Driving Design is “a testament to the potential of design to address the pressing challenges of our time.”

The upcoming book, "Driving Design II," published by the Distributed Design Platform and co-funded by the European Union, features a chapter about Project Reflect and the concept of joyful design. This book comprises essays authored by designers from around the world who are all focused on driving systemic transformation.

Project Reflect and the joyful design process is featured starting on page 22 of the book and we encourage you to give it a read.

Below is an excerpt from the book:

“When we design solutions that provoke joy or create space for joy to exist, we're seeking solutions that offer a sense of freedom, safety, and ease. Imagine how food experiences could change if designed to evoke joy. Consider how food policies and institutions might transform if we aspired towards a joyful society. Understanding and valuing the joy of those we design for could reshape the world.

Additionally, reflecting on our lived experiences and also confronting the history, policies, and choices that shape our current food system is crucial. I am the first generation in my family not born into state-sanctioned segregation or enslavement in the United States. A sense of freedom and safety isn't inherent in my lived experience or that of my parents, grandparents or ancestors. Policies, institutions and systems are slow changing and are often iterations of previous ways of doing - ways that enabled state sanctioned violence and discrimination. We see the fingerprints of the original designs within our current systems, and the impacts are still being felt. This is what we aim to confront and address with joyful design and develop a new paradigm for how our society and food system functions.”

Driving Design II
Edited by Distributed Design Platform