Design beyond Anthropocentrism

Design beyond Anthropocentrism
#Exhibitions
Ursula Biemann, Tree of Life in Forest Mind | © Ursula Biemann | Courtesy The Design Museum, London

An exhibition that marks a turning point in the way design is conceived. Curated in collaboration with Future Observatory, the museum's national program for ecological transition, the exhibition brings together over 140 works spanning art, architecture, science, and technology. The aim is to explore how design can contribute to the planet's well-being by shifting focus beyond human needs to include those of animals, plants, and other living beings. Among the featured works is Julia Lohmann's monumental seaweed installation, which appears to grow organically from the exhibition space, symbolizing the potential of sustainable, living materials. Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg presents a tapestry exploring pollinators' perspectives, while the MOTH (More Than Human Life Project) collective offers an eight-meter mural illustrating the global movement to grant legal rights to rivers and other ecosystems. Other projects include artworks designed for octopuses and installations promoting multispecies cohabitation. The exhibition highlights how design can become a means to rethink our relationship with the natural world, suggesting creative solutions to address the climate emergency. Through an interdisciplinary approach, More than Human invites visitors to consider design not only as a response to human needs but as an inclusive practice that acknowledges the interdependence of all life forms.
Veronica Azzari - © 2025 ARTE.it for Bvlgari Hotel London