CTM 9: Dark Matter & Trojan Horses with Dan Hill

Our latest episode features Dan Hill, a renowned designer, urbanist, and director of the Melbourne School of Design. Dan delves into his multifaceted career and his work at the intersection of design, technology, and urban planning. Key themes discussed include:

- Dan's multidisciplinary approach to solving urban problems

- The concept of 'dark matter' in design, involving unseen factors like policies and regulations

- Transformative, 'Trojan Horse' projects, such as Helsinki’s 'Restaurant Day'

- The role of public designers in city governance

- Decision making cultures and decision design 

- Integrating cultural elements in urban planning

- The "every day systems container" concept with the example of streets as complex systems with various interacting elements. 

- His thoughts on Mission Oriented Innovation 

Dan also reflects on the importance of curiosity in driving systemic change and innovation, emphasizing the interconnections between architecture, community, and sustainability.

References: 

- Vinnova's Designing Missions Book: https://www.vinnova.se/en/publikationer/mission-oriented-innovation---a-handbook-from-vinnova/

- Dan's Dark Matter & Trojan Horses concept & link to his book: https://medium.com/dark-matter-and-trojan-horses/dark-matter-and-trojan-horses-a-strategic-design-vocabulary-strelka-press-18551fff3133

- Missions: A Beginner's Guide (from UCL IIPP): https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/publications/2019/dec/missions-beginners-guide

Extra material:

- Dan's presentation at the Creative Bureaucracy Festival - https://creativebureaucracy.org/discover/videos/mission-oriented-innovation-what-is-it-and-does-it-work/