What is Design for Development?
There are four pillars in development policies: economic growth, social inclusion, environmental balance and cultural diversity.
Design as a tool, a methodology and a way of thinking has the capacity to contribute in all four aspects of development on a global scale.
FCI: Design for development focuses more specifically on the following areas:
1. Design for social development
“All design must fill a human need (…) (it) is basic to all human activities. The planning and patterning of any act towards a desired, foreseeable end constitutes a design process. Any attempt to separate design to make it a thing by itself works counter to the inherent value of design as the primary underlying matrix of life” { Victor Papanek - Design for the Real World }
In recent years the realm of design has expanded rapidly into new areas. The social and humanitarian benefits of design paved the way towards a new kind of practice shaped around socially responsible behaviour.
This new perspective on design gave more responsibilities to designers who play an important role as the new agents of change. Designers today seek to create something new for the world by using creativity and strategic design thinking whilst demonstrating their ability for social awareness.
2. Design to promote and sustain cultural diversity
Although it may not be obvious, culture is an essential element in building sustainable development. The inherent values of culture such as creativity, diversity, knowledge, and heritage are key aspects to achieve mutual understanding and democracy. In order to be socially credible, design must mean something in its own culture. It is important for local people to develop design skills that allow them to communicate about their own culture and through which they can develop visual materials and products derived from a deeper sense of local tradition and history.
3. Design for environmental sustainability
Design and technology have recently shown that they have the ability to bring effective long-term solutions for a greener tomorrow. From reducing energy consumption or waste, to bringing clean water, or educating people on environmentally sound lifestyles, designers play an important role in the development of green solutions and practices.
4. Design for urban development and city living
Cities and urban areas represent 50% of the world’s population and will continue to expand. Both ageing cities and young cities face challenges such as housing, transportation, health and safety, communication networks, cultural diversity, creative direction, and environmental sustainability amongst others, and architecture, urban planning and design are key factors in achieving sustainable urban living.
5. Design as research
A new definition of design has emerged in recent years. Design is not only about creating a product or an image. Design is also a way of thinking through problems and a solution provider. A growing number of design researchers today are also anthropologists and work on the social and cultural dimensions of design, by observing people from different regions of the world, or analyzing trends in relationship to local needs and lifestyles. Design researchers play a vital role in the development of meaningful products and services that are suited for local social characteristics and respectful of local cultural features.
