Restore the wounded; adapting mental models towards regenerative living

Master Research PZI  2022-24

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Imagine with your eyes closed, the wounded. Imagine her trauma, pain and emotions. Imagine the impact on her loved ones; their fear of possible loss while pinning the highest hope for any recovery. Imagine the wounded as your home. Imagine the wounded as your surroundings.  Such imagination is the current reality. As the solution to climate emergency progresses from sustainability to regeneration, the role of repair and renewal continues to stage as the most sensible way towards environmental recovery. 

 

In her 2 years Master Design program at the Piet Zwart Institute Rotterdam, Phyllis investigates methodologies on how a switch in mindset can assist us in entering the regenerative era. Presently she explores reformed approaches that focus on extended perspective, inclusivity within our ecological community and the assimilation of embracing empathy. These paradigm shifts touch on various systemic angles. They range from what kind of meaningful legacies we want to leave behind for the next generations, how we are giving other ecological species a voice to how we are emotionally connected to natural material.

 

While pursuing such a complex change of thinking, how can we ensure a just transition for all walks of life? For an upcoming PZI event, 'Expert Lecture' on 7th June 2023, Phyllis and fellow researcher Femke Coops will discuss some relevant pointers. Femke is a design researcher at the DIT (Design Impact Transition) platform and a PhD candidate at the Eindhoven University of Technology focusing on the topic of designing for transition and transformation. Femke believes and advocates that the notion of design can help make transitions a graspable and tangible undertaking. In contributing to Phyllis' research, Femke will share her expertise with design and transition approaches to address the process of accommodating change at both emotional and systematic levels.