Life Centered Design

In our world, the world of agencies and marketing, design has always had a clearly defined role. Design is the form giver, the communicator and the problem solver and places one factor at the centre of achieving goals: the user. What needs do I have to fulfil with my design in order to appeal to users? We call this user-centred or human-centred design approach and have been successfully designing brands, shops and products of all kinds according to this guiding principle for decades.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with this approach - it leads to the goal and takes to heart the ‘customer is king’ principle, which is probably about as old as the concept of selling itself. Now, however, a new design trend is coming onto the scene and challenging the user-centred mindset. The innovation agency Fjord speaks of a new stage in the evolution of design and an inevitable development away from focussing on the individual towards the big picture. New, trend-conscious, sustainable, value-centred and seemingly inevitable as the way forward. This new trend is called ‘life-centred design’ and its message deserves a closer look.

In direct comparison with ‘user-centred design’, the key difference with ‘life-centred design’ lies in the aspiration to think one step further - to be able to do more than just make customers happy. After all, behind the buyer, who was previously the centre of attention, lies a whole life full of questions that only arise after the purchase or long before. These can range from the use of sustainable materials, production under environmentally friendly and fair conditions to long-term recyclability and degradability. The entire lifespan of the designs and their influence on a huge, complex ecosystem is therefore considered: ‘Designed for the planet.’

In fact, symbiosis with nature is at the forefront of the life-centred approach. Design should also anchor collective values such as the growing social demand for sustainability and environmental protection in its principles. In addition, the ‘purpose’, i.e. the meaningfulness, must always be given, which is why Life Centered Design also poses the sometimes painful question of whether products are really needed, good and unique enough to fulfil their raison d'être - regardless of their profitability. Ultimately, however, life-centred design only does what design always does: it specifies function, form and design in order to create an optimal product - only in harmony with innovation, quality, meaningfulness, affordability, sustainability, environmental friendliness and fairness.

So that's the theory, but what does it look like in practice? Life-centred design as a conscious principle is relatively new, but you can already find a number of providers who have made their brands and products ‘life-centred’. Sustainable manufacturers and service providers are finding new ways in marketing and on the market to tackle changing conditions with an awareness of their overarching goals - and with success. The textile and food industries are particularly well represented here, where interest in good ingredients, fair working conditions, transparent supply chains and environmentally friendly production is high. However, representatives of other sectors are also finding ways to make their businesses more value-orientated and are implementing these with holistic design solutions.

The ‘Powerhouse Brattørkaia’ designed by Snøhetta is the furthest north building with a positive energy balance.

Snøhetta

It's no secret that the Scandinavians are among the pioneers when it comes to sustainability. The international architecture firm Snøhetta, headquartered in Oslo, Norway, is known for its energy houses, which utilise sustainable resources such as sunlight and seawater to produce enough energy for the entire lifespan of the buildings - including construction and future demolition work. For the architects, these projects are messages to renew not only cities and landscapes, but the attitude of their entire industry.

Armedangels

The German fashion label Armedangels is committed to fair fashion and provides detailed insights into how this is guaranteed throughout the entire supply chain - including certifications such as FairTrade and the like. Although not the only textile manufacturer of its kind, Armedangels is successfully bucking conventional fashion trends and, in addition to sustainability, is also able to showcase itself digitally, as the tidy shop based on Shopware 6 proves.

Loop

Loop is a collaboration between consumer goods giant Unilever and the company TerraCycle that was launched in 2019 and aims to offer a solution to packaging waste. The shopping service supplies its customers with goods from selected brands by sending reusable containers back and forth by post. From groceries to cosmetics and toiletries, the daily requirement for consumer goods can be covered in this way, while packaging waste is completely eliminated. The service is also set to launch in Germany in the future.

Of course, this is just a small selection of a large and constantly growing number of value-orientated companies. What all representatives of this trend have in common, however, is coherent communication with clear messages. Brands that implement life-centred design are brands with a strong identity that can easily differentiate themselves from the competition - with a compass that always keeps them on course.

Although life-centred design is currently still seen as a trend from overseas and the guiding principle of a creative avant-garde, it is already being practised by many companies that position their brands and products around sustainable values. Those that are already implementing life-centred design are demonstrating their courage to change and know that they are swimming against the tide. In return, however, they are at the forefront of a growing movement and are tapping into the zeitgeist and awareness of a society that is supporting them in their transition into a new era.

For us, however, the most important aspect that the trend around life-centred design is already bringing to light with its sustainable impulses is the following: designers are gradually beginning to realise the responsibility and scope that they and their work have - and are proud of every positive contribution to a better future, no matter how small. We don't just push pixels and develop products, we shape life.