The most evident newly valued qualities [of physical and social environments] are the recognition of complexity as a value; the search for dense, deep, and lasting relationship; the redefinition of work and collaboration as central human expressions; and the human scale of the socio-technical systems and its positive role in the definition of a democratic, human-centred, sustainable society
–Ezio Manzini
Current Issue 04 is structured around the theme of Sustainable and Generative Societies; Social Learning & Social Innovation, and features articles by Liz Sanders of Maketools and Ohio State University, and Ezio Manzini from the Politecnico di Milano on sustainable and generative societies. Dr. Ron Burnett contributed a paper on the concept of audiences in art and design. Louise St. Pierre and Mari Nurminen’s contribution reviews a 3-year collaboration between Emily Carr’s ecoTANK studio series and Powertech Labs. Celeste Martin reviews of one of the Social & Interactive Media (SIM) Centre’s latest industry research partnerships with Invoke Media for the development of an interactive cookbook for the Eat St. television series on Food Network. We also included interviews to the new research directors at Emily Carr: Kate Armstrong from the SIM Centre and Jonathan Aitken from Health Design Lab. A number of student papers supporting this issue’s theme are also included.