Which 5 books to read about Life Centered Design?
Chris Do said in one of the courses I followed, "Read & study the 5 key books on the topic you want to be known for." I didn't find 5 books on Life Centered Design. Instead, I bought 5 books from which I think I can extract new insights and frameworks to develop Life Centered Design further. Let me tell you which books I am going to read and why.
1. How to thrive in the next economy - John Thackara
I consider John Thackara as one of the pioneers around the topic of designing for all life. He has done a lot of research around the world
2. MC24 - Bruce Mau
In my personal opinion, Bruce Mau is another designer who kickstarted the Life Centered Design movement with his Massive Change Network.
I know a lot about design, but I do not have that much knowledge about nature, ecology, and our relationship with nature as humans. That is why I put 2 books on the list that hopefully get me more insights into this.
3. Mind & Nature - Gregory Bateson
I remember Pieter Spinder organizing a screening of the movie The Ecology of Mind from Gregories daughter Nora bateson over 7 years ago. So this is a good way to get back into the topic and deepen my knowledge.
4. The Gift of Good Land - Wendell Berry.
I picked this book based on Greenpeace's Ecology reading list for self-isolated environmentalists. However, I don't consider myself one.
This last book might be the odd one out, or it might not. I tell you when I have read it.
5. Rework - Jason Fried & David Heinmeier Hansson.
Cris Do recommended reading it in one of his courses. As Life Centered Design is changing the way we think about design, we also might reconsider how we work.
After these five books, my reading doesn't stop after these 5 books, but it is a great start. Which books do you recommend? Are these the 5 books to read to better understand Life Centered Design? I don’t know yet. I tell you when I finished them.
Author: Jeroen Spoelstra
Image: Jeroen Spoelstra