Digital Bunkers is a series of speculative sessions hosted online on the future of quarantining and self-isolation. Through discussions and co-creative sessions, participants from around the world reimagine their homes and the infrastructural systems they depend on daily.
The sessions are run in several different formats with their core structure consisting of group discussions and cocreative sessions using online gaming platforms like Fortnite.
The workshop is held over a 3 day period, 5-7 participants at a time.
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1. SPECULATION
Through cocreative activities the participants challenge each other to unpack their ideas of the home, the systems their homes depend on, and the challenges a household may face when self-isolating.
Imagining a fictional (and digital) bunker becomes a playful means of rediscovering the hidden networks our society depends on and rethink oneās role and responsibilities within such an ecosystem.
This is done through online brainstorming tools (like Problem trees, Theory of Change frameworks, Journey mapping, Diary studies) that enable participants to contribute and react to othersā input in real time.
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2. INVESTIGATION
Key trends, concepts and considerations identified in the previous session are then further investigated by the participants: what Ā does it mean to produceĀ oneās own water, or manage waste, how do urban renters make their case to landlords for upgrades?
Any question of interest to the respective participants can be taken forward and further investigated. The outputs: moodboards, articles, diagrams, will then be used to inform the design of the final design session.
In doing so participants also discover unique online communities already tackling these concerns be it prepers, Whole Earth catalogue fans, survivalists, eco-minded homeowners.
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3. CREATION & CURATION
The second half of the workshop challenges the participants to bring to life their findings using the online game Fortnite. The game and its preloaded assets and scavenging tools is the perfect mix between Minecraft and Sims to playfully embody the creative interpretations of bunkers conceived by the participants.
During this creative activity, participants are also challenged to find innovative ways to help each other and come up with their own care ecosystem.
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The creations are then demoed by the participants to the group and guest viewers thus sharing not just the visuals but also the thought process that went into their creation and how it has impacted the way they look at their daily consumption.
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