What would a diverse, complex world brain look like? Considering how digital culture and enable a multiplicity of knowledges. Ramesh Srinivasan, an Assistant Professor at the University of California Los Angeles, speaks about the importance of cultural differences in knowledge production and technology design. Through various stories, he shows the differences in cultural appropriation and the inherent creativity of people in adpating technologies to the uses that benefit them best.

Clive van Heerden, creative director of Philips ‘Design Probes‘ program, explains their research methods based on design provocations. Through different examples such as skin tatoos, new textiles forms he shows how these "probes" are employed to understand people’s reactions and therefore better understand the future lifestyle in 2020/30.

The relationship between science-fiction and design is rich and pretty straight-forward, as explained by UK designer Matt Webb. Starting from examples of believable "scientific fiction", he describes how he implements this sort of thinking into a design process to create original prototypes.

Fabio Sergio, Design and User experience strategist and creative director at frog design, focuses his presentation on Design Thinking and its role in creating habitable and desirable futures. He shows various examples to explain how people-centred design goes beyond usage or consumption and should be about culture and seeing people how people react to things within their own culture.

Lifestyle Experiments and the Crisis of Agency

Working at the crossroads of contemporary art, science, and engineering, Natalie Jeremijenko shows various projects of hers related with environmental issues. Each of them exemplifies a peculiar aspect of her approach that aims at addressing the transformative potential of new technologies in unexpected ways.

What role can designers play in shaping our technological future?

James Auger, from the Auger-Loizeau design studio, presents various examples and cases of critical and speculative design removed from the commercial standpoint. His projects in robotics, implants and mobile services, should be seen as provocative and discussion-generating pieces.

Anab Jain, who is an independent designer and film maker from India, talks about "design futurescaping", which is using design methods like storytelling, experience prototyping, making scenarios tangible, and talking to people on a daily basis, to inspire and influence prototypes for the near future.

Enchanted Objects - how fiction foreshadows innovation

David Rose, who is a serial entrepreneur and a lecturer at MIT, shows how human beings have persistent needs and wishes that they carry through time. For each of these needs, he presents various prototypes and products to demonstrate how design can lead to "enchanted objects" by fulfilling them.

The role of design in sustainable development

Oriol Pascual from Enviu Innovation Lab in Rotterdam describes several projects and initiatives that show the role of design in the creation of innovative solutions for environmental or social issues. In particular he focuses on his studio's work with regards to new sources of electricity production such as the generation of electricity through a dance floor.

Here is the Lift Asia 09 poster, courtesy of our friends at Bread and butter. We decided to keep the year's theme (inspired by Lift09's "Where did the future go?") and add a reference to the elusive future. As we try to catch it we also create it.

Download the poster:
• JPEG
• PDF (better for printing)