| We use diegetic prototypes as a kind of production design from the future. These are like objects that have fallen into our laps that implications of possibility — whether from the future, some adjacent now, or some other timeline. They could even be thought of as things that are contemporary, but from a different perspective, culture, or context. They are not predictions, but rather invitations to think about the future in a different way.
The ‘magazine from the future’ isn't simply a collection of predictions; it’s a diegetic prototype, an element of Design Fiction that are the thing you hold and wonder/wander into. The diegetic prototype diverts the expectation of a prediction; that’s a fundamentally limited exercise. Instead, we construct these immersive experiential-objects that are designed to evoke a discussion through a felt sense of potential change. Think of the diegetic prototype as a kind of portal — a thing that has fallen back through some kind of quantum entangled nozzle from an adjacent timeline.
A diegetic prototype operates within the rules and logic of its imagined reality. It's not a detached observation; it’s an embodied encounter. When we experience these ‘what if' objects, one begins to recognize patterns, anticipate shifts in momentum, and develop a deeper sense and intuition for the future. More futures work It’s about cultivating feeling – recognizing the subtle currents of change before they fully manifest. The 'magazine from the future' acts as a catalyst, prompting a visceral response that transcends mere intellectual understanding.
Sitra created this magazine as a diegetic prototype to explore a future of 2046. The magazine invites us to step into a world that is not just a prediction (despite offering a date — I guess that's a prediction, come to think about it..) but a speculative immersion into a future through a familiar artifact.
Want to talk about how we translate trends and foresight into an artifact like this? Check out our past magazine projects and schedule a call.
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