The future(s) of circular design in the Asia-Pacific region

As the world grapples with the pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century, the importance of adopting sustainable and circular design practices has become undeniable. The closing session of CDW 2024 featured experts hailing from different parts of the Asia-Pacific —— Justin McGuirk, Director of the Future Observatory, Donna Cleveland, Interim Dean of the School of Communication & Design at RMIT Vietnam, Daijiro Mizuno, Deputy Director of the Center for the Possible Futures at Kyoto Institute of Technology, and Tomas Diez,
Co-Founder/ Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Fab City Foundation —— offering unique insights on how each region can contribute to circular design practices.

Bioregioning involves aligning design practices with the unique characteristics of a specific region, emphasizing the interconnectedness of natural ecosystems and local communities. Taiwan, with its distinctive island structure and diverse regional characteristics, was identified as an ideal place to explore bioregional design. Justin McGuirk noted that Taiwan’s geographical features and political commitment to design make it a strong candidate for leading efforts in bioregional thinking and doing.

Taiwan’s island nature means that its ecosystems are more contained, making it easier to apply bioregional principles that align human activities with natural systems. This approach would allow for sustainable, localized economies and systems that minimize waste and promote resource efficiency. By understanding and incorporating the ecological boundaries of Taiwan's regions, designers can create solutions that are tailored to local needs, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen the local economy.

The potential of bioregioning was also discussed in terms of the opportunity to connect different regions of the Asia-Pacific. The panelists recognized that the region’s vast diversity——from Vietnam’s rural landscapes to Indonesia’s sprawling archipelago——presents an exciting opportunity to experiment with bioregional design across multiple geographies. The ability to design solutions that are adapted to local natural systems, while still being part of a broader regional strategy, holds great promise for the Asia-Pacific as a leader in circular design.

The potential of indigenous knowledge to inspire circular design was a key theme in the panel discussion, tempered with caution against over-romanticizing these practices. Not all traditional or indigenous methods are universally applicable, and blindly reproducing them in different contexts would not necessarily bring about desirable futures for human beings and the land they co-inhabit. Instead, the focus should be on identifying actionable insights that improve our ways of doing and being in a world of More-Than-Human relationalities.

McGuirk highlighted Eduardo Kohn’s perspective on the spiritual bond between hunters and their prey in certain indigenous cultures. Hunting, he explained, transcends survival, embodying profound respect and even spiritual transformation——such as a hunter “becoming” a jaguar in dreams. McGuirk likened this relationship to diplomacy, where coexistence with nature is negotiated. He pointed to movements granting legal rights to rivers as an example of incorporating such values into modern systems, emphasizing that the West is rediscovering what many cultures, such as Buddhist traditions, have long embraced.

Mizuno introduced the concept of timekeeping, which aligns the varied lifespans of humans, plants, animals, and geological entities. Indigenous practices, he noted, often reflect a nuanced understanding of these layered timelines, enabling sustainable coexistence.

Daijiro Mizuno and Edward Masui (moderator)

The panel underscored that the goal is not to replicate indigenous practices but to learn from and adapt them for contemporary contexts. Understanding temporal alignments and negotiating with different entities offer pathways to a more respectful coexistence with/in More-Than-Human worlds.

Circular economy, when approached haphazardly as a simple prescription to our waste crisis, risks legitimizing continued overproduction, exacerbating the problem instead of addressing its root cause. Industries often perpetuate the cycle of mass production, consumption, and recycling——an energy-intensive process grounded in the same mass-consumption mindset.

McGuirk illustrated the problem through the metaphor of an overflowing bathtub. Efforts to recycle are comparable to mopping up the water on the floor while the tap remains on. The priority, he stressed, should be “turning off the tap”——reducing excessive production instead of merely managing its aftermath.

Another growing concern is the trend of framing circularity through service-based models. Major brands often resort to offering their clothes, shoes, and furniture all as subscription services in their effort to become circular. While these models efficiently close material loops, they risk commodifying basic needs, turning ownership into overdependence on corporate services. This approach, focused on efficiency and affordability, often overlooks an essential element of circular design: emotional durability. Mizuno added that corporations tend to “overlook” emotional durability, which encourages longer use and greater care for items, due to difficulties in measurement and evaluation.

The shift toward circularity involves not just technological solutions but also a fundamental change in how society views ownership, value, and consumption. Circular design goes beyond extending product lifespans or reducing waste: reshaping policies that prioritize thoughtful regulations over outright bans, focusing on when and for which products materials might be used; redefining product design principles; and creating new values and ways of living through alternative stories.

The discussion also centered on the challenges posed by populism, the pervasive influence of convenience, and the potential of bioregioning as a counterforce to these trends. The panel explored issues such as why reactionary movements gain traction, the difficulties of promoting sustainable and community-driven alternatives, and the necessity of fostering agency through small-scale interventions.

Diez highlighted the rapid rise of populist movements, attributing it to effective use of narratives and communication channels. He noted that those who advocate for sustainability and progressive change often find themselves in echo chambers, failing to capture public attention in the same way. A key challenge is competing in the “battle of convenience” – bad decisions are often more convenient. Part of the reason why socially and environmentally conscious movements struggle is that they do not offer immediate, tangible benefits that outweigh the ease of mainstream consumer culture. Diez emphasized the need to redefine the agenda in a way that aligns with these realities while still promoting ethical and sustainable choices.

McGuirk reinforced this idea, arguing that bioregioning presents an alternative to the convenience-driven economy. Acknowledging that engaging in bioregioning is inherently inconvenient compared to globalized, mass-produced solutions, he proposed that people might still choose this path if they find it rewarding, emphasizing that disenfranchisement——both economic and political——drives many towards populism. Providing meaningful engagement in local economies and communities could counteract this trend by fostering a sense of purpose and agency.

Diez further elaborated on the concept of agency, pointing out that many people feel powerless in the face of global issues such as pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation. He suggested that rather than adopting a purely reactionary stance against capitalism or existing systems, efforts should be directed toward building new models——starting small and demonstrating viable alternatives. He advocated for localized interventions, such as improving a small section of a street rather than attempting large-scale transformations all at once.

To enable such small-scale actions, ensuring wide access to tools and knowledge is key. Diez highlighted that modern technology provides unprecedented opportunities for grassroots action. The availability of smartphones, digital resources, and prototyping tools makes it easier than ever to initiate community-driven projects, reinforcing the idea that meaningful change can start on a small scale and grow incrementally.

The discussion underscored the need to rethink activism and sustainability in ways that acknowledge human tendencies toward convenience while fostering agency at the local level. While reactionary populism thrives on disenfranchisement, engaging communities in tangible, rewarding projects could provide a meaningful alternative. By leveraging small-scale interventions and accessible tools, a new model of sustainability and social engagement can emerge——one that is practical, empowering, and capable of challenging dominant, convenience-driven narratives.