The Adaptive
The umbrella was created to help us live with the weather.
Rain. Sun. Heat. Wind.
For generations, people have developed ways of creating shade and shelter using the materials, skills and knowledge available to them. The umbrella is one of the simplest expressions of that idea — something we can carry, open and place between ourselves and the elements.
But the world around us is changing.
As extreme heat, intense rainfall and other challenging weather conditions become part of everyday conversations, the need for practical ways to find shade, shelter and protection takes on new meaning.
Could an object we have used for centuries have a place in the future?
The answer doesn't have to be complicated. It might begin with craft, design, community and practical ideas — from traditional umbrella-making and locally held knowledge to new approaches to shade, shelter and outdoor living.
The Adaptive collection explores how the humble umbrella might help us think differently about protection in a changing world.
This is not a finished answer. It is an invitation to explore.
We are researching the possibilities — from traditional arts and crafts to contemporary design, portable shade, shelter and ways communities might adapt to changing conditions.
The Adaptive collection is currently being developed.
Protection Takes Many Forms
Grey Mangrove, Sydney Olympic ParkAlison Klein, CC0, Public Domain,via Wikimedia Commons
Protection isn't always something we carry.
Sometimes it is found in the places around us — in nature, in communities, and in the people who help us adapt when circumstances change.
Mangrove restoration is one example. By restoring natural coastal environments, communities can work with nature to help protect places from changing conditions.
The umbrella protects the person.
The mangrove protects the place.
And perhaps there is another kind of protection too.
Sometimes, our umbrella is the people around us.
People who share knowledge.
People who open doors.
People who make connections.
People who help us when we need them.
Protection takes many forms.