Designs On-

Raising awareness with provocative design concepts

As environmental issues increasingly become fodder for casual conversations and court cases alike, I.D. Magazine’s 2007 Annual Design Review presented a timely challenge to the design world: Create concepts that bring awareness to the topic of global warming. Eager to embark on such a challenge, 15 IDEO designers set out to marry aesthetics and sustainability, a practice that IDEO aims to instill in each of its projects. In four short weeks, the team created 13 distinct concepts, from a sustainable death experience, to personal ads for Mother Earth, to coin-operated lamps, to toys that teach the value of energy.

IDEO, after receiving design distinctions for two of the concepts, sought to share the work with a larger audience in hopes of continuing the call to action. The result is a printed booklet called Designs On—, part personal point-of-view, part collective manifesto to inspire people to think anew about design’s role in alleviating global issues.

The 62-page booklet presents facts about global warming, with related design concepts speaking to themes of conscientious consumption, behavior change, and environments design. Printed on stock that meets the Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) standards for responsible forest management and responsible use of forest services, Designs On— is also Green-E certified, made with renewable energy, and printed with soy inks.

Two of the global warming concepts, “Preserve” and “Getting Personal With Global Warming” (by Thomas Brisebras and Jennifer Leonard, respectively) received honors from I.D. Magazine’s Annual Design Review. Additionally, two other concepts, “Light Generator” and “The Protons,” were selected as 2008 International Design Excellence Awards finalists.

The booklet and all 13 concepts can be downloaded here. View the most recent Designs On— concepts here.

Project date: 2008