Rethinking how we design for a regenerative planet

The Client Design with Gaia

The Challenge

We're in an urgent global climate crisis. Developing new thinking and behaviours to address this has become paramount, requiring a fundamental shift in our approach to design. Designers now have a unique opportunity and challenge to move beyond a human-centric perspective and actively design for the health and well-being of the entire planet.

At thinkpublic, we believe that nature and ancient wisdom can help us discover the new edges of design practice.

Our Approach

We created the Design with Gaia project to explore and test new tools and methods that reconnect people with nature and ancient wisdom, inspiring different ways of seeing, being, and reimagining the ecosystems and society we are a part of.

Nature is a boundless source of inspiration for sustainable systems and design solutions. Drawing lessons from nature, we learn about regenerative cycles, circular systems, and the interdependence of all living things.

The Outcome

As a result, we designed, illustrated and wordsmithed a beautiful Design with Gaia cards deck and produced a digital version, which incorporates wisdom from natural cycles and systems and is designed to help us reconnect with lessons and principles from nature and ancient wisdom. It is open for interpretation, bringing wisdom from the interdependence of life.

At our design studio, we have successfully incorporated these cards into workshops, guiding individuals and teams to embrace different ways of thinking about their services and strategies. This regenerative design approach has benefited clients, including the Greater London Authority, Sport England, and the Design Council.

We invite you to join us and play with our digital Design with Gaia card deck. www.designwithgaia.com

"Nature teaches us that everything is interconnected and interdependent. We must learn to work together, to collaborate, and to be in harmony with the planet."

- Vandana Shiva