Ecole Spécial d’Architecture, Design Corps and the Social Economic Environmental Design Network (SEED) announce a Call for Projects for the first European conference on Public Interest Design.
DEADLINE FOR SEED EVALUATED PROJECTS: October 30, 2013
PROJECT LAUREATES will be announced: November 30, 2013
FINAL DRAFT OF SELECTED PRESENTATIONS FOR PROJECT LAUREATES DUE JANUARY 30th, 2014
Conference Dates: April 2014 (to be specified).
Six projects will be selected through a competitive jury process. The selected laureates will receive round-trip air fare to Paris and two night’s lodging. The conference Public Interest Design-Europe will be held at Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Paris. Speakers’ presentations will be profiled on line.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Public Interest Design — Europe is an opportunity to discuss the emerging practice of designing for social impact and how best to radically increase the value of design for the public good. Governments and corporations have begun to recognize that design can be a tool for democratic decision making, empowerment and engagement. While inclusive design practices worldwide are beginning to help communities use design to address their most critical issues and define resilient futures as they see fit, built environment professionals still remain at the margins of these lively debates and initiatives.
The two-day symposium will provide participants from a wide range of international expertise–architects, agronomists, conservation ecologists, business, economists, public health officials, members of government–with a chance to study how design can add value and momentum as communities tackle myriad problems. Design can help defend equity by bringing creative solutions to real priorities, but only if we work in extraordinary interdisciplinary teams and across networks. It’s also high time we better articulate clear career paths for young public interest designers.
The conference will focus on two important subthemes within Public Interest Design:
Day One will be a session devoted to Design As Social Enterprise and will use the SEED Evaluator to explore design projects that support new and emerging business models such as impact investing, frugal digital access, and engaging the private sector through inspired partnerships.
Day Two is dedicated to Design that Restores Justice and will employ the SEED Evaluator to examine design projects that seek to (re) affirm justice for communities through more equitable access to public health and decision making regarding climate, cultural heritage, law, and the environment.
All work related directly to one of the sub-themes Design as Social Enterprise or Design that Restores Justice will be considered.
Work may be in any of the following three categories:
- Products
- Places, such as buildings, landscapes and other environments; and
- Processes, such as social services and systems, public policy and business practices