Long Memories and Forgotten Designers: Wooden boat building and the contribution of the craftsperson’s tradition to design for sustainability

Abstract

Traditional boat building is a craft which has evolved over generations. From the perspective of slow knowledge1 and its necessity for a strong connection to community and place, and a way of work that requires a considerable investment of time and effort, this paper will explore the potential contribution of the skills and practice of the traditional craftsperson to the design process and to design thinking. It will consider whether the cultural limitations imposed by tradition inform the movement towards establishing a design methodology with self imposed ecological limitations.