Social and Ecological Engagement in Design (SEED): A novel integrative approach for just transitions to the Symbiocene

Earth scientists now argue that we are leaving the Holocene epoch and entering a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene (Steffen et al. 2007). The design process and the outcomes it contributes can be considered part of the problem in the Anthropocene – from coal fired power stations, to fossil fuel powered motor cars, and the proliferation of plastic products (Boyden 2004). Arguably, an anthropocentric mindset in the design professions – as illustrated by the concept of ‘human-centred design’ – must be reassessed (Forlano 2016; Coulton and Lindley 2019; Jones 2022). Given the Triple Planetary Crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution), we need to rapidly transition to design approaches that foster the wellbeing of people and the planet (Boyden 2004). At Western Sydney University, we are developing a novel design approach called Social and Ecological Engagement in Design (SEED) that integrates social and ecological considerations in design thinking. SEED provides a structured approach to enable students to think more holistically about contemporary societal challenges and to identify positive sustainable outcomes. We envisage SEED as a design methodology to enable just transitions from the Anthropocene to the Symbiocene.