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To all readers, please update your link to this blog
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Doors of Perception’s John Thackara just published a guest article on Design Observer that raises some insightful points on designers trying to help solve issues in the third world. I am always inspired by the way Thackara can examine issues that tend to always be portrayed in a positive light and pin point the contrarian’s perspective while making a convincing case in its favour
The vast majority of designers go somewhere different, are inspired and stimulated and maybe even humbled by the experience — but leave without turning their insights into value that local people can use. The exchange ends up being one-way in favor of the visitor.
The most exciting opportunity for innovation lies in combining the knowledge systems, tools, and social and territorial assets of South and North. In a light and sustainable economy, we will share resources such as time, skill, software or food using socially embedded systems, enabled by networked communications, that are a hybrid of assets from North and South.
Thackara makes an excellent case for this new form of hybrid innovation between the North and South. However an earlier line in the piece proposes another approach that isn’t a new solution but an integral intermediate step in Thackara’s vision. “we can do more good at home than abroad”. Before we begin this cross-cultural trade perhaps there is something the North can do to help. As Thackara explains, “Poverty is a real enough challenge for half of the world’s population, but in many cases it’s caused by patterns of development exported from and imposed by, the North.”
What would happen if we tried to identify issues in our living patterns which negatively impact those of others? I would image small changes in ourselves and our lifestyle could have a huge impact on the entire global community. Is something standing in the way of this kind of radical change? Are we too set in our ways? Perhaps.
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Tags: design innovation aid sustainability
The New York Times has a slideshow of Olafur Elliasson’s waterfalls in New York, including the one under the Brooklyn Bridge.
“The New York City Waterfalls” is a public art project of four man-made waterfalls rising from New York Harbor, some as high as the Statue of Liberty. Organized by the nonprofit Public Art Fund and the city of New York, it is being billed as the city’s biggest such project since “The Gates,” the $20 million effort by the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 2005.
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Rapid Prototyping the Right Way
Rachel Hinman of Adaptive Path recently began her “90 Mobiles in 90 Days” project. This rapid form of brainstorming/iteration/prototyping is exactly what I was trying to do when I began my Twitter “Idea Log“. Glad to see she is having more success than I did.
For the 90 days following today, June 20, 2008, I’m going to think about, sketch, draw, and prototype ideas about mobile design and post them here. Like folks recovering from any addiction, I don’t know what is at the end of these 90 days. I’m just gonna commit to thinking about it every day for 90 days and have faith that something good will be on the other side.
(via Adaptive Path)
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Space Collective
I stumbled on the space collective today and posted it on designboom. The gallery is an amazing collection of images. The curated selection of images and links is so refreshing compared to the same info graphics and black and white photos on ffffound. The format would work so well for a blog. It also reminds me of 19th century art exhibitions where the paintings were hung floor to ceiling, this is kind of a 21st century equivalent (with hyperlinks).
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