Designing For the Other 90%

When it comes to designing for the other 90 percent I believe that it is better to try your hardest to solve some of the design problems, than it is to not even try in fear of failure. In our education here at RISD we are taught to think creatively, and to put ourselves in the place of those who we are designing for. True innovation rather than redesign can come out of this thinking and we are the ones who have the creativity to combine unlikely technologies and materials in order to come up with truly innovative designs that might better someone else’s life.

The life straw designed by Torben Vestergaard Frandsen is a straw like device which allows you to drink out of soiled water. The straw purifies the water as you drink. It is currently in use in Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Uganda. It protects people from waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and diarrhea. It is highly effective and it can filter up to 700 liters per year. Life straw is such an amazing invention because so many children die every year due to drinking contaminated water. It helps to illuminate illness. If the life straw became widely distributed it could potentially eliminate water born diseases, or a majority of them.

A major aspect of design is shelter. The global village shelter by Ferrara Design, Inc. is innovative because it ships flat to locations and is then constructed on site. These portable shelters were used in Mississippi after hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the surrounding area. The shelter is composed of Triple wall-laminated corrugated cardboard treated with fire-resistant and waterproof coating, thermoformed general purpose ABS. The shelter for the most part is bio-degradable after its use. It is a very simple solution for temporary shelter needs.

As the two examples above show designing for other far away communities is a reality and a large possibility. Being able to access healthy water is a basic human need that we all should have but don’t all have. Some people spend most of their day walking just to get water for their families. Life straw is such a good design because it ensures healthier water. Imagine after walking six hours to get water, having to build a fire in order to heat and sanitize the water before you even get the chance to drink it.

Reversely the innovative use of unusual materials can influence our design. A few years ago during my travels to Kenya, Africa I visited with the Masai People. They are an indigenous people in Africa. One very interesting characteristic that they are known for is for their ability to jump extremely high, nearly 6 feet in the air. On their feet the Masai men wear shoes made of old tires. Little material separates their feet from the bottom of rock and unstable ground. MBT is a shoe company that had developed and taken inspiration from the Masai’s foot wear. The form of the shoe mimics that of the tire sandals. The Masai are said to not have the usual back pain that we often experience so this shoe seeks to alleviate back pain by challenging more muscles than usually. As designers we also can take inspiration from a much wider base then our current design community.