Scratching the Surface 267. Julian Bleecker
Mar 19, 2025
In this discussion, Julian Bleecker, a visionary researcher and founder of Near Future Laboratory, dives into the fascinating world of design fiction, blending art, technology, and imagination. He shares insights on its origins and how it can reshape corporate innovation and design education. Bleecker emphasizes the importance of storytelling and collaboration in envisioning future possibilities, drawing from pop culture influences. This conversation also explores how design students can rediscover creativity and reshape their approaches to architectural learning.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Origin of Design Fiction
- Julian Bleecker recalls a pivotal moment in 2005 at USC's film school.
- A reading group paper, "Resistance is Futile," examined science fiction's influence on ubiquitous computing.
Sci-Fi's Impact
- The paper revealed how childhood science fiction shaped the researchers' vision of ubiquitous computing.
- This insight highlighted the power of early influences in shaping future technological development.
Battlestar Assignments
- Bleecker's design fiction practice developed from assigning fictional narratives to student engineering projects.
- Inspired by Battlestar Galactica, he framed projects as creating Cylon detectives.