Nils Wiberg, interaction designer and partner at Gagarín, recently hosted an intense workshop on designing speculative assemblies alongside Thomas Pausz, Critical Designer and Assistant Professor in Design. This collaborative event was held for the MA Design & New Environments program at the Iceland University of the Arts and Studio Technogeographies at Design Academy Eindhoven. The course was organized with assistance from Anna Diljá Sigurðardóttir, a design researcher specializing in communication and information design.
Seeing creativity permeate borders and disciplines was exhilarating. Great to see that tomorrow's designers are ready to disrupt the status quo and forge new realities and populate them with objects that cast shadows into ours Nils Wiberg
Imaginary Interventions
Students explored speculative possibilities through a quadrant tool that situates ideas in various future realms. This tool encouraged participants to stretch their imaginations and situate their assemblies provocatively, with peer reviews that crossed disciplines and borders. An assembly in this new world was envisioned by each student.
Policy Instrumentalization
The workshop examined how speculative assemblies could function as policy tools, shaping and reflecting societal concerns. Through questioning foundational assumptions, more thoughtful, equitable design pathways were opened. A symbol representing each assembly was developed.
Diegetic Prototypes
Students created “diegetic prototypes”—artifacts from imagined worlds intended to spark dialogue and introspection. From table flags to branded pens, each prototype represented the essence of the speculative assemblies, inviting reflection on issues of power, representation, and voice.
What is speculative design?
It’s a method for exploring realities that are next door to ours with small shifts in values and power structures. By opening doors into this speculative space, deeper insight can be gained into possible futures and alternative nows.
What are diegetic prototypes?
These are artifacts that interrogates how a world works, not by showing all of it but imbuing it in an object.
This workshop not only ignited students' imaginations but also equipped them with the tools to envision and design futures that challenge and inspire.
Poster made by student Janek Beau.