Deep Design: Pathways To A Livable Future

by David Wann

In Deep Design, David Wann explores a new way of thinking about design, one that asks "What is our ultimate goal?" before the first step has even been taken. Designs that begin with such a question -- whether in products, buildings, technologies, or communities -- are sensitive to living systems, and can potentially accomplish their mission without the seemingly unavoidable side effects of pollution, erosion, congestion, and stress. Such "deep designs" meet the key criteria of renewability, recyclability, and nontoxicity. Often based on natural systems, they are easy to understand and implement, and provide more elegant approaches to getting the services and functions we need. Wann presents information gleaned from interviews with more than fifty innovative designers in a wide variety of fields, and describes numerous case studies that explain the concept and practice of deep design.

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 1995

About the author

David Wann is an author, filmmaker, market gardener, amateur musician, father, husband and co-founder of a cohousing neighborhood in Colorado, where he's lived for 26 years, growing vegetables for 27 households. His non-fiction books include best-seller Affluenza; Superbia: 31 Ways to create Sustainable Suburbs; and Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle.

His new novel, Tickling the Bear, portrays a small band of colorful, purposeful change makers on the cusp of a new Era.

Reviews

[Monica Meagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Good concept - too much intro. I liked the examples but they were dated based on age of book.