Topic: Speculative design 2030

Year: 2019

Designer: Lloyd Revald

Renderings: Lloyd Revald

How might we create an inclusive welfare system by providing an alternative way to access water and be less dependent on the privatized water sector?

The chosen focus are in this 2030 scenario has been made after a 2x2 matrix implicating: Open Source knowledge and a Privatized water Sector. That was my framing.

To create a scenario for this I made a backcasting of trends and signal strategy for the water system of 2030.

2020:  Increased awareness of water need, water resources becomes an issue, IoT is gaining speed

2025: Privatized water becomes a reality and huge investment in water are a reality

2030: AI systems controls our digital life and everyone have IoT products in their house

To be able to investigate this topic I spend lots of time investigating the current water systems and even made a life cycle assessment (LCA) to understand how to intervene and disrupt the water sector properly. I also had to work with System Thinking to properly understand the effects a design solution. 

Some of the key insights and potential in each category are all interconnected. 

Planet: 

Make use of the eco system that already exists

Change of form makes it possible to intervene 

Water is drinkable from condensation  

Products/Industry:

Use circular/eco system-thinking to minimize water consumption 

Technological recover of water Open-source  

People/behavior:

Knowledge

Habits Independence 

Customization 

Story telling  

Similar solutions 

There are some similar products out there. Using atmospheric water is a used solution in Africa where it is dry most of the year. In the evening there is a potential of moisture because of the decreased temperature. 

Images from pinterest:

Below I have created a visualization of the current system versus the ideal concept in 2030. The new water concept is characterized by being circular instead of linear. 

Different community - individual setup

The Extractor facility is ment to be a modular system that enhance people to continuously evolve, support open-source territory and be a hub for inhabitants in a community. The system can be build differently accrordiing to different needs. Endless possibilities. 

The Extractor

The Extrator is a a speculative design that reimagines how we harvest water. Essentially an open-sourced producer of water, made for future communities as a transition to complete water independence - basically creating equal rights/ wellfare/well-being and brings less dependency on privatized water companies both inside and out- side the home.

The Extractors modular block-system operates completly autonomous after set-up and fits to any environment as a futuristic multi-functional amphitheatre.

Sustainability is complex

I learned among many other things that sustainability is way more complex than I first imagined. Everything is interconnected. Interdepended. The performance and focus depends on how they fit together and not how the parts act separately.

The fundamental idea: Design within a frame. Only redesign a system if it changes every element within the system.You can't just remove something and expect the problem to be solved.