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Continue reading →: The power of dreaming forward– examples of change driven by ordinary people coming together and imagining what it could look and feel like to live a different future For the last 30 years I have been trying to work out how to support a path to a different, more thriving, flourishing and connected future.…
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Continue reading →: Biophilic design: why nature-inspired spaces must go beyond decorThe heart of biophilia Biophilic design has always held a particular place in my heart. When Chrisna and I wrote Designing for Hope nearly ten years ago, we placed biophilia early in the book. Not as a trend, but as a foundational gateway into regenerative development. But somewhere along the…
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Continue reading →: What we’re still learning: how 10 years of regenerative practice is changing the questions we askWhen we first published Designing for Hope, Chrisna and I laid out a set of 10 values that felt daring in their simplicity. Values like respect, fellowship, and non-attachment. These values ask that we show up as designers, practitioners and participants in place. Ten years later, these values are as…
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Continue reading →: The river beneath your feet might flow to my backyardChrisna began Episode 3 with a reflection on her place—zebras grazing outside her window, a river slowly turning into a floodplain, trees dropping their leaves late into autumn. It was poetic, and regenerative. Because in that moment, she wasn’t describing a landscape. She was describing a relationship. And that’s what…
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Continue reading →: From ideal to urgent: why regenerative values can’t wait another decadeTen years ago, Chrisna du Plessis and I proposed something bold in Designing for Hope: that design, grounded in the right values, could do more than reduce harm. It could heal, co-create and regenerate. Back then, ideas like biophilia, mutuality, and positive reciprocity felt radical. We were just starting to…
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Continue reading →: Walking together: stories, values, and the regenerative futureI’m grateful every day for the land on which I live and work, and for all that it provides. Its resources and wisdom, if we are willing to observe and listen. There’s a beautiful metaphor I return to often. It comes from a 2018 article by Jo Rey and Neil…
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Continue reading →: The story behind Designing for Hope: a 10-year reflectionDesigning for Hope was, at its core, never just about architecture, sustainability, or even regenerative development. It was about possibility. It was about the belief that hope is not just an abstract concept but an active force that shapes how we build, design, and imagine the future. Looking back, I…
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Continue reading →: Launch Day: Designing for HopeToday marks 10 years of Designing for Hope. It’s been a decade in which the conversation around sustainability has evolved, regenerative design has gained momentum, and new possibilities for our cities, communities, and ecosystems have emerged. To everyone who has read, shared, or been inspired by the book—thank you for…
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Continue reading →: How our cities are adopting Regenerative Design—10 years onTen years ago, Chrisna du Plessis and I wondered: what if cities could work with nature instead of against it? Today, we see these ideas taking root in the real world: Singapore’s naturalised waterways, a Seoul road turned to river, Utrecht connecting back to its waterways, Barcelona’s reclaimed streets, communities…
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Continue reading →: Learning from the Dharug: what ‘Goanna Walking’ teaches us about thinking differently
The way we think shapes the world we build. To create a regenerative future, we need to rethink how we approach challenges, that is, not just with one mindset, but by blending perspectives. That’s where cognitive diversity comes in. By integrating WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) and non-WEIRD ways…
Dominique Hes
Welcome to this regen space, my hopeful corner of the internet dedicated to all things regeneration, restoration and creating thriving futures. Here, I invite you to join me on a journey of what we can do each day, in our roles, in our communities to create an irresistible future!
Newport Lakes Stories and Contributive Practice 