Emotionally Durable Design: Objects, Experiences and Empathy by Jonathan Chapman

by Jonathan Chapman

Emotionally Durable Design presents counterpoints to our ‘throwaway society’ by developing powerful design tools, methods and frameworks that build resilience into relationships between people and things. The book takes us beyond the sustainable design field’s established focus on energy and materials, to engage the underlying psychological phenomena that shape patterns of consumption and waste.In fluid and accessible writing, the author why do we discard products that still work? He then moves forward to define strategies for the design of products that people want to keep for longer. Along the way we are introduced to over twenty examples of emotional durability in smart phones, shoes, chairs, clocks, teacups, toasters, boats and other material experiences.Emotionally Durable Design transcends the prevailing doom and gloom rhetoric of sustainability discourse, to pioneer a more hopeful, meaningful and resilient form of material culture. This second edition features pull-out quotes, illustrated product examples, a running glossary and comprehensive stand firsts; this book can be read cover to cover, or dipped in-and-out of. It is a daring call to arms for professional designers, educators, researchers and students from in a range of disciplines from product design to architecture; framing an alternative genre of design that reduces the consumption and waste of resources by increasing the durability of relationships between people and things.

Genres: Design, Sustainability, Nonfiction, Fashion, Psychology

Paperback

First published June 3, 1995

Reviews

[Martin Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim from the library since it reminded me a lot of a friend's dissertation topic - I enjoyed returning to some of those thoughts. Chapman's book brings together thoughts on design, sustainability and psychology. His thesis is that consumerism damages the environment because of how prone people are to throwing away products. The physical durability of our products isn't the problem - plastic will last for thousands of years. Instead, it's the emotional durability of our products that is letting us down. Chapman believes that designers should design their products with features that are conducive to evoking our empathy. By fostering relationships, with spontaneity and mutual fulfilment, we would be less likely to discard functioning objects.

Chapman belabours the point from time to time but I think his thesis is correct. Either way, his program has great potential for inventive design that is also beneficial for the environment. There's images and descriptions of existing designs that exemplify his principles scattered throughout - but he doesn't discuss any of them which I feel was a missed opportunity. BUT - I think any anyone interested in creative pursuits should read this.

[Manish Jadhav · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Emotionally Durable Design" by Jonathan Chapman is a thought-provoking exploration of how to create products that forge deep emotional connections with users, thereby extending their lifespan.

Chapman challenges the throwaway culture by promoting sustainable design principles that prioritize meaningful, lasting relationships between people and their possessions.

A must-read for designers and sustainability advocates.

[Manish Jadhav · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Emotionally Durable Design" by Jonathan Chapman is a thought-provoking exploration of how to create products that forge deep emotional connections with users, thereby extending their lifespan.

Chapman challenges the throwaway culture by promoting sustainable design principles that prioritize meaningful, lasting relationships between people and their possessions.

A must-read for designers and sustainability advocates

[Stefan]

Useful perspective on consumption, accepting that it's a basic human way of interacting with the world and then framing the discussion around the design of physical products that would have a much longer relationship with consumers. Most of the focus is on industrial design, and doesn't easily translate to digital products. Stays largely abstract, and contains few concrete examples.