The best way to predict the future is to design it Exploration in future possibilities from an Industrial Design perspective Alexander Jayko Fossland Department of Product Design Norwegian University of Science and Technology ABSTRACT The main problem discussed is what one should design towards in general terms and what rationale can back up designing in general. The article is aimed at professional designers and students of design looking to broaden their philosophical basis for design practice. R. Buckminster Fuller’s literature is assessed. Critical questions are raised about the industrial design profession, constructive and destructive abilities are discovered. Through Fuller’s perspectives, open source, open design, digital fabrication and the blockchain are found to be potential remedies for humanity’s shortcomings in sustainably operating Spaceship Earth. KEYWORDS: R. Buckminster Fuller, Industrial Design, Total human success, Spaceship Earth, Ephemeralization, Real Wealth, Open Source, Open Design, the Blockchain, Digital Fabrication. 1. INTRODUCTION consideration, in addition the analyses of digital fabrication, open source, open design and This article discusses perspectives, principles and blockchain technology is assessed through implications of R. Buckminster Fuller´s philosophy published articles. in the light of modern industrial design. It tries to establish a consensus about what we should 1.1 Origins design towards, and what a designer’s responsibility and contributions could be. Finally In exploring the role of industrial designers, a it looks at concepts in contemporary technology preliminary understanding of the origins of the relevant to Fullers visions and ideas. Industrial Design profession is required. The question of whether Industrial Designers are true This article reviews literature from the following advocates for innovation or profit-driven stylists texts by R. Buckminster Fuller; Operating Manual is raised. for Spaceship Earth, Education Automation, Ideas and Integrities, Synergetics, Utopia or Oblivion, It R. Buckminster Fuller points out that “The name came to pass – Not to stay and Critical Path. industrial design was invented about 1926 by the Further, concepts from the book Open Design professional advertising company forefathers of now by Bas Van Abel, Lucas Evers, Roel Klaassen what is now known as Madison Avenue on behalf and Peter Troxler, as well as Design for the Real of large banking groups investing in the World by Victor Papanek are taken into automobile industry.”[1] (P.101) The assertion The best way to predict the future is to design it 1 here is that real innovation was too expensive for adopted a functional emphasis and sense of securing profitable investments into automotive responsibility, as the products were not intended industry. At the same time the public had to sell, but to be used to keep people alive. This acquired a deep sense of appreciation for the point highlights designer’s important abilities in a inventiveness of the automobile industry, certain mindset. If the right emphasis and goal is displayed annually at car shows. The solution to integral in design practice, useful products and this dilemma was the invention of the industrial services emerge. What this emphasis and goal designer, and his tool of choice, the airbrush. The could be is discussed later on. authentic inventors in the car industry where dismissed and the public was exposed to a series Moreover in today's world of increasingly of cars that were robbed of genuine specialized specialists, we find that the designer inventiveness replaced by artificial face-lifts. also has an important contribution to make in providing a holistic perspective and vocabulary. Similarly Victor Papanek in his book, Design for Papanek notes: “Frequently the designer may be the real world points out: “In America, Industrial the only one who speaks the various technical Design, … was a child of the depression. At first jargons.”[2] In an era of ever more complex glance the swollen belly of a child suffering from projects and inventions, the need for bridging malnutrition gives it the appearance of being well gaps between specialized academic languages is fed; later you notice the emaciated arms and becoming evident. In other words, designers are legs. The products of early American industrial able to comprehensively understand projects and design convey the same sleek obesity and have communicate across multiple specialized the same weaknesses. For the Depression languages. [3] market, the manufacturer needed a new sales gimmick, and the industrial designer reshaped his Designers are also capable in non-algorithmic products for better appearance and lower working processes. They have methods for manufacturing and sales cost.”[2] working on problems or potentials without the need for a defined outcome, or a well-defined Emphasizing the superficial origin of industrial process. There are numerous models depicting design, Papanek also mentions: “Harald Van the design process, trying to make sense of, and Doren, Norman Bel Geddes, Raymond Loewy, structure the methodology of design, but Russel Wright, Henry Dreyfuss, Donald Deskey, convincing narratives are also proposing that and Walter Dorwin Teague were the pioneering general algorithms for design are impossible, as practitioners of design in America. It is significant designers deal with what Rittel and Webber that all of them came from the field of (theater) refers to as wicked problems [4]. stage design and/or window display. “ [2] The following section highlights perspectives 1.2 Established abilities mainly proposed by R. Buckminster Fuller that are found useful for designers, then the concept In contrast to the corrupted origin of the of Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Revolution industrial design profession, constructive and is discussed as a practice incorporating these useful abilities have developed. Argued by both perspectives, finally contemporary trends and Fuller and Papanek, [1-3] World War 2 had technology found relevant to Fullers perspectives positive effects on the profession. In a time of and prognostications are examined. material scarcity and a forced focus on survival needs, the industrial designers working on 2. PERSPECTIVES commercial products were steered in a direction of honest and functional design. Designers who The dystopian origins of the Industrial Design took on the needs of the army, also quickly profession, combined with its established The best way to predict the future is to design it 2 beneficial abilities can leave a paranoia vastness of space, gave them a sense of concerning a lack of direction. One’s own protectiveness for Earth, her ecology and for Professional pride in beneficial abilities has little other people.[7] value if these abilities can only be seen in a monetary context. When students are taught to This perspective is so important because it has utilize their talents exclusively as capitals tool to the potential to give designers a glimpse of a exploit humanity’s curiosity towards newness, unified human family. His Holiness the Dalai confidence and self-esteem is displaced by Lama also expresses the importance of such a distrust in design and oneself as a representative perspective[8]. Regarded often as a religious of the industrial design profession. leader, it is noteworthy that he stresses the fact that he is first and foremost a human being. No Designers of today should dare to be matter what religion, country, political party, autonomous in their thinking. Thoroughly assess profession or education one associates the the job at hand to see if it is really worth their strongest with, we are all human. Later we will attention. In achieving this self-reliance and trust discuss the concept of comprehensive in one's own judgment, perspectives mainly anticipatory design revolution, and we will here found in Fullers literature are proposed to guide review the importance of designers incorporating designers in their own thought development. a solid comprehension and perspective regarding humanity’s role in the Universe. 2.1 Spaceship Earth 2.2 Real wealth “There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew” - Marshall McLuan. From this planetary perspective of our great spaceship Earth soaring through space, the Buckminster Fuller originally coined the term notion of wealth is examined. Creating wealth is Spaceship Earth. It is in itself a powerful a noble concern, but only if a sensible definition statement and could be an essential building of wealth is in place. Fuller provides an block for a designer’s perspective on the world. interesting definition: “We assume the measure In realizing that the Earth we currently inhabit is of real wealth to be the magnitude of a chunk of matter flying through the emptiness technologically organized capabilities of of space at incredible speeds, we obtain a humanity to cope with the life support of so sobering affirmation regarding our priorities. We many humans for so many forward days under need to obtain a perspective incorporating the reasonably predictable Life-favoring totality of our spaceship, not just look at one environmental conditions” [9] (p. 95). This nation, one town or one political issue. We need definition provides a refreshingly new and much to understand that we are on a spaceship needed emphasis on the collective human miraculously capable of sustaining life aspects of wealth. It outlines what one could call regeneratively, in an otherwise cold