Deborah Janssens

Department: Social Design
Website: surroutinism.com

Surroutinism

You are at home; the doorbell rings. Suddenly the couch
launches you towards the door! It’s a friend who comes by
to return a borrowed book. When you put it back on the shelf,
a new one pops out. And when you pour your friend a cup
of coffee, the table starts eating the cups. How strange! Luckily
you’re wearing your sponge slippers to soak up the spills.
Francois Bonnot and Deborah Janssens have created a surreal
performance in a room that seems utterly normal, but is full
of surprises. With ‘Surroutinism’ they give everyday routines
a twist, adding something extra to the ordinary, and a new
perspective to well-known scenarios. They use the power of
exaggeration to highlight the beauty of the routine and to trigger
the imagination.
Surroutinism can be an interesting tool for
designers: instead of creating new products, we could also add
new experiences and meaning to the banal things that
surround us.