Design for the Public Good | Thursday, 11 November 2010

Panel Discussion

At RMIT bldg 50, Orr St (off Victoria St), Carlton

Thursday 11 November 2010, 7 PM

Entry by gold coin donation, all donations will go to Indonesian Red Cross to assist in recovery of the recent Indonesian earthquake and tsunami

Refreshments provided

Designers might see themselves as instrumental in creating functional and beautiful spaces in our built environment. Yet design services, and particularly architectural design, continue to be broadly perceived as an expensive luxury serving only a small, affluent proportion of society.

Seeing a need to address inequitable access to design, and recognising the widespread interest in the profession, Architects for Peace set up a pro bono service in 2006 to make connections between designers wanting to make a difference and under-resourced community groups in need of a design solution. Other non-profit organisations have long been established as providers of design assistance in disadvantaged communities, both locally and overseas, and more initiatives are emerging in a concerted push towards design activism.

But just how does it happen?

Join us in an open discussion forum exploring the field of humanitarian and volunteer work on local and international design projects, looking at the drive behind the work, the challenges and mistakes, the ethics of intervening in foreign communities, and the conditions that make design for the public good not only possible, but effective too.

We'll be joined by guests who will share their first hand experiences:

- Esther Charlesworth (Architects Without Frontiers, Director)

- Nick Bamford (Pro bono architect for the Fitzroy Learning Network, through Architects for Peace)

- Rob Watson (Food Water Shelter, Vice president & infrastructure manager, Architect)

Have you been involved in a pro bono design project? Tell us about it! Or curious and would like to be involved? Come along to learn more!

This is our last talk for the year, so we'll have some extra special refreshments! Entry by gold donation on the door (please give generously - all donations will go to Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia) to assist in the recovery of the Indonesian earthquake).

Brought to you by your friends at Architects for Peace.