Designed by Democracy
- Posted by: Eva Steele-Saccio
- on February 15, 2007 at 3:04 pm
High design has always been accessible to the rich—think of all the finely crafted $4,000 side tables transplanted to Manhattan apartments from Milan showrooms. But is the creative genius behind such pieces wasted on minimalist, million-dollar SoHo lofts? What if that talent could be redirected to design projects of broad social value? These are the questions at the heart of the Social Design Network, a new online community where designers and activists are invited to address social issues through design.
In a series of competitions, network members compete to create products that resolve critical contemporary problems: a publicity campaign to raise awareness about global warming, for example. The brainchild of Felissimo, an international corporation known for its lifestyle products as well as its commitment to charity, the project is an offshoot of the company’s ongoing design com-petition, held in collaboration with UNESCO.
In recent years, the company began to notice a trend in submissions for its Design 21 award. “More and more, our entries were addressing social issues, as opposed to simply presenting beautiful objects,” says Haruko Smith, the director of Felissimo’s U.S. branch. As winners devised homeless shelters or board games to promote cultural understanding, the company came to recognize the need for a network that might bridge the gap between the organizations that support causes and the people with the design expertise to provide smart solutions. Entries for the awareness campaign and two other competitions, are due in June.
“We want to explore ways to use design so that it contributes to solving problems,” says Smith, “and transforms our love and dreams into tangible social forms and systems.”
Submissions for the Design 21 SDN logo competition, including the winning entry:
CURRENT COMPETITIONS
1. Create a global warming awareness campaign.
2. Create an imaginative, affordable children’s toy.
3. Design a temporary emergency shelter.
LEARN MORE design21sdn.com
DISCUSSION: 12 Comments
Architecture For Humanity is another wonderful organization that does something similar, but they only do architechture. They put out a great book called Design Like You Give A Damn. http://www.architectureforhumanity.org
Read what Social Design Notes has to say about that network:
http://www.backspace.com/notes/2006/08/21/x.html
I have to say this design totally cracked me up: The “blue thread” illustration is EXACTLY the symbol we used to illustrate “clusterf***” in a prior company I worked for. (Clusterf***…as in, the group accomplishing nothing between point A and point B. In fact, not even making it to point B…) So, please tell me what I’m supposed to read into this design, as surely I’m getting the wrong message!
nice article
nice comment
A network of this type can allow that the ideas for a more sustainable future make it possible. It seems to me a very good initiative, but its social utility will depend on the participation level and proposals, if this can help to generate a new type of synergic thought between designers, we are advancing much to create a world more better and less addict of the money, because only the ideas will transform the world, and maybe this Social Design Network goes to generate a shining circulation of proposals. Time to time, but anyway:Great idea Design 21 Network!
The most simple looking designs take the longest to make. This design is better than the rest because it features the name design 21 more.
please explain about
THE BEST!
I SAW 100.000.000
OF LOGOS LIKE THE WINNER
IS REALLY NOTHING NEW
BAD CURATORS MAKE BAD DESIGN WINNERS
Hi!
I am Ana LucÃa, the designer of the Mexican logo, just want to thank you for the words
peace
Design21 is indeed a marvellous initiative; for me it acts as a perfect platform in bridging design thinking with the worlds greatest social challenges.
Speaking to members of the Network team, they do assure me the community is steadily growing. I do however, continue to question how powerful individuals, as creatives, feel when they sign up to such online communities – are we really making a difference and using our individual creative skills to help make change, by merely being members to such communities? I feel frustrated as such a passionate communications designer that little “design” or thinking, comes from “signing up” to all these projects.
I have a plentitude of Social Design resources, but here is another one to add to this comment feed:
SocialDesignSite.com
Recently the nature at all that… In the Winter warmly… There are torrential rains in the summer. After all with it that is necessary that to do!!http://news.westheals.com/