complexity Archives - Constructivist

November 16, 2023November 16, 2023

Seedling analogy – working with what is emergent

Seedling analogy - picture shows a sweet chestnut emerging from a tree tube

The aim of conservation work at Hazel Hill Wood is to help accelerate the diversification of the woodland from commercial forest to a mixed-leaf woodland. Why? Because the more varied the woodland, the greater its likely resilience to a changing climate. Of course, in the normal course of things, the make-up of species in the wood would adapt in response to the changing climate. But these aren’t normal times. Human-induced climate breakdown is causing environmental conditions to change faster than the trees can respond. And so part of our work at the wood is to help accelerate this diversification process.

November 6, 2023November 6, 2023

Continuous place based design

Continuous place-based design is a model that creates a transition towards regenerative design.

The key elements of continuous, place-based design:

Design should exist as part of a long-term connection with place.
Design that starts with and regularly returns to a practice of deep observation.
Design that respects the complexity of the human-living system.
Design that tried to work with what is emergent – with what the system is trying to do.
Design that humbly seeks to unlock the potential of place.
Design that is always learning from its actions through long-term repeated practice.

October 10, 2023March 16, 2024

The Living Systems Blueprint

Veteran silver birch close-up, showing its gnarled trunk emerging from a sea of moss. In the background a bracken-covered valley

The goal of regenerative design is for human and living systems to survive, thrive and co-evolve. Understanding what this looks like is challenging when so much of how industry currently operates does the opposite. In this post we explore the best guide we have to thriving – the living world itself. We call this the Living Systems Blueprint.