
This year parts of our data physicalization research are presented on the Dutch Design Week together with several ongoing projects within the #Brightlands ecosystem. This Sunday will be the last day of this year’s #DDW2022.
Cool to see so many new projects and to catch up with the network for applied design research #NADR , thanks for the fabulous dinner.
Our presented project, the key to the future, is part of our ongoing visualizing climate change initiative:
Understanding climate change is not just about the rise of CO2 Emissions but also mitigation. To explain the underlying mechanisms, we investigate novel concepts to enhance the understanding of those. One example is the key of the future.
The key, which has a physical and a blockchain component, is composed of several cubes: each cube represents a municipality in Limburg. The size represents the amount of renewable energy per inhabitant in the present, and a small orange cube inside indicates the amount ten years ago. In this period, the share of renewable energy has grown by almost 700%, and it was initially so small that it could hardly be represented with an orange cube.
The object is thus a data-driven symbol that we should not see the world as it was, but how much more beautiful and sustainable it can become.
Also good to see that visualization and working with data is getting a more prominent role within design and design research.