Emilie Schaefer

One book or reading recommendation?

Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Although this book is not directly related to Design, the writer’s approach to biology and to native knowledge really helped to understand how Design can learn from the wisdom of non-human teachers, and how designers can use gratitude and reciprocity towards the environment to design not only sustainably but regeneratively.

What area of design are you most interested in?

Emilie is obsessed with Food Design and how Design’s processes and tools can address health and environmental issues around food behaviours and food systems. Also interested in inclusive Design and how Design can minimise gender gaps, Emilie is excited about trying to reduce the Gender Care Gap through her projects and about developing an ecofeminist approach to Design by creating empowering narratives about women and nature.

What do you think is the role of design for change?

Design can achieve much more than aesthetic objects for elites. When a Design process is participatory and inclusive, iterative and systemic, and when it first focuses on understanding a real life problem, it can create systems, services, products, etc… which can change people’s everyday life for good. Learning how to empower communities as well as the environment is a real challenge, and is at the core of the programme.