Title and Subtitle

downgrade - Field Notes on Design and Life with Technology

Theme

(Media-)Design Philosophy

Thesis

In Design, the downgrade is the actual upgrade.

Logline

Downgrade is the story of a designer who turned his retreat from the digital mainstream into a method – and found that self-imposed limits, far from being a sacrifice, can be a source of bold ideas and impactful work.

Exposé/Hook

While the world races toward ever more powerful, automated and invisible technologies, designer Tim Rodenbröker becomes fascinated by a radically different question: what if slower, smaller, calmer, simpler technology is actually better?

What begins with the repair of an aging laptop evolves into a profound shift in perspective. Through the discovery of free and open-source software, modular tools and independent digital cultures, Rodenbröker enters a world that challenges mainstream ideas of progress, productivity and innovation.

Moving to Barcelona – one of Europe’s most influential design cities – he explores emerging forms of digital minimalism, sustainable design practices and alternative technological ecosystems. Along the way, the book raises urgent questions for designers, creatives and digital citizens alike:

What kind of technology do we actually want to live and work with?
What does “less is more” mean in the age of automation?
And how can design help us build more conscious relationships with the tools that shape our lives?

Blending personal narrative, cultural observation and design critique, the project offers a thoughtful exploration of technology beyond acceleration – and a compelling vision for a more intentional digital future.

Author

Tim Rodenbröker is a creative coding educator, critical designer and author based in Barcelona. He is specialised in creative work using Open-Source software and code to build custom tools, systems and workflows.

He is the founder of trcc, an online learning platform and cultural hub where he teaches creative coding, thinking in systems and programming as a tool for critical design. He supports his students to demystify technology and see the world through the lens of his Downgrade Philosophy.

Together with Martin Lorenz, he runs a design studio called Coding Systems.