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THE WEATHER KETTLE

SOLO PROJECT | 4 MONTHS | FUTURES THINKING, SPECULATIVE DESIGN | 2023
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE

The Weather Kettle is a fictional household appliance that boils water on wind and rain.

Fictional function: heating water.
Real function: introducing an alternative future vision and provoking debate / new thoughts.

THE WEATHER KETTLE

The prevailing narratives about humanity’s future suggest an inevitable apocalypse, with technology as the only potential saviour. However, these future visions are not only unhelpful but also misleading. What we need are constructive dreams that drive transformative changes, shifting away from extractive practices to prioritizing the well-being of our planet.

THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE

Prefabricated techno-centric visions suggest the status quo is maintained at any cost through technological fixes, be it space colonialism, fusion energy, carbon capture, electrification or renewables. And while they are just visions, they hold the power to actively shape reality. For example, by encouraging the consumption of certain products or in the shape of national strategies to reduce carbon emissions. Sold on these visions we end up stuck in problem-solving mode unable to let go of the status-quo, unable to envision what a prosperous future for all living could look like.

Besides the belief in saviour technology, other justifications for the lack of meaningful action stem from doomsday visions and normalized apocalypse.

Existential warnings, well-meaning at the start, were picked up by pop-culture and morphed into a culture of doom. “Dystopias have become so obvious and banal that they are memes rather than cautionary tales, despair escapism, and excuses for inaction and further consumption.” (Bielskyte, 2021, para.15).

56% of young people now believe that “humanity is doomed” (Bond, 2021). Climate anxiety is a new phenomenon that makes the younger generation believe that a prosperous future is simply impossible.

It is crucial to question the mainstream visions of the future, as these depictions actively influence reality. Presently, the futures building capacity predominantly resides in the hands of large corporations, billionaires, governments, and the entertainment industry. However, it is essential to involve more individuals in collectively defining the images of the future as this essentially grants them collective ownership over the future.

I am investigating, what would society look like if energy was created and used in ways that do not harm the ecosystem. How would a household look like if the way of living was compatible with intermittent energy and compromises were made in order to avoid ecosystem degradation? This project provides a counterplay to the dominant narratives about the future and works as a starting point, maybe a provocation, to discuss what future do we want.

In this project, I explore the cultural and ecological aspects of (renewable) energy. I investigate how society could be if energy production and consumption took place within Planetary Boundaries and I then communicate the proposal through a fictional household object. The result serves as a starting point for discussions on shaping the desired future.

THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE

The form language: The visual expression had to be novel, futuristic, yet nature inspired, and Earth bound. While striving for something unseen the aim was to have parts of the kettle familiar in their nature’s forms. While pointing towards the future, the object has to be something the viewer would be able to imagine in their garden. The shape had to convey the concept and provide the viewer with ques.

THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE

The kettle is based on the principle of Joules Machine, thus, in theory has potential to be viable. Physicality and possible viability is important when conveying abstract ideas as it makes them more “real”, it places them into our reality.

THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE

Exhibited at 3 Days of Design, Copenhagen, 2023

THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE
THE WEATHER KETTLE

Photos by Peter William Vinther.