DESIGN FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

“We live in a society and a culture and an economic model that tries to make everything look right…But by definition, when you make something no one hates, no one loves it. So I am interested in imperfections, quirkiness, insanity, unpredictability. That’s what we really pay attention to anyway. We don’t talk about planes flying; we talk about them crashing.”
Tibor Kalman

Within the design world SOCIAL DESIGN is sometimes defined as a design process that contributes to improving human well-being and livelihood. The agenda of social design is inspired by, among others, Victor Papanek’s idea that designers and creative professionals have a responsibility and are able to cause real change in the world through good design.

Never before has the need and value of design been so high. Never before has the professional status of designers been so low. By focusing on the good and changing the typical intended message, designers can demonstrate new solutions for both the 21st century and the special challenges that face our society. So our question becomes, What can you do? What will you do? How does your design make a difference?
Working as a collaborative group of makers, artists and designers, we will utilize the community as a backdrop for social impact through design. Along with a new found historical context, lectures and readings, a large scale public project will dictate the semesters work and will result in a public gathering and or “opening”.
We are only as strong as we want to be...