Author: Leigh Wishner In celebration of the third annual New York Textile Month, members of the Textile Society of America will author Object of the Day for the month of September. A non-profit professional organization of scholars, educators, and artists in the field of textiles, TSA provides an international forum for the exchange and dissemination...
One of the exciting aspects of Design with the Other 90%: Cities is the ability to connect the international themes of the exhibition to a New York setting. In our second DesignPrep workshop held at the United Nations, teens examined key issues highlighted in the exhibition. The workshop was an opportunity for teens to raise...
Cities all over the world are rapidly expanding and facing issues such as climate change, rapid urban migration and overburdened public services. This panel discussion focuses on initiatives that seek to include those who have been marginalized by established cities, especially the poor, women, youth and entire communities. Panelists include representatives from: – Kounkey Design...
This discussion is centered on Thailand’s Baan Mankong Community Upgrading Project, a particularly successful example of housing improvement, land-tenure security, and infrastructure development that places slum communities at the center of the upgrading process.
As residents of informal settlements collaborate more and more with designers, governments, and organizations, truly innovative solutions and ideas are emerging. This panel featuring exhibition participants will discuss what they are doing to meet the demands of growing urban populations and new economies. Panelists include representatives from: – Shack/Slum Dwellers International – Design With Africa...
Design with the Other 90%: CITIES exhibition opened last week at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to large crowds and international press. The exhibition’s location provides a unique opportunity to connect numerous stakeholders, including design professionals, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, academics, those in the public and private sector, and the general public. During...
Dutch designer Claudy Jongstra recently showcased her tapestries of raw wool and silk here in New York at the United Nations. A participant in Cooper-Hewitt’s 2009 Fashioning Felt exhibition, Claudy has a unique design process that is committed to sustainability, biodiverisity, and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. Claudy keeps her own sheep, her...
From citizen journalists to user generated conferences the dialogue keeps expanding. Those of us who could not make it to BarCamp Africa this past October in California the organizers posted video clips of the panels. This user generated conference was designed to make connections between people and opportunities in Silicon Valley and Africa. Bryan Bell’s...
An energy-efficient straw bale house is being built on the Mall, across the street from the US Capitol. Natural builders from around the country converged on Washington DC to construct the straw shelter and a bamboo shade structure. Rose Morin, a green builder from New Mexico and one of the over dozen volunteers with Builders...
