Who is the observer: Humans or Non-humans?

Democracy in Participatory Design + More than human + Post-humanism + Commons

Architecture, furnishings, signs, and collections are just a few design components that can affect how a space is viewed and used by its intended audience. Design activities, sometimes known as "placemaking" (learn.lboro.ac.uk, n.d.), are used to create a space and assist users connect to the story and location by communicating the intended experience. By differentiating one location or space from another and fostering a strong sense of "you are here," design activities and elements help each unique venue develop its own unique character.

One fascinating place to examine is the university library. On the second level of the university, there is an open area directly between the classrooms that is frequently used as a passageway by individuals (students, professors, etc.). To me, using the library as a passage felt like a strange combination. A "library" typically represents a calm area. On the other hand, a "corridor or route" yells "crowd & noisy." How do the goals and functions of two very different venues affect and serve its users, and how important is identity in determining the library experience? The architecture of a space—in this case, the "Loughborough university library"—is examined via a variety of lenses and academic contexts, including participatory design, commons, and posthumanism, to show how it interacts with identity.

Posters designed (self-developed) to summarise the article: created on procreate and photoshop*

The following step involved carefully examining the fieldwork observations and theoretical books, drawing conclusions, and presenting opposing arguments. How is design identity employed, exhibited, and related at the university library, for instance? What are the users and intended uses of the same area? How has the library been crafted to effectively communicate and function across cultural divides? In what ways may "democracy in participatory design" be analyzed? This essay will examine what new issues and ideas would emerge if observations were made via "posthumanism" (Learn Lboro, n.d.) lenses.

Analysis

The second story of the structure is where the library is located. The area between the classrooms is open, so there is a constant flow of people passing by. Therefore the intended code of conduct in the space of “ Maintaining pin drop silence” is lost somewhere. There are times when a class ends students/ staff members choose to hang around and talk in this area. Yet again, this disturbs the immediate landscape. Could this be one of the factors contributing to the low utilization of the library? Could this be one of the reasons why very few people are seen using the library? They might borrow the books but won’t prefer to sit down to study there. It certainly demonstrates flexibility to combine two very diverse uses in one area, but the true function of the "library" is not served. Analyzing how design components impact intended uses and user/audience experience is crucial when thinking about the layout and identity of a library. For instance, the carpet in the area has white and blue stripes, and the entire floor is gray. But just a few places have these stripes. like at the door or close to the library's central check-out and lending machine. Along with being accentuated on the gray carpet, the stripes also aid to direct traffic and use. This demonstrates how the physical architecture and color scheme both affect how a user interacts with space.

Because it is a university library, the patrons, staff, students, professors, and cleaners come from a variety of backgrounds. the various educational profiles, historical viewpoints, and cultural values and beliefs. The users' physical characteristics, such as height, differ as well. Additionally, because the shelves are taller, installing items like stools and ladders makes it easier for those who are shorter to reach and access the books. It is lovely how the things in this environment aid human users in overcoming challenges with diversity and become more adapted to the setting. This relationship, a network between several participants or actors—in this case, humans and objects—is explained by the agonistic participatory design method. Involving a variety of stakeholders in the design process and enticing them to engage in constructive conflict and discourse in order to find solutions that would satisfy all parties is what agonistic participatory design (Pdcommons, n.d.) entails. This method aims to create designs that better represent the needs and values of the varied people they serve while also being socially and morally responsible.

For participatory design to be successful, there needs to be greater equality among all participants. In order to promote more effective participatory design, it can be crucial to comprehend how power functions and manifests in the network, not just by focusing on people but also nonhumans. The study of design anthropology includes more information about how nonhuman animals participate in design (Gunn, Otto and Smith 2013). It's as though a piece of the puzzle is missing if the focus is only on human participation. Various fields have already looked at networks of humans and nonhumans using other nomenclature, such as actor-network theory (Latour 2005a), assemblage (Law 2004), dispositif (Foucault 2002), or hybrids (Whatmore 2002). Whatever one's philosophical or intellectual stance, it is obvious that in order to fully comprehend (participatory) design, humans and nonhumans need to be taken into account more holistically. The library's stool and ladder is an attempt to uphold democracy here. It gives power to people who can't simply get the things or reach them. I firmly believe that a university library can be transformed into a vibrant and welcoming community place that reflects the needs and aspirations of the community by implementing nonhumans and things and participatory design methodologies.

The library offers little opportunities for experimenting. For instance, the book collection is extensive. These books are made of various materials and hues. Even though they are divided into sections and organised according to categories, it can be challenging to tell which area is which. The white shelves definitely allow the volumes to stand out, but we can make it simple to find them by perhaps giving the sections distinct colours. For instance, brown is used for parts on history and politics, yellow is used for design, and blue is used for management and business. Coloring the shelves makes the process easy for humans. Here we can find the relation between object-object, books and shelves, impact each other. Similarly object-human relation in this example.

Since the library is typically silent, you could ask how the participation of various performers varies. Who is more engaged in this space, humans or nonhumans? Who is the main beneficiary? Are we really the one whose needs should be kept at the center or of the nonhuman things? Are we observing the space or being observed? Who is the real observer? What if designers were entrusted with figuring out what things want rather than human needs (Forlano, 2017)? How do nonhumans influence the way the environment is created and how other nonhumans act in it? What observations can be made if we treat the objects with humanism? (OOO) is one such method for answering the above issues. It is a philosophical framework that contradicts conventional metaphysics and ontology, which often view things and entities as abstract constructions reliant on awareness and perception in humans. OOO, on the other hand, contends that things and entities have their own inherent features and relationships, exist independently of human knowledge and experience, and are shaped by the environment in which they are found (Rice, 2017). According to OOO, things and beings with their own agency, the capacity to act upon one another, and the capacity to interact are the fundamental building blocks of reality rather than notions or ideas. OOO implies that reality is made up of a variety of things and phenomena, each having its own independent existence, and that human awareness and experience are but one facet of this reality.

There are various ways to use the Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) framework with the library's objects. Here are a few instances: The different sizes and weights of books make it impossible to stack them horizontally. It is challenging to remove or access books kept on the bottommost shelf because of the different designs. The books will be out of order as a result, and they will keep dropping. Books are maintained vertically stacked one on top of the other to avoid this problem. They are now more easily reachable as a result. The shelves are made in such a way that organizing them in a specific way becomes necessary. It's remarkable how things, in this case books, affect the layout and construction of other inanimate objects in the room, in this case shelves. The way that books are arranged on shelves has an impact on how individuals behave. To read the titles on the vertically arranged books, students and others must incline their heads. Tilting is surely uncomfortable for us but here we’re doing this to avoid books falling and other issues by just doing that. Objects impact our behavior in their own ways.

If objects were thought to have emotions and wants similar to our own, for instance, would books argue or gossip while not in use? Would they indulge in any vices, flirt, or have romantic feelings for one another? If misplaced, would they end up doing a long distance? Yes, sometimes books are misplaced. That is an issue for us too.The book may occasionally not be in the location where it should be. How can we resolve the problem of missing books? In order to solve this issue, what knowledge or theories could be required? What types of models, approaches, contexts, and perspectives might be crucial for exploring potential solutions? What new terminologies and options might appear? This way of thinking helps to identify new questions and problems and possibility to create new design knowledge. The library's furniture is painted in various tints and tones of blue and orange, as are the other design features. While orange stands for energy and focus, blue is a symbol of accountability, knowledge, and wisdom. They go very well with a space like a library. It is a space which demands discipline, silence and individual engagement of users. It provides a space for you to gain knowledge and information. Libraries are catching up with the latest technologies and developments, which is helping to foster more cohesion, diversity, and creativity within the environment. One way to do this is by adding modular furniture that allows users to sit however they choose, while still feeling comfortable. Additionally, consider the cultural boundaries and demands of particular publics when designing the library. ramps, wide aisles, and accessible technology are all good design features that make a library inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities.

Conclusion

The majority of the time, these frameworks and methodologies are used to draw political conclusions. Analyzing the democratic element and the ethical commitment that are brought up in the library is undoubtedly helpful. However, political perspective cannot actually be used in this situation. The passage in the midst of the space undermines the purpose of the library by introducing crowd and noise. This library is particularly distinctive due to the noise from the classes and the aroma of coffee, the constant flow of people and chatter in the hallway, the light from the lamps, and the arrangement of other little objects like fliers, plants, stools, and ladders. As a result, ethical obligations and occasionally restrictions are imposed, adding to the place's character. In conclusion, design and identity are closely interconnected in a library, with design elements serving as a tool for shaping the intended purposes, values, and experiences of the library and its community.

The integration of Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) frameworks and the principles of democracy in participatory design, alongside the inclusion of nonhumans, has expanded our understanding of effective and meaningful design in relation to identity and culture. OOO has questioned conventional human-centered design methodologies and stressed the agency of objects and their influence on how we experience and comprehend the environment. Democracy has highlighted the significance of inclusive and collaborative decision-making procedures, providing all stakeholders, including nonhumans, a voice in the design process. With the help of these ideas, we can develop designs that more accurately represent the nuanced, varied, and complicated viewpoints and values of our communities, promoting a sense of cultural identification and belonging. Moving forward, I plan to integrate these concepts into my design process, ensuring that all stakeholders, including nonhumans, are given a voice in the decision-making process. I want to continue exploring these concepts through further research and experimentation, and to actively seek out opportunities to collaborate with others who share my interest in this area. I intend to do this in order to continue the exciting and innovative growth of these theories as well as the advancement of my own design methodology.

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