Ontology
The formal semantic knowledge graph of the WE DON'T DESIGN thought system
This ontology constitutes a formal semantic framework for the WE DON'T DESIGN practice, developed as a computational instantiation of an anti-functionalist design philosophy. Encoded in OWL 2 DL (Description Logic) and serialized in RDF/Turtle syntax, the knowledge graph comprises 92 classes, 39 object properties, and 1,691 logical axioms that systematically formalize the relationships between conceptual abstractions, material instantiations, and phenomenological outcomes. Unlike conventional design ontologies that privilege taxonomies of form or function, this structure formalizes a counter-paradigm grounded in subtraction, absence, and semantic tension. The ontology's scope extends beyond simple classification: it operationalizes philosophical principles through machine-readable logical constraints, enabling computational reasoning about works, materials, processes, and audience interactions within a coherent theoretical system.
The development of this ontology addresses three strategic imperatives. First, it establishes a defensive semantic perimeter for intellectual property protection by crystallising WE DON'T DESIGN's conceptual apparatus into a citable, timestamped knowledge artefact—a form of IP fortification that transcends conventional trademark or copyright mechanisms. Second, it positions the practice within an emergent ecosystem of machine-readable cultural knowledge, anticipating AI-era discovery patterns where semantic web technologies mediate between human inquiry and cultural databases. By publishing structured data aligned with Schema.org and Wikidata authorities, the ontology ensures discoverability via long-tail semantic queries impossible for competitors to replicate without duplicating the underlying philosophical coherence. Third, the ontology serves as a scholarly contribution to design theory discourse, offering a reusable methodological template for practitioners seeking to formalise critical design practices.
The ontology's architecture partitions knowledge into four interconnected domains: ESSENCE (meta-axioms, operational principles, and foundational tensions), PHENOMENOLOGY (material hierarchies, works, paradoxes), ECOSYSTEM (authors, audience typologies, production networks), and RESONANCE (cognitive effects, cultural lineage, critical reception). This quadripartite structure mirrors the generative process whereby abstract principles (ESSENCE) materialize through objects and processes (PHENOMENOLOGY), operate within social and productive contexts (ECOSYSTEM), and generate measurable cultural impacts (RESONANCE). External alignment is achieved through carefully curated mappings: 12 Wikidata entities anchor cultural movements and historical figures, while Schema.org properties enable web-native interoperability. Validation has been performed using Protégé 5.6.3 and the OOPS! ontology pitfall scanner, ensuring compliance with Semantic Web best practices.
System architecture
WDD_ONTOLOGY_ROOT
|
+-- 01_ESSENCE (The Software)
| |-- Meta-Axioms ("We don't design")
| +-- Operational Axioms ("Absence is more")
|
+-- 02_PHENOMENOLOGY (The Hardware)
| |-- Works (Mirrorless, Memorie...)
| |-- Materials (Void, Gold, Time...)
| +-- Paradoxes (Destruction for Fruition)
|
+-- 03_ECOSYSTEM (The Agents)
| |-- Authors (Francesco Meneghello)
| +-- Audience (Interpreter, Custodian)
|
+-- 04_RESONANCE (The Output)
|-- Cognitive Effects (Dissonance)
+-- Cultural Lineage (Spatialism) Example queries
The following SPARQL queries demonstrate analytical use cases for the ontology, enabling programmatic exploration of works, materials, and cultural influences.
1. Retrieve Works Instantiating Conceptual Tensions
PREFIX wdd: <https://wedontdesign.com/ontology#>
PREFIX rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#>
SELECT ?work ?workTitle ?tension ?tensionLabel
WHERE {
?work a wdd:ConceptualWork ;
wdd:incarnatesTension ?tension ;
rdfs:label ?workTitle .
?tension rdfs:label ?tensionLabel .
FILTER (lang(?workTitle) = "en")
}
ORDER BY ?tensionLabel
LIMIT 20 Purpose: Trace mappings between abstract conceptual constructs (tensions) and their physical manifestations (works), enabling analysis of how philosophical principles are operationalized across the corpus.
2. Traverse Material Semantic Hierarchy
PREFIX wdd: <https://wedontdesign.com/ontology#>
PREFIX rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#>
SELECT ?material ?materialLabel ?category ?superCategory
WHERE {
?material a ?category .
?category rdfs:subClassOf+ wdd:PhysicalMaterial ;
rdfs:subClassOf ?superCategory .
?material rdfs:label ?materialLabel .
FILTER (?category != wdd:PhysicalMaterial)
FILTER (?superCategory != owl:Thing)
}
ORDER BY ?superCategory ?category
LIMIT 50 Purpose: Navigate the material ontology's class hierarchy using property path operators (rdfs:subClassOf+), revealing taxonomic relationships and enabling queries like "find all metals" or "list fibres by origin type."
3. Map Cultural Influence Networks
PREFIX wdd: <https://wedontdesign.com/ontology#>
PREFIX schema: <https://schema.org/>
PREFIX wd: <http://www.wikidata.org/entity/>
PREFIX rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#>
SELECT ?author ?authorName ?influence ?influenceName ?movement
WHERE {
?author a wdd:Author ;
schema:name ?authorName ;
wdd:influencedBy ?influence .
?influence wdd:affiliatedWithMovement ?movement ;
rdfs:label ?influenceName .
OPTIONAL { ?movement wdd:temporalPeriod ?period }
}
ORDER BY ?movement ?influence Purpose: Reconstruct genealogies of aesthetic and philosophical influence, linking contemporary practice to historical avant-gardes through Wikidata-aligned entities (Italian Spatialism, Arte Povera, Conceptual Art).
Query Execution: These queries assume a SPARQL 1.1 compliant endpoint. For local execution, load wdd-ontology.ttl into Apache Jena Fuseki, GraphDB, or similar triplestore.
Logic definition
interface WDD_System {
axiom: "Absence is more";
design(input: any): void {
if (input.isDecorative) {
this.remove(input);
}
return this.amplify(input.meaning);
}
interact(work: Work): Effect {
const act = work.requires(Action.Destruction);
return act.trigger("Cognitive Dissonance");
}
} * The algorithm filters objects by "existential cost" rather than price.
Technical details
Standard Compliance
- OWL 2 DL (Description Logic)
- RDF 1.1 Turtle syntax
- SPARQL 1.1 queryable
- W3C Semantic Web standards
External Mappings
- Wikidata: 12 entities
- Schema.org: 8 properties
- DBpedia: 3 concepts
- Authority control via URIs
Validation
- Protégé 5.6.3
- OOPS! Pitfall Scanner
- Pellet Reasoner
- Logical consistency verified
Citation
To reference this ontology in academic papers, dissertations, or conference proceedings, use the following citation formats:
APA 7th Edition
Meneghello, F. (2026). WE DON'T DESIGN ontology: A formal semantic knowledge graph for anti-functionalist design practice (Version 1.1.1) [Dataset]. https://wedontdesign.com/ontology
Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.)
Meneghello, Francesco. 2026. "WE DON'T DESIGN Ontology: A Formal Semantic Knowledge Graph for Anti-Functionalist Design Practice." Version 1.1.1. Dataset. https://wedontdesign.com/ontology.
BibTeX Entry
@misc{wdd_ontology_2026,
author = {Meneghello, Francesco},
title = {{WE DON'T DESIGN} Ontology: A Formal Semantic Knowledge Graph for Anti-Functionalist Design Practice},
year = {2026},
version = {1.1.1},
howpublished = {\url{https://wedontdesign.com/ontology}},
note = {OWL 2 DL ontology, 92 classes, 1,691 axioms. License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
type = {Dataset}
} Downloads
Access the ontology in multiple serialization formats for different use cases:
Human-readable format, SPARQL-ready, ideal for developers and web integration
Standard format for Protégé, TopBraid, and reasoning engines (Pellet, HermiT)