Melbourne Design Week 2024: Design imaginaries with GenAI

Generated Ecologies: Design Imaginaries with GenAI is an exhibition and workshop using AI-augmented design to explore the boundaries between artificial, human, and more-than-human intelligences. Generative AI tools provide powerful yet accessible ways to imagine, visualise and share the urgent design interventions we need in order to foster care and enact change on our damaged planet. This event offers audiences two ways of engaging with both these tools and with the bold thinking of young designers addressing ecological uncertainties.

The exhibition features speculative works created by RMIT design students that imagine vital, planetary interventions and propose radical species re-orientations for more-than-human flourishing. The exhibition showcases speculative design works that explore generative AI tools in the context of living systems to envisage adaptations and transformations of the Earth that may ensure more-than-human flourishing. These works will be installed at the RMIT media portal on Swanston Street and displayed via projection and print.

A free design workshop that guides participants to (1) learn how to use Generative AI (GenAI) as an imagination tool, (2) to explore more-than-human design approaches, and (3) co-create with GenAI to visualise more-than-human environments. Participants will actively engage in hands-on exercises and discussions, with the workshop held in the exhibition space. Through these immersive experiences, they will gain practical insights into leveraging AI as a tool for generating ecological design imaginaries.

keywords: more-than-human design; GenAI

• with: Emma Luke, Thom Luke, Kate Geck
• for: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Design Week 2024
• year: November 2023 – June 2024
• Event ticketing: GenAI Workshop