Design for the Other 90%

Design for the Other 90% is an exhibition with its roots at Cooper-Heweitt in NYC. It brings together designers, architects, intellectuals, and basically anyone who is anyone in the move towards socially-responsible design. It showcases design that solves serious problems in developing countries, such as providing shelter, or getting water from one place to another. The work that is being brought forward through this exhibit is the same work that is reducing disease and saving lives in places that many of us could not imagine.
Coincidentally I had personally discovered the exhibition online earlier this summer, when I was dreaming of developing a human rights design group at RISD. I cant imagine why RISD is not at the forefront of this type of work.
Design for the Other 90% offers anyone interested in learning about the hundreds of different projects and programs around the world the information they need to be inspired.

“The majority of the world’s designers focus all their efforts on developing products and services exclusively for the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Nothing less than a revolution in design is needed to reach the other 90%.”
—Dr. Paul Polak, International Development Enterprises

One of my personal favorites is definitely worth a closer look. The Bamboo Treadle Pump is an inexpensive water pump made of bamboo that allows farmers to access water at times when they normally would not be able. In Bangledesh, the pump has already generated $1.4 billion in net farmer income, read more about it at http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/Design/bamboo-treadle-pump.
And while your there explore the site, there are so many great things just like it.