Transition design and ecological thought

Multiple findings across various sciences have demonstrated the complexity of human-nature relations and exposed the limitations of normative philosophical traditions that discount, dismiss, or even deny the importance of life-sustaining processes that enable human existence. This paper reviews historical and contemporary ecological thought as a basis for Transition Design. Ecologically engaged design presents profound challenges to a variety of assumptions embedded in design cultures. Associated tensions are explored in this paper along with some of the ways that ecologically literate Transition Design can drive the creations of sustainable futures.