Technosynthesis
When planning speculative futures, we aim to explore and design the outcomes of “what if” scenarios, imagining pathways toward what society potentially could become. At the core of the city, planning policy is used to shape these futures, defining the goals, strategies, guidelines, and visions that policymakers project onto the urban landscape. The process of policy planning critically lacks engagement, due to its dense, procedural, and dry language– often feeling inaccessible and deterring public engagement. With limited public contribution in shaping the future, the planning process risks becoming increasingly undemocratic, leaving decision-making power with institutions and policymakers.
Through Technosysthesis, a new methodology is created. By utilizing interactive media, with a particular focus on extended reality, participants are given the opportunity to explore and understand policy by creating new visions for the future. The policy sphere brings this idea to life, fully embracing the interactivity that is key in making policy more accessible and engaging. Through my design, people are able to explore and experience speculative futures in real time, creating a dynamic environment in which ethical, social, and technological consequences can be simulated, examined, and debated before they are translated into policy.
