valuable contribution to our planet.
