Material dignity
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Architecture and planning beyond sustainability, MSc
Publicerad
2022
Författare
Jonasson Lindqvist, Julina
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
This thesis is exploring the definition of material dignity. How architects
can ensure what is the most worthy and respectful way of treating a
material. The aim of this thesis is to investigate if architects can become
more aware in our material and product decisions when designing, by
using storytelling as an alternative method of analysing data.
The purpose of trying out storytelling as a method is to see if it can help
us challenge our perception. Storytelling has the power to highlight
larger societal problems that otherwise might be concealed, by forcing
yourself to put yourself in the shoes of the material. The act of narrating
can therefore be considered a highly effective transformative power, to
make us question what good and bad choices are, and to think about
cause and effect. This makes us question things we otherwise just
accept.
The thesis explores a single-use, non-biodegradable plastic bottle that
probably all people are familiar with, to uncover and see if it is possible
to change one’s perception about the material and getting a deeper
understanding on how to draw your own conclusions on how to make
conscious material choices.
The storytelling method turned out to be a good way of analysing data
and challenging one’s perception of a material. However, the method
proved very time consuming and perhaps too complex, which means it
might not be an appropriate method for architects to use, but more so
in research purposes and in school projects to compile and analyse more
complex facts and correlations.
What one needs to consider to ensure material dignity is to not make
assumptions on why and how we use the materials we use and to
instead question those assumptions. To recognise that we as architects
are the ones that decide its worth, and that it is our responsibility as
designers to make decisions that ensure material dignity.