It’s all about the ‘S’ word

I’ll be swapping my usual Friday in the AVA office for a day of sustainability and activism themed events at the D&AD Education Day at the London College of Communication.

The D&AD Education Day Tour conludes on Friday at LCC, also marking the end of the school’s ‘Green Week’. LCC will host a number of workshops and pop-up installations, including a knitting circle and an up-cycling furniture project; the D&AD Education group will host a ‘Green Industry Talk’, a ‘Portfolio Surgery’ with 10 industry creatives and an introduction on how to answer briefs (including the new White Pencil Award!).

As a treat, one lucky person who signs up to our student mailing list with me on Friday will win an AVA book of their choice – at the risk of sounding like a blind date, I’ll be the blonde girl wearing an AVA badge, clutching a few copies of Design for Sustainable Change. (D&AD will also be giving away a copy of this book in a competition to be announced on the day.)

 

Design for Sustainable Change
How design and designers can drive the sustainability agenda

“At the heart of the book is the belief that design can drive considered changes in our society, and that design gives us the power to create the world we want to live in.”

The ‘S’ word is thrown around a lot today and, as noted in a previous post on ethics in design, is often used in ‘greenwash‘ for political or commercial gain. The concept of ‘sustainability’ can be extremely confusing; products are often described as ‘sustainable’ but how are ‘sustainability’ and design practice linked in a wider context?

Design for Sustainable Change delves into the key theories and debates surrounding sustainability and explores how design thinking and design-led entrepreneurship can address the sustainability agenda. This book also examines how the processes of design can provide methodologies for driving sustainable change in businesses, organizations and wider society. Insightful case studies and interviews with contemporary design practitioners put the theories and debates discussed in a real-world context.

“An increasing number of books examine sustainable design, or design for sustainability. This book looks at design thinking as an approach – and an attitude – which by its nature considers issues of sustainability.”

 

Anne Chick is Professor of Art, Design & Architecture at Lincoln University. She is Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary, Canada, as well as an Associate Editor of the Design Journal and a Design Studies journal referee.

Paul Micklethwaite is a Senior Research Fellow in the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture at Kingston University, UK, where he leads the BA Design Studies and MA Professional Practice (Design) programmes. He is editor of Kiosk, a multidisciplinary annual of art and design.

 

‘Design for Sustainable Change is timely, clear and compelling. It’s the ideal roadmap for any designer seeking an alternative to business as usual.’ John Thackara, Founder of Doors of Perception

‘This book helps designers of all persuasions to re-imagine their own design futures … Importantly, it adds another significant step in the negotiation of Design’s own transitional journey.’
Alastair Fuad-Luke, Author The Eco-design Handbook & Design Activism

‘An invaluable reference guide to the major ethical design themes of our time. With its lively format and succinct overview of concepts, ideas and case studies, this book is essential reading for anyone wishing to grasp the complexities of sustainability and the role of design.’
Stuart Walker, Professor of Design, Lancaster University, UK

 

Design for Sustainable Change is currently available on our website for £19 (£37.50 rrp).