Disrupting Design: Systemic Change with Leyla Acaroglu
Season 4: Episode 8
The guests in our commercial series, are experts focused on how our collective system is organized. We’re not talking about which produce to pick at the grocery store – although these lifestyle choices are critical. Our guests in this second series play pivotal roles in the organization of our society, disrupting the economy at the institutional level and changing how products are imagined and created.
In this episode, Leyla Acaroglu shares with Eric the importance of systems thinking and circularity for designers, along with the generational and cultural challenges of implementing it in the workplace. She also gives us her sage advice on how to create change through design, and how her Unschool can help us all disrupt the status quo to change the system.
After the interview, design researcher Bhavna Bhavanishankar joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!
About our guest
Leyla Acaroglu (PhD) is a leading sustainability strategist and provocateur – an expert on life cycle and systems thinking in design, production and consumption. Named Champion of the Earth by the UNEP in 2016, she is a designer, sociologist, educator and passionate proponent of sustainability in and through design. Leyla is also a well-respected international speaker, with over 1 million views on her TED talk. She developed the Disruptive Design Method for activating change, founded the UnSchool of Disruptive Design as well as the creative agency Disrupt Design, and created the rural regeneration, CO Project Farm in Portugal. Her award-winning designs and cerebrally-activating experiences, gamified toolkits, and unique educational experiences help people around the world to challenge the status quo and make positive social and environmental change.
Links mentioned in this episode
Recent Articles by Leyla on Medium
Leyla’s Linkedin Learning courses
UNEP Champion of the Earth Award
Ellen MacArthur Circular Economy Forum Opening Keynote
Social Media for Leyla
Interview Outline
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:25 Season Four Focus: Changing the System
01:52 Meet the Guest: Leyla Acaroglu
04:31 Leyla Acaroglu’s Impact and Approach to Sustainability
07:29 Guest Introduction: Leyla's Journey
08:30 Understanding Systems Thinking
11:04 The Hidden Worlds of Systems
14:28 Design and Sustainability Challenges
18:04 Challenges in Sustainable Design
30:08 The Unschool of Disruptive Design
35:35 Exploring the Impact of Unschooling
37:14 Reflecting on Past Fellowships
38:05 Running for World Design Organization President
42:14 Champion of the Earth and Indigenous Knowledge
44:12 Advice for Young Designers
45:38 The Importance of Indigenous Knowledge
48:27 The Importance of Long-Term Thinking
50:22 The Role of Nature in Design
53:43 Inspiring the Next Generation of Designers
53:43 Teaching and Design Curiosity
58:04 Future Projects and Final Thoughts
01:00:11 Call to Action and Episode Wrap-Up
Music in this episode
Nature sound effect by bbc.co.uk – ©2023 BBC
Climify Theme Song by Casual Motive
The Season 4 Climify Team
Eric Benson (Host)
Cam Burkins (Producer)
Bhavna Bhavanishankar (Experience Researcher and Multisensory Educator)
Adam Dziaba (Designer)
Jacqui Himmel (Multimedia Journalist and Scriptwriter)
Abigail Zhuk (Design Researcher)
Climate Design Assignments
At the end of each episode, we ask our guests what their ideal climate design project would be. They have four weeks with a class full of design students. We translated their response into a project brief that you can use for your class.
