ABSTRACT
Speculative design utilizes designerly practice to craft future scenarios and artefacts exploring alternative possibilities. Expressed through design, speculations seek to promote awareness, reflection, discussion and action towards the reconceptualization of the present and exploration of possible futures. It emerged as a response to commercially-driven and problem-solving oriented designing, in opposition to the ‘affirmative’ ways in which design is predominantly practiced. This chapter introduces an overview of speculative design practice for climate change placing it into contextual design practice and describing its characteristics. Examples are provided on how speculative design is used in academic, commercial and public engagement practices.
