Prominent scholars in the field of design contend that the sustainability crises we face, such as climate change, are fundamentally design crises (Papanek & Fuller, 1972; Escobar, 2018) – crises design has significantly contributed to and continues to contribute to. A critical examination of mainstream design practice, scholarship, and education reveals a predominant focus on shaping the external world – through the creation of innovative products (e.g. Özcelik et al., 2022), services (e.g. Harre & Nielsen, 2020), or systems (van Dam et al., 2020). In fact, sustainability challenges predominantly tend to be seen as external problems – technological, material, or physical in nature (Woiwode et al., 2021).
However, research that helps us see and address these problems as internal problems has rapidly grown over the last decade. Pioneering in this area is, for example, the Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, whose work stresses that external and internal transformation is strictly tied together (e.g. Wamsler et al., 2021). Like all actions, the act of designing does not manifest in isolation. Much of the infrastructures through which design is enacted – such as methods, tools, approaches and discourses – are influenced by the dominant values, worldviews, beliefs, and ways of thinking of the context to which they belong (Neuhoff, 2024; Willis, 2006). However, this critical aspect, i.e., shaping the inner worlds of those designing in ways conducive to sustainability, has largely been neglected within the field of design.

To address this gap, I propose the concept of inner transformation as a new research area within the field of design. Inner transformation refers to changes in human interiority, including expanded consciousness, mindsets, values, beliefs, human-nature connectedness, and spirituality (Woiwode et al., 2021). Specifically, I aim to explore the potential of integrating contemplative practices, such as mindfulness, meditation, and reflective exercises, within design processes to foster this inner transformation.