LIFE-CENTERED CHALLENGES
SPECULATIVE DESIGN MODEL / 2024
In this project, two fellow design students and I explored sustainable construction practices to address Northwest Arkansas’ ongoing housing crisis. After deliberation and interviews with industry professionals, we chose Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) as the main element of our design intervention. Our refined research question was:
How might we harness the University of Arkansas’ use of cross-laminated timber to persuade construction companies to advance small-scale sustainable construction practices (such as housing), promote building technologies, and create opportunities in environmental design?
After conducting expert consultations, creating a behavioral map of buildings constructed primarily from CLT, and completing our primary research, our team concluded that the most effective approach for our speculative design intervention would be to design and produce an informational book. This book aims to persuade regional construction companies to adopt CLT by highlighting its environmentally sustainable benefits. To reinforce our message, we crafted the book using recycled wood and handmade paper, emphasizing sustainability in both form and content.
How might we harness the University of Arkansas’ use of cross-laminated timber to persuade construction companies to advance small-scale sustainable construction practices (such as housing), promote building technologies, and create opportunities in environmental design?
After conducting expert consultations, creating a behavioral map of buildings constructed primarily from CLT, and completing our primary research, our team concluded that the most effective approach for our speculative design intervention would be to design and produce an informational book. This book aims to persuade regional construction companies to adopt CLT by highlighting its environmentally sustainable benefits. To reinforce our message, we crafted the book using recycled wood and handmade paper, emphasizing sustainability in both form and content.