💬 Introduction We often think of technology as complex gadgets—but some of the most powerful tools are simple, analog, and human-centered. In this chapter, we dive into the power of appropriate technology—solutions that fit the social, environmental, and economic context of their use. The REIFY seminar focused heavily on how materials can speak, guide, and inspire design when you take time to observe them closely. This chapter is about slowing down, looking around, and designing with what’s already there.
🌍 What is Appropriate Technology? Appropriate technology is tech that respects its context. It’s not always about innovation—it’s about relevance. Instead of importing high-cost solutions that don’t fit, appropriate design uses local resources, is easy to maintain, and responds to actual user needs.
Think of a pedal-powered washing machine in a rural village. Or a bamboo shower designed with privacy and airflow in mind. These are smart—not because they’re high-tech, but because they’re thoughtful.
🧰 Observation, Sketching & Feedback Loops During the REIFY seminar, participants began their design journey with a simple practice: observing. They explored the site, took notes, and made fast, rough sketches to capture spatial relationships and material textures.
Observation is a critical tool. It helps you notice where people gather, what tools are already in use, and what challenges are hidden in plain sight. Sketching allows you to test proportions and start playing with form without needing software.
You’ll also see how feedback loops from nature (wind direction, sun exposure, water flow) and humans (habits, preferences, daily rhythms) shaped the early phases of participant ideas.
🌿 Hands-on Work: Prototyping with Scrap Design isn’t just about thinking—it’s about making. In this chapter, we highlight how participants used found materials—wood offcuts, bike parts, rubber bands—to build quick mockups. Some of these evolved into moving systems like a pedal-powered washing machine or a toy launcher activated by a dog.
Why scrap? Because prototyping with leftovers teaches flexibility, iteration, and resilience. You’ll see that imperfections in material often lead to creative breakthroughs.
🌐 Tools That Support the Process
- Sketching in perspective (vanishing point, light lines, scale figures)
- Using free software like SketchUp Free to translate sketches into 3D
- Mapping flows (of water, people, effort) to understand design inputs and outputs
🛠️ Activity: Sketch Your Environment Go outside or into a space that feels familiar. With a pen or pencil:
Annotate with material ideas or small interventions
Choose a structure or object (a bench, a doorway, a water tank)
Sketch it in rough perspective
Add arrows to show movement (how people or water pass through)
📚 Further Resources
- Low-Tech Magazine
- Appropriate Technology Library (Village Earth)
- Sketching Basics – Architectural Sketching Tutorials
🌟 Final Thoughts In this chapter, you’ve seen how good design begins long before the 3D modeling stage. It starts with your eyes, hands, and environment. Observation, prototyping, and working with what’s available are not signs of limitation—they’re where real innovation lives. When we slow down and listen to materials, we often find they’re already whispering solutions.