Ecological Design Thinking

This postgraduate programme in Ecological Design Thinking will help to create a global network of design educators and practitioners able to respond to pressing economic, social and ecological challenges. It will enable students to play an active and transformative role in communities as we meet the challenge of transitioning to low carbon, high well-being and resilient places and systems. Never has there been a more important time for a new approach to design.

students on an ecological design courseThe programme is rooted in an exploration of ecosystem dynamics, trends and behaviour, and socio-cultural systems and dynamics. It will focus on the design of the built environment and the connected ecological and social systems and services, but students will also be encouraged to apply lessons from nature to the design of all of our systems – political, economic, educational and sociocultural. Together, we will explore how transdiscplinary, collaborative teams can solve complex problems, and how using approaches from nature to shape all of our relationships might help us to create healthy, durable, resilient, just, and prosperous communities.

Students will experiment with new ways of working first in studio where they will apply the principles of Ecological Design, and then through a series of short placements with partner organisations. They will be introduced to facilitation and participation techniques, and will be involved in the co-production of both the design, and the full lifecycle of projects.

There will be a particular focus in the studio sessions on the design of settlements and the connected ecological and social systems and services. Taught elements will include input from leaders in the fields of ecological design, ecology, climate change, new economics and social change from around the world.

This programme is the fourth postgraduate programme to be developed at Schumacher College and will contribute to and enhance the ongoing collaborative i