Critical design

Design approach that challenges prevailing assumptions of the field, exploring alternative possibilities.

So, critical practice (in any domain, art, technology, design, philosophy) is about taking a stance of questioning assumptions, biases, preconceptions and givens about society, culture and so on. A designerly approach to critical practice then allows us to explore the material experience of these questions; how biases and assumptions manifest in products, services, interactions, buildings, cities and so on. — Tobias Revell, “Unveiling the Essence: The Interplay of Reality and Imagination in Speculative Design” (2024)

Going beyond creating functional and aesthetically pleasing objects to provoke and prompt debate.

Often incorporates speculative, hypothetical, and/or counterfactual elements.

Strong emphasis on narrative and context as ways to communicate ideas.