Abstract
The demand for humanitarian and development aid has risen to an unprecedented level in recent years. With a pressing need for new solutions, designers have started using digital fabrication (3D printing, CNC milling and laser cutting) to produce life-saving items. However, many organisations are failing to create the impacts they desire, and the social aspect of sustainability has been largely overlooked. This paper addresses this gap in knowledge by investigating guidelines for Design for Social Sustainability, specifically looking at digital fabrication for humanitarian and development projects. Building on existing literature and conducting three in-depth case studies of healthcare related products, the research develops a framework for Design for Social Sustainability. It provides useful guidelines to help plan and evaluate digital fabrication projects in the humanitarian and development sector. The findings show how design can trigger social sustainability at product, process and paradigm levels. Specifically, the case studies reveal the potential for digital fabrication to lead to more systems-focused, radical social sustainability. The paper concludes that an iterative and holistic approach to Design for Sustainability is needed, that begins by examining the social dimension first.
Highlights
The demand for humanitarian and development aid has risen to an unprecedented level in recent years [1]
Until Design for Social Sustainability (DfSS) is conceptually clarified and supporting guidelines are created, we cannot expect projects to achieve their ultimate goals of sustainability. This study addresses this lack of knowledge by investigating DfSS, from the perspective of digital fabrication projects in the humanitarian and development sector
This paper has addressed a concern that little attention has been given to the social dimension of sustainability, which is limiting sustainable development in the humanitarian and development sector
Summary
The demand for humanitarian and development aid has risen to an unprecedented level in recent years [1]. Digital fabrication has been used to produce a range of items including prosthetics, medical tools, emergency shelters, spare parts and communications infrastructure [5]. More broadly the sustainability of humanitarian and development projects is a well-known challenge [6,7,8]. There is a growing recognition that sustainability is more than just the ‘green agenda’, and must consider social practices as part of a holistic approach [15,16]. Integrated approaches to sustainability have failed to examine social sustainability in adequate detail and have been criticised for being too broad [17]
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