Project Specs

Project Duration: 3 Weeks

Platform: Web, Physical Objects

Software: Figma, Google Docs, Dall-e AI

Summary

In 2014 the annexation of Crimea by Russia occurred. Although scary, no one could have guess the ripple effect that this event set off. You are about to embark on a journey through time; despite the worst, and most violent quality of humanity— war— coming to light, and unprecedented odds against us, humanity might still be able to salvage the earth and survive. This is an optimistic outlook on a worst case scenario for the Russo-Ukraine war.

Methodology

Playing with material

I find it very helpful to play with materials and concepts for inspiration, especially when designing something speculative, so that I am not stuck in a box. I started my project by looking at old objects and seeing how I could manipulate them into a future product. I settled on an 8 track tape, Nat King Cole to be specific, and I broke apart the tape to see what parts and pieces I had to work with. I noticed that the actual tape itself was pliable and had some interesting qualities to it, such as a magnetic strip coating. I saw potential with weaving this material and making a sample for a wearable. As I was weaving I was trying to figure out the purpose of my object and I was inspired by food insecurity. My thought was hypothetically food insecurity (and carbon emissions) could be solved if humans had the ability to photosynthesize. I know this is a huge speculation and a crazy idea, but what great solutions have come from small ideas? Sometimes it is better to think out of the box and be brought back in than to stay in the same place throughout the entire process. And after all, I reminded myself that I am just playing with materials and possibilities at this stage!

I noticed as my weaving was coming together, that there was no way for the newly made fabric to attach to the body to initiate the photosynthesis process, and that the weave had so many small holes in it, which could be where I placed another object to represent this attachment. I settled on thumbtacks and placed one in every other hole of the weaved sample. This is how I conceived SunSkin (previously named Sun Skin). This is a permanent body modification. The thumbtacks represent a technology that is inserted into the skin. The stems that are inserted into the skin grow and expand into the. body, like veins. The round part of the tacks, on the outside, absorbs sunlight. Together, the magnetic layer touching the skin and the stems, that have extended into the body like veins, work together to transfer the Sun’s energy into the body, and create a photosynthesis process inside a human body.

But what world does this object exist in? Why do humans need to photosynthesize and undergo permanent body modifications?

In order to understand where and why SunSkin exists, I took 30 minutes to complete a writing exercise where I focused on world building. The writing sample is included below, but I have also included a summary of the writing sample:

World building

An unnamed woman reflects on her life for the past 37 years. In this recollection we find out that she was one of that last humans to have seen her face due to hostile living conditions and the creation of SunSkin. Through her experience we learn that SunSkin is the only reason she was able to survive, but it has come at a cost to never being able to fully connect with one another again.

After the world building exercise, I was able to conceptualize my final product: a speculative timeline spanning over 100 years covering the fall and the repair of the human race, comparing disease to war and speculating evolution.

Final product

Below is a second timeline I have made that is interactive. If you would like to view the interactive timeline, scroll to an icon of your choosing, press and hold the icon, and an image will pop up.

Conclusion

After completing my SunSkin project, I was impressed with how optimistic this narrative played out. A lot of my previous speculative projects had heavy, dystopian themes. Because of the current issues going on with the Russo-Ukraine War, I even thought that most likely this timeline would not end well, especially with how the timeline starts. While conceptualizing major events, trying to figure out where SunSkin existed in the timeline, I learned how to imagine preferable futures.

I also learned the importance of imagining preferred futures and meaningful technology— no matter how out of the box it may seem. These positive speculations are what propel us into a positive future.