Brighton Seminar Nov 2011 Karen Blincoe, ICIS, DK

Part 1 Is sustainability a utopian concept? Group work Part 2 Sustainability scenarios Group work

Sustainability 1.Human-related issues including basic needs (food, water, housing, education, health). 2.Social and ethical issues relating to life quality and dignity. 3.The concept of ’ limitation ’ : there is a limit to non-renewable resources and that the present generation must limit the use of these to make sure that there are sufficient resources for future generations. 4. The concept of ‘ natural resources being vital to sustain life ’ (Brundtland Report, 1987).

Utopia Utopia means literally: no place, from Greek ‘ ou ’ not + ‘ topo ’ s a place. Utopia has become to mean: 1.  An ideally perfect state; especially in its social and political and moral aspect 2. An imaginary or real place considered to be perfect or ideal 3. An idealistic scheme for social and political reform  Ideally perfect place or state of things

The importance of utopia ‘ The power of utopian thinking, properly conceived as a vision of a new society that questions all the presuppositions of the present-day society, is its inherent ability to see the future in terms of radically new forms and values ’. Murray Bookchin, Toward an Ecological Society,1974 ‘..present-day utopians can alert us to aspects of our reality that we have long failed to notice, but which may well be important. Utopians can thereby help us to observe more acutely ’. Marius de Geus, Ecological Utopias, 1999

Is sustainability a utopian concept? An example

Sustainable Cities Karen Blincoe, ICIS/Danish Designers. HOF Sem. 3, Nov. 2011

Current Developments

Seattle

Something & Son

TOTNESS

Dreams Versus Reality

Dongtan

Group work 1 Is sustainability a utopian concept? Discuss and present for and against arguments If sustainability is not a utopian concept what is it? Give examples