Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Walking off the garden path

Electronic data

  • RTD2015_Garden Path

    Final published version, 2.13 MB, PDF document

    Available under license: CC BY-SA

Links

Text available via DOI:

View graph of relations

Walking off the garden path: a design journey

Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSNConference contribution/Paperpeer-review

Published
Publication date25/03/2015
Host publicationProceedings of Research Through Design 2015
Number of pages14
<mark>Original language</mark>English
EventResearch Through Design: 21st Century Makers and Materialities - Microsoft Research, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Duration: 14/07/201427/03/2015

Conference

ConferenceResearch Through Design: 21st Century Makers and Materialities
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityCambridge
Period14/07/1427/03/15

Conference

ConferenceResearch Through Design: 21st Century Makers and Materialities
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityCambridge
Period14/07/1427/03/15

Abstract

This paper illustrates various digital-nature artefacts, which emerged from a reflective design journey to enhance and support novel connections to nature in a garden.
The research imperative is to explore possibilities for the design of digital technologies for changing people’s interpretation of a National Trust
garden, encouraging encounters through the artefacts that take visitors
off the garden path and reawaken them to the “presence” of the garden. The process began with an exploration of the criticisms and possibilities
of technologies suggested within the writings of Heidegger, Borgmann
and Feenberg, which were complemented by insights from natural history writers such as Deakin. These writings guided the design sensibilities for the creation of a collection of interpretation artefacts including Audio Apples, Rhubaphones and a Nature Meditation Egg. Much of the work was situated in a Walled Kitchen Garden managed by National Trust.
Research through design complements the research philosophy because it demands space for reflection and conversation, and enables inclusion of different voices within the design journey. The methodology has helped address the question of whether a design lens that begins with criticism of technology can change the way we design, and the artefacts produced.