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Meaningful Stuff: Design That Lasts
An argument for a design philosophy of better , not more .
Never have we wanted, owned, and wasted so much stuff. Our consumptive path through modern life leaves a wake of social and ecological destruction--sneakers worn only once, bicycles barely even ridden, and forgotten smartphones languishing in drawers. By what perverse alchemy do our newest, coolest things so readily transform into meaningless junk? In Meaningful Stuff , Jonathan Chapman investigates why we throw away things that still work, and shows how we can design products, services, and systems that last.
Obsolescence is an economically driven design decision--a plan to hasten a product's functional or psychological undesirability. Many electronic devices, for example, are intentionally impossible to dismantle for repair or recycling, their brief use-career proceeding inexorably to a landfill. A sustainable design specialist who serves as a consultant to global businesses and governmental organizations, Chapman calls for the decoupling of economic activity from mindless material consumption and shows how to do it.
Chapman shares his vision for an "experience heavy, material light" design sensibility. This vital and timely new design philosophy reveals how meaning emerges from designed encounters between people and things, explores ways to increase the quality and longevity of our relationships with objects and the systems behind them, and ultimately demonstrates why design can--and must--lead the transition to a sustainable future.
Never have we wanted, owned, and wasted so much stuff. Our consumptive path through modern life leaves a wake of social and ecological destruction--sneakers worn only once, bicycles barely even ridden, and forgotten smartphones languishing in drawers. By what perverse alchemy do our newest, coolest things so readily transform into meaningless junk? In Meaningful Stuff , Jonathan Chapman investigates why we throw away things that still work, and shows how we can design products, services, and systems that last.
Obsolescence is an economically driven design decision--a plan to hasten a product's functional or psychological undesirability. Many electronic devices, for example, are intentionally impossible to dismantle for repair or recycling, their brief use-career proceeding inexorably to a landfill. A sustainable design specialist who serves as a consultant to global businesses and governmental organizations, Chapman calls for the decoupling of economic activity from mindless material consumption and shows how to do it.
Chapman shares his vision for an "experience heavy, material light" design sensibility. This vital and timely new design philosophy reveals how meaning emerges from designed encounters between people and things, explores ways to increase the quality and longevity of our relationships with objects and the systems behind them, and ultimately demonstrates why design can--and must--lead the transition to a sustainable future.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published August 3, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 26, 2021
I have been quoting this book in both my personal and professional life non-stop, as well as recommending colleagues read it! Full of insights and ah-ha moments. Highly recommend for waste geeks and product designers alike.
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December 15, 2024Professors book, would recommend, a bit short.
May 31, 2022
Equal parts practical, philosophical, micro, and macro. An intellectual deep-dive about being more prudent with product design, consumption, and so much more.
May 22, 2025
این کتاب خوب به فارسی با نام چیزهای معنادار به همت نشر وارش منتشر شده است.
May 21, 2025
The epitome of my college education. Great!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews