Existential Design Applied in Universal Design Settings

Abstract

Abstract: The critical design method aims to discuss ways of opening up the (design) brief when planning, designing, building, operating and maintaining the future of the built environment – public as well as private, indoor as well as outdoor. Focusing on “designials” (fundamental forms of design being), the methodology intends to illustrate the fact that objects; including buildings, parks, transportation systems, etc. may directly encroach upon certain “existentials” (fundamental forms of human being) – thus shed light on how a design process is normally conducted, and furthermore, how that affects people’s existential well-being. Keywords: existential design, critical design, Universal Design, industrial design, architecture, the build environment, existential well-being