Returning to the foundational question

This chapter draws together the exploration of materials in the field of service design, arguing that while other design fields engage heavily in material exploration, service design has not yet fully taken this to its heart. The authors argue that by exploring materials in service design, it is possible to go beyond reductionist ideas of the material-immaterial dichotomy and open up new constructivist perspectives. The book introduces new concepts such as service as a hyper-material that is bricolaged and rhizomatic, the aesthetics in service design, and suggests that by focusing on the materials at the core of service designing, a language for service design is developing, becoming richer and more dedicated to the field. Topics that should be further explored include the relationship between service design and material exploration, the implications of viewing service as a hyper-material, and the development of a language for service design.