Assignments Quote by William McDonough
“And to use something as elegant as a tree? Imagine this design assignment: Design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water, makes complex sugars and foods, changes colors with the seasons, and self-replicates. and then why don't we knock that down and write on it?”
About This Quote
Source Speech: TED Talk, “Design for the Future”, William McDonough, 2009
The quote challenges us to create multifunctional, sustainable designs that emulate natural systems, rather than destroying them for trivial uses.
In simple terms: It urges designing like nature, not harming it.
Key Takeaway
Design with nature’s functions in mind.
Themes
sustainability
design
ecology
innovation
Mood
inspired
critical
optimistic
Type
philosophical
call to action
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- product development
- architecture
- education
- policy making
Key Concepts
biomimicry
systems thinking
circular economy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance ecological ambition with economic feasibility?
- What incentives encourage nature‑based design?
A Different Perspective
Implementing such complex designs can be costly and technically demanding.
![“You need that same creative force that exists in a building like Disney [Walt Disney Concert Hall] to actually tackle that most prosaic of problems.” quote by William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a98/william-mcdonough-10055_building_you-need-that-same-creative-force-that-e_157070.jpg)
