Alice Rawsthorn on design for the unwealthiest 90 percent
2 May 2007
Alice Rawsthorn on design for the unwealthiest 90 percent. “When you look at the bigger picture, doesn’t it seem strange that so much time, energy and resources should be consumed by creating luxuries for relatively few people, when so many essentials are needed urgently by so many more? Why are designers so focussed on designing for the wealthiest 10 percent?”
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Jim, have you got a look at the book called “Design Like You Give a Damn”? It’s about architectural responses to humanitarian crisis. A whole lot of projects for all kinds of situations explained quite clearly. I well worth the read.
And check out MIT professor Amy Smith’s talk at the TED conference. www.ted.com
Raising awareness of both the need for such design and the opportunities for designers to work in this area is key. I know engineering students who, after getting involved in social justice work through the Church, are considering abandoning the engineering field for more direct ministry because, short of organizations like Engineers Without Borders (a great organization), they see no way of integrating their passion for service with their work as engineers. It’s a sad commentary, I think.