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Resituated explores a posthumanist future imaginary that offers a glimpse into a fictional grassroots society who devote their lives to living in balance with all that surrounds them. Using designed objects and storytelling, the project reveals the coming-of-age ceremony of the Summit Heights peoples where young members are gifted their very own power loom kit to symbolize and support the relationality between protection of land and body. The kits contain all manner of materials required to grow a local powerloom, from seeds of a Douglas fir and stinging nettle, to a bar of beeswax, along with instruction guides for planting and sourcing resources. The kit also features a short story that is integral to the Summit Heights culture and contributes to the budding post-humanist mindset for children to preserve their ecosystem within the community. Representing the higher concerns of the Summit Heights Society the project asks: What are ways to live in a posthumanist world?

 Resituated           
Sarah Daniels, Clare Huang, Rishabh Johri, Denisa Marinescu
2023

The Influence of Posthumanist Design on Senior Design Students
As senior design students, exploring posthumanism can provide a new perspective on the impact of our designs on the world as a whole. By considering the experiences of non-human entities, we can broaden our understanding of the relationships between humans and the environment. This shift in focus can lead to innovative and sustainable design solutions that benefit both humans and the planet.

The Psychological Barrier in Human-Centered Design
The idea of human-centered design has planted a psychological barrier in designers' thinking process, leading them to only cater to the immediate audience rather than all potential audiences in a process. By challenging this norm, we can break down these barriers and create designs that are inclusive and beneficial for all entities involved. Posthumanism allows us to question the traditional notions of design and approach it from a more holistic perspective.

Posthumanism and Sustainability
In our project, posthumanism begins with sustainability. By designing with a focus on sustainability, we can create a more equitable and just society that takes into account the needs of both humans and the environment. This approach encourages us to question our assumptions and rethink our design practices, leading to more innovative and responsible solutions.

The License to Question 
Part of our role as designers can be to engage people to question things that have been normalized in their lives. By challenging the status quo and pushing boundaries, we can create designs that are thought-provoking and impactful. This approach can lead to more meaningful and engaging designs that create a dialogue and inspire change.


ABOUT
Sarah Daniels
As an experience designer motivated to better understand the relationalities of a more than human world, with accompanying skills in visual design and research, my pursuits in design aim to equally consider the interactions of and with humans and nonhumans. I believe design has forever driven societal evolution and will continue to foreshadow our future - it is the creation of things, who they are for, how they are used, and the impacts they have that dictate how users and those affected will view and experience the world. My advocacy for posthumanist theory along with strengths in interpersonal relations help me to design experiences that address small and large scale problems with small and large scale audiences.

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Clare Huang
A user experience and content designer passionate about learning how others perceive and live within theworld. I am always up to the challenge of discovering new methods to improve the ways we live, through well informeddesign and in-depth research. To understand those who I design for, I find it essential to slow down, be empathetic, tolisten carefully and enjoy the value of the process of dissecting problems.

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Rishabh Johri
I am an entrepreneurially minded problem solver currently pursuing a degree in design and marketing. As aposthumanist designer, I am passionate about spearheading challenges identified in analytics and exploring innovativeways to optimize and enhance conversation-driving content. With both personal and internship experience under my belt, Iam eager to grow small projects while not being afraid to take risks. I firmly believe that the future of design lies in theintersection of human and technological capabilities, and I am excited to be at the forefront of this emerging field.


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Denisa Marinescu
I’m a senior design student that is interested in gaining a deeper understanding of posthumanism andapplying it to my work. As an imaginative and creative person, I have been driven by my passion for design since an earlyage. During my practice, I strive to challenge current design norms and focus on providing sustainable design solutions. Ibelieve that design should consider the social, environmental and economic impact that a product has on the planet, aswell as promote change and foster a sense of community between people.

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