The relentless pursuit of productivity, the glorification of being constantly busy, the inability to truly disconnect—burnout culture has become an all-too-familiar reality across both professional and creative fields. With her installation This Isn’t Working, designer Sophia Schullan takes on this issue through object-based storytelling, transforming everyday tools into ironic statements against a toxic and unsustainable system.
Design as social critique
Presented in collaboration with Design Academy Eindhoven, the project is rooted in a fundamental idea: modern society rewards perpetual busyness, often at the expense of personal well-being. Being busy is no longer just a work condition but a status symbol, pushing individuals beyond their limits with little actual benefit. But what happens when productivity becomes an end in itself?
Schullan responds to this question with a series of objects that exaggerate, subvert, and parody traditional productivity tools. Through redefined materials, forms, and functions, the designer crafts a narrative that exposes the absurdity of a mindset that leaves no room for rest or authenticity.
Everyday Objects, Reversed Meanings
This Isn’t Working unfolds as a visual and sensory narrative, where each piece invites critical reflection. A clock that always shows the same time, a chair that cannot be used for sitting, a keyboard that resists frantic typing—each element prompts the audience to question what truly adds value to work and creativity.
Irony amplifies the message: rather than simply presenting a critique, the installation engages the public in an experience that raises awareness through paradox. This playful approach allows a complex and deeply relevant topic to be explored without resorting to moralism or rhetoric.
Beyond Critique: Toward a New Work Culture
This Isn’t Working is not just a provocation; it is a catalyst for a broader conversation on how design can reshape our relationship with work. Through a multidisciplinary approach, Schullan suggests that we need to rethink the tools we use every day—not just to improve efficiency but to redefine the very meaning of productivity and well-being.
In an era where the boundaries between personal and professional life are increasingly blurred, this project serves as a call to action: Can we envision a system where a person’s value is not solely determined by their busyness? Can we create spaces where rest is not seen as a failure but as an essential component of creativity and innovation?
With This Isn’t Working, Sophia Schullan turns design into a tool for dialogue and awareness, paving the way for a future where working better doesn’t necessarily mean working more.