Alternative Design

Serious Play: Gaming for Global Good goes into the future of game-based learning and education, exploring the potential of games to drive community engagement and global change. Manuela Colombo, Executive Director at Livelab, discusses using games to empower communities to discover their collective power and find solutions for real-world challenges. The episode highlights the impact of game-based learning and the unique approach of the X Journey game. It explores the intersection of gamification, education, student activism, and community engagement, providing a perspective on the future of learning environments and the importance of collaborative gaming in solving regional challenges and fostering intergenerational learning communities. The episode also addresses the challenges in implementing innovative approaches in education, emphasizing how games can be a powerful tool for driving positive change on a global scale. Livelab website For donations More about the NGO More about Live Lab games> https://www.instagram.com/jornadax/

Kimball International proudly hosted Alternative Conversations: Attracting the New Higher Ed Learner, drawing together a panel of designers and industry leaders to discuss the future of academia. Against the backdrop of an ever-evolving educational landscape, the discussion illuminated key insights shaping the direction of higher education. Listen to this episode for the highlights of the conversation that promise to inform and inspire designers and educational leaders alike. Panel Recording

Get ready for the launch of Alternative Design, a groundbreaking multimedia platform that empowers designers to become catalysts for positive change. Through thought-provoking podcasts, blog articles, immersive videos, and conversations, Alternative Design showcases the latest trends, innovations, and best practices in design, sustainability, technology, and social responsibility. We feature interviews with industry leaders, visionaries, and change-makers who are pushing the boundaries of what's possible and shaping the future of design. Alternative Design is your go-to destination for staying ahead of the curve and making a positive difference. Join us as we launch Alternative Design, your gateway to a world of possibilities in design and beyond.

Join us as we explore the landscape of lifelong learning and the evolution of educational spaces. Heather McGowan, future-of-work strategist, keynote speaker, thought leader, researcher, and author, leads us through a paradigm shift away from a linear model of learning and career paths toward a lifestyle characterized by perpetual growth and adaptability. This “Live. Work. Learn.” lifestyle will feature learning that is lifelong and personalized to the student and will change the way both classrooms and public spaces are designed. Heather's Website: https://heathermcgowan.com/ Heather's YouTube Channel of Talk Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@heatheremcgowan/videos

Welcome to Season 4 of the Alternative Design podcast! Join us as we envision a future where education seamlessly integrates into daily life. Explore the changes that will reshape how we live, work, and learn, from AI mentors guiding task prioritization to children testing different aspects of the corporate experience while still in school. In the year 2030, colleges and businesses come together to connect students to potential employers and mentors within their field of interest and ensure educational programs create job-ready graduates. Discover how popular campus spaces may be reimagined as libraries are transformed into immersive technology upskilling centers and outdated dormitories are reconfigured into hotels aimed at guests participating in “micro-sabbaticals”. Education will extend beyond classrooms and learning will take place in unlikely places. Listen in to witness the emergence of a new era of lifelong learning, where education is everywhere, all at once. Read the blog, Education in 2030: Four Forecasts Shaping the Future of Learning.

A brand new season of Alternative Design is dropping March 6th on the Future of Education. We're discussing what the latest global trends mean for the future of education and why it matters to creatives who will be designing learning environments! The season will, of course, include a forecast of what we think the education industry could look like by 2028 and include topics like lifelong learning, climate change, corporate upskilling, gamified curriculum, and everyday activism. We'll have innovators, thought leaders, educators, and fellow futurists help us focus on what's next and how your education projects can be more "future-ready". Come shape the future with us!

Welcome to the season finale episode of the Alternative Design podcast. In "Sitting is the New Side Hustle," we reveal our forecast for the Future of Work in 2030. We explore a world where furniture coordinates everything from personal data collection to generating extra income from energy-producing surfaces. Join us as we delve into the seamless integration of work and life, where values and purpose hold more significance than a paycheck. Employees thrive in a world where access is valued over ownership, leading to innovative co-ownership and new subscription models. Discover how the role of the designer will evolve to include "placemaking" of environments found within and beyond traditional office spaces. Stick around after the forecast as we provide 5 practical takeaways for designers to implement today, shaping a better future! Download Episode Transcript Read Forecast Watch The Workplace in 2030: 5 Trends to Watch

Imagine earning college credits by watching Youtube videos on your phone – that’s the reality Study Hall is crafting! Born out of a partnership between Youtube, Arizona State University, and Crash Course, Study Hall is breaking down barriers to education and signals a coming shift in the modern workplace. That’s right, in the not-so-distant future, your office won’t just be where you work, it’ll be where you learn and your boss may become your professor. In this role twist, designers will need to understand how to design personalized learning journeys in both digital and physical spaces that support upskilling of employees to adapt to new technologies. Join us as we give you the tools you need to design workplaces of the future to support lifelong learning. Download Episode Transcript Read Blog

Welcome to the future of office spaces, as seen through the eyes of Stanley Sun from Mason Studio. Stanley's innovative approach brings a new perspective on how offices can be co-owned by employees and the community. Stanley’s vision goes beyond redefining physical spaces. It’s about discovering new revenue streams for businesses that also create meaningful connections and foster community building. We talk about their experience in transforming their office into a cultural hub during Toronto's DesignTO festival, a space that truly reflected their company's values. Get ready for an exciting conversation that challenges the conventional workspace and brings the future of shared office spaces to life. Download Episode Transcript Read Blog

In this second segment of Crafting Culture and Belonging, we revisit the microbrewery Ferndale Project. Join us to discover how their unexpected challenges allowed them to discover their culture. At Kimball International, we know culture can make or break our sense of belonging. It’s no wonder Ferndale’s taproom redesign translated their values and 100% of employees reported they felt they could be themselves at work. But how do we translate the welcoming atmosphere of craft breweries to the workplace? We share the findings of our latest behavioral study conducted with Arigami that ties belonging, culture, and furniture together through the lens of neuroscience. Turns out furniture has a lot to do with belonging! Click on the following link to claim your CEU credits (AIA/HSW, IDCEC/HSW): https://www.ceuevents.com/online-audio-courses/kimball_international/crafting_culture_belonging_part Download Episode Transcript Read Blog

In this special two-part episode of the Alternative Design podcast, we're taking a tour of the craft beer world, starting with my local brewery, Ferndale Project. Dayne Bartscht joins us as the Founder and Managing Partner of Ferndale Project to share how they intentionally built a symbiotic relationship with the local community, a concept that Colleen Myles, a political ecologist and beer geography expert, refers to as "fermented landscapes". We'll make some interesting connections between microbreweries and the workplace by exploring how the shared ideas of craft, community, and culture can elevate our sense of belonging. As we see an emerging trend of companies relocating to smaller mixed use environments, including the move to Fulton Market in our own industry, it begs an important question for the future of work. Could inviting the local community into the office experience amplify our sense of belonging? This is Episode 18: Crafting Culture and Belonging Part 1. Download Episode Transcript Read Blog Check out Colleen's author pages on The Conversation and Forbes.com. Visit her website. To check out her book "Fermented Landscapes" click here.

Welcome to the Season 3 premiere of the Alternative Design podcast. Mark Bryan, Senior Foresight Manager at the Future Today Institute, unveils his scenario of the future set in 2026. He envisions a world where decentralized organizations, gratitude silos, and AI clients shape the design profession. He also helps us discover how foresight is the key to designing spaces that not only stand the test of time, but responsibly shape a more sustainable and inclusive future for all. Click on the following link to claim your CEU credits (AIA/HSW, IDCEC/HSW): https://ceuevents.com/online-audio-courses/kimball_international/designing_tomorrow_a_forecast Download Episode Transcript Read Blog

We rethink acoustic design as we explore everything from vibro-acoustic nightclubs and generative music to ancient Egyptian sound chambers. Sound is more than what we hear in our ears, it’s what we feel with our entire body. Instead of something to absorb with dense panels and soft furnishings, what if we embraced sound as a design tool that could create better human experiences for everyone? We talk to Gen Cleary, a Wellness Entertainment Sound Producer for some of the world’s most notable nightclubs and Founder of the HUM, an exhibition launched at this year’s SXSW that joined music and vibro-acoustic therapy for an immersive healing experience. We also talk to Jon Otis, Founder of the Object Agency and Professor at Pratt, who’s research and personal passion on the relationship between space and sound offers new ways of experimenting and implementing alternative sound ideas in the built environment. Further Reading: The Sound of Space and the Space of Sound Let's Make Some Noise

Instead of debating whether commute reimbursements or paid lunches will get people back into the offices, we decided to explore a more alternative solution. Belonging is one the most desired outcomes in the workplace today, even more than productivity! We believe the power to motivate employees and support well-being could lie in the five senses and how they could be leveraged to create places to belong. Our Ignite Your Senses event we recently held in Atlanta featured a Panel Discussion with Chef Freddy Money of Atlas and the Garden Room, Clint Zeagler, Wearable Tech Researcher at Georgia Tech, Ari Peralta, Sensory Designer and Neuroscientist, and Tara Headley, Interior Designer at IA and IIDA Georgia Chapter President. Tune in to hear their ideas on how to design for the "sense" of belonging.

Join us as we discuss alternative solutions for victims of climate change. In this episode of the Alternative Design podcast, we're talking about the world's forgotten victims, also known as climate refugees. There will be a massive amount of people who will be forced to move their home, their family, and their community to a safer location due to climate change. Some of them will have the choice. Others won't. But what we need are alternative design solutions like floating cities and paper partition shelters that will offer them a place to belong. We're chatting with Pritzker Prize winning architect, Shigeru Ban, Chief Engineer at Oceanix, Matteo Pietrobelli, and Senior Fellow at the Sustainability Innovation Lab at Colorado Boulder, Gunars Platais. The story of Ioane Teiotia was told based on the facts presented by these news sources. Foreign Policy BBC World News BBC World News BBC World News For more information on Oceanix, check out this link. To Donate to Shigeru Ban, check out this link at the bottom of the page.

We know that '80s throwbacks are having a moment right now, and so in the spirit of the retro trend we decided to make you a mix tape. It's essentially our greatest hits album of our most alternative, boundary breaking design ideas that we explored in season 1. But what about the awesome jams? I mean, it is a mixtape after all! Don't worry, the highlight reel is set to our brand new Alternative Design music album. So you'll get the very best of all things podcast and all things music! We hope you love it. Check out the Alternative Design Music Album

What if we are missing a transformational opportunity to rethink the experience of space by only “checking the boxes” on accessibility standards? We take a deep dive into the etymology of “normal” and discuss how this term has propped up power structures that have continued to limit how marginalized bodies experience space. Tune in as we discuss how the built environment can go “beyond access” to embrace equity and support differences. Our guests are AJ Paron, SANDOW Design Group Executive President and Design Futurist; Joshua A. Halstead, Art Center College of Design and Designmatters Teacher and Design Activist; Matt May, Head of Inclusive Design for Adobe. Buy Joshua's book.

What if the answer to reclaiming our atmosphere lies in using more concrete? What if concrete could mineralize billions of tons of carbon and store it permanently in the built environment? In this episode we're featuring the COO of the Foundation for Climate Restoration and eco-anxiety expert, Dr. Erica Dodds. We also speak to the CEO of Blue Planet Systems, Dr. Brent Constantz, and Director of Mineralized CO2 Commercialization, Dougal Heap. Further Reading: https://foundationforclimaterestoration.org/ https://www.blueplanetsystems.com/ https://www.carbonstar.org/

What if personalized color therapy experiences could influence our body, mind, and emotions in a profound way? As designers, we prescribe colors in the built environment to promote positive human outcomes. We know humans are deeply sensitive to the energy of color, but what you may not know is that your unique perception of color is dictated by much more than your eyes. A promising solution to creating personal experiences in a shared space is the Metaverse, and we are going to explore what lies at the intersection of color, humans, and technology. Our guest is Ari Peralta, Founding Partner at Arigami, an internationally recognized playground dedicated to sensory transformation, and Partner at Mycoocoon, a leading color therapy software company. Together, we underscore the need for emotional balance tools in every space, both digital and physical, and how color could be used as a catalyst for personal transformation. Further Reading: https://www.mycoocoon.com/colormoodreport https://www.mycoocoon.com/

We explore an architectural experiment in the middle of the Nevada desert known as Black Rock City. Every summer, Burning Man Project hosts a temporary city that draws thousands of people to celebrate the ceremonial burning of a human effigy known as “the Man”. Attendees are invited to test their limits, embrace a spirit of gifting, and radically express themselves in Black Rock City for nine days. Many designers and urban planners see the city as a potential blueprint for local communities as it boasts an iterative design process that could address some of the greatest challenges of our time. We talk to Burning Man's Associate Director of Community Events, Steven Raspa, and City Planning and Placement Manager, Bryant Tan to explore what Burning Man has to offer the design community concerning innovation, radical participation, and risk taking. To check out the 10 Principles of Burning Man look at: https://burningman.org/about/10-principles/ To explore the design entries for Fly Ranch check out: http://landartgenerator.org/competition2020.html