‘Four don’ts’: Towards a moderation-oriented perspective of environmental design in the public realm

Public design requires designers to address diverse and dynamic human needs and preferences, and to think systemically about environmental, social, and economic contexts. This complexity makes successful public design elusive, as even intuition, experience, and knowledge are insufficient to achieve a comprehensive understanding of such problems. Drawing on the ‘Four Don’ts’ from The Analects, this paper reconsiders design process, design expertise, design problems and thinking, and design inquiry in public matters. The aim is to advocate for a moderation-oriented design perspective that grounds design practice in respecting, exploring, and understanding. We call for public design education to move beyond teaching skills and thinking and towards the cultivation of an appropriate mindset and wisdom.