Clean and Clear
Social Support for Vulnerable Groups in Our Communities: Design and Considerations of Centers for the Elderly
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Andreas Savvides
This paper considers a concept of providing the elderly segment of the population with an enhancement of their places of socialization in the form of neighborhood community centers. These centers are viewed as an integral part a neighborhood's community infrastructure and as such they should be located in multiple locations in a city at regular intervals and frequencies. The relationship between the distance that may be covered by an elderly person to reach any of these centers either by walking independently or with assistance or with the use of specialized service vehicles is examined. The catchment area for the population of the elderly in a neighborhood is also examined to estimate the occupancy for this piece of community infrastructure. The program to be found in these centers is also examined in ways in which it may provide this segment of the population with a one stop shop for addressing some of their most basic needs in terms services related to them in dealing with government bureaucracy and also in terms of providing light healthcare amenities in the form of outpatient facilities and physiotherapy services. Also important is the provision of meals and of themed and organized activities that may enhance quality of life and socialization amongst groups of the same generation but also activities of an intergenerational nature for this segment of the population.
Preventing Discrimination and Hate : A Design-led Approach to Youth Development
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Hina Shahid
This paper explores the use of design skills—perspective taking, collaboration, solution mindset combined with the Design Studio approach as a means to prevent discrimination and hate among youth, and to cultivate pluralist values. Along with design skills it further explores the application of Design Studio approach to building pluralist competencies of fairness and inclusion, intercultural literacy, interpersonal communication and collaboration, solution mindset, resilience and efficacy in middle and high school students. The rise of digital mediums and ubiquitous unfiltered media, with the chaotic political climate of the last few years, schools and college campuses have seen an uptick in hate crimes (FBI, 2017) and discrimination against the minorities (SPLC, 2017). This problem requires creative and preventive measures, which this paper proposes in the form of a social venture teaching pluralism by utilizing design skills and design studio approach of learning. The Design Studios approach also referred to as PBL (project-based learning) allows students to learn by experiencing a new phenomenon, reflecting upon it, conceptualizing the experienced into new knowledge and then applying it to further their knowledge (Kolb, 1984). Thus, making Design Studio the right approach for teaching skills that require critical thinking (Riess & Neporent, 2018) and behavior change. The paper outlines the design and development of the social venture by using the Design Innovation Process Model (Kumar, 2003) of research, analysis, synthesis, and prototyping; 1) the need for pluralist competencies, 2) the design and development of the learning modules and 3) service delivery and eco-system.
The Role of Designers and Artists in Times of Environmental Crisis: Broken Nature, Living in Times of Crisis, Uncertainly, and Turmoil View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Monika Zabel
Fashion design has become a major pollutant. According to UN statistics as much as 40 percent of the ocean is heavily affected by pollution, depleted fisheries and loss of coastal habitats. The fashion industry, in particular fast and mass fashion production of the last decades, is a major contributor to global pollution of water, air, and soil throughout its lifetime cycle. Demand for clothing items has doubled since 2000 while the frequency of using each item before disposing it has dramatically decreased. Quantity of production has increased and quality has decreased. The increased use of synthetic fibers in the composition of fabrics (clothes made out of plastic) has contributed to the plastic waste pollution and micro particle load in the water and in fishes. By 2050, research says that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Designers have an important role as change agent. In the process: assessing sustainability of their own production under environmental and social criteria, and to adapt it. In advocacy the themes of how and what to purchase. And second, in advocacy for introducing changes. Designers, in or across disciplines shall become agents of change. Transparency is the call of our times and conscious and sustainable smaller brands have to advocate and deliver this kind of production. We must conceive and produce our forthcoming living spheres through conscious designs, innovative objects, and experiential installations. Objects from Venice Design and Art Bienniale Venice are included.
