Design Context Website

I've spent this morning trying to complete my Design Context website, and I've now decided it's complete. I've included all the content I intended to include, adding a few extras, such as my dissertation 'Can graphic design be sustainable?'.

I had intended, during the last design context presentation, to do a book, like everyone else. But from hearing the feedback, it came about that I should maybe consider putting together a website, what with being 'sustainable' and all that!

Putting together s awebsite is something I'm not overly confident about doing, especially in Dreamweaver. Although we were taught the basics last year, I would have had to spend a lot of time coming to grips with it all and teaching myself what to do, which wasn't really very practical with the time I had left to do it.
So I've put it together using Indexhibit, which took a while to understand the workings of it. It is straight-forward to use, but has many restrictions because of this. So on appearance, my website is really straight-forward and has basic design elements. But for the purpose I was intending, it was practical.

The website address is www.sustainabilitywithindesign.co.uk

So here are a few screen grabs from a few of the pages on my site.
There are four sections to it...



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1. Introduction
What is sustainable design?
Why become a sustainable designer?



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2. Who's doing what?- Looking at practicing sustainable designers and organisations.


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3. Step By Step
Getting started
Design process
Production


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4. Opinions/Theories
A few quotes
Articles from the internet, books and magazines
My third year dissertation

Design Context Presentation

This morning I had to do my design context presentation, based on my ideas for the graphic product to conclude the whole research based part of the FMP. Discussing what the content would be, with some examples and then the intentions of how it would be put together.
For example, I went into the presentation with the intentions of producing a guide book for designers on how to become a sustainable designer.

These are the main slides from my presentation, so you get an idea of what it was I was talking about.











Once I'd finished speaking, there was time for questions and answers and general feedback of the work.
The content I''d decided on was fine, but the discussion was more about the form it will be take. As I had the intention of producing a small book, published by lulu.com or blurb.com, but I mentioned that I had considered printing onto recycled paper and putting a book together that way. But in the end, it came down to...should I not be producing a website. What with being sustainable and trying to avoid printing altogether. But I'm not very confident with putting a website together, so wasn't too keen on the idea at first.
But since reflecting on what was said, I've decided I'm going to have a go at putting a website together....using Indexhibit.
I've already about my domain name of www.sustainabilitywithindesign.co.uk so it's now just a matter of getting it all set up, get used to it and start adding my content.

So, fingers crossed this goes ok!

Design Context Graphic Product

I'm now at the stage where I really need to be considering what it is I'm going to create for my graphic product as the final stage of the design context part of the FMP..

My subject throughout has been Sustainability Within Design, and I've spent a lot of time discovering designers who work sustainably, how they work sustainably, theories behind becoming a sustainable design, new technologies and all sorts of stuff like that, from searching the internet, to reading magazines and books. But I now need to combine it all together and make some kind of sense of it all.

There are two ways I could take this..
Here is one possible example of the contents page for one idea...
1- An introduction
What is sustainable design?
Why become sustainable?

2- Step By Step Guide to becoming Sustainable
In the studio
Changing you design process
Production
Example of who's already doing what (case studies)

3- In The Future
The benefits of considering sustainability within design

4- Useful Links
To services
Waste/recycling sites
Sustainable designers

So it would almost be like a handbook to sustainable design.

Then the other way I was thinking of putting it together is very much the same, but more of a simple straight forward guide.
Having headers to pages like...
-Accept The Fact You Need TO Change...
-Design To Last
- Help Make The Invisible Visible
- Re-engage With The Making Process etc etc

Then under such headers would be a bit of information about what to do or what it means.
But I think the first idea would make more sense as a book and sum up everything I've learnt whilst doing the Design Context side of things!

Anyways, the production of the book, I'm not sure what to do there either. As it was recommended to use an online publishing service and get it all printed and bound really nicely...but seeing as I'm doing sustainable design, shouldn't I really be doing something like printing onto unwanted paper/scrap paper/junk mail?! I know I should, but I want it to look nice and be a high quality! I'll have to have a ponder over this. As it can look nice, the images below are of an invitation created by Thomas.Matthews, but is printed on an old publication of the Design Council's. It looks really nice! But I'm not sure if I could create something to this standard!

60 Bag

60 Bag is a biodegradable bag made from flax-viscose (flax fiber industrial waste). It doesn't exploit any natural resources and requires minimal energy during its production. The bag can naturally decompose around 60 days after being discarded.

Ideals Creative

Ideals is a social enterprise run by a group of young creative professionals who simply want to make people aware of the great stuff people are up to nowadays.

They provide multimedia communications solutions for development organizations. They construct strategically planned designs and materials that cater to the specific needs of cause-oriented organizations.




Fantastic website with loads more of their work on it.

Piece Studio

Piece Studio is a socially-based collaborative design studio in Baltimore, MD. We work with everyone from community organizations to activists, in search of creating positive change.
They have produced all sorts of work for all sorts of organizations. Working to raise awareness surrounding the social problems facing our cities. Many issues are swept under the rug, and as long as these issues are kept 'out of sight', nothing will be done to fix them. This being the objective of the project below, 'If you don't see it".





Their work is done to a high professional standard, but there are all the aspects of being produced in a sustainable manner.

Room For Change

The Room for Change was unveiled at LONDON AWARE 08, the UK’s biggest green lifestyle event, at The Barbican on May 10 – Sun May 11 2008. Installations included a goat made from hubcaps (to encourage people to consider buying ethical or recycled products) and a toilet full of mobile phones to communicate how recycling your mobile can fund capital projects in the third world.

Nothing

Nothing is a new commercial creative agency formed by Michael Jansen and Bas Korsten in Amsterdam. The Nothing office is built almost entirely out of cardboard. A 'no screw no glue' technique.

The Nothing team took the idea behind the company name (taking nothing and turning it into something) as the starting point for the physical design of the office; which included creating walls, signage, beams, tables, shelving and even a set of stairs out of cardboard.
Has a sustainable aspect to it which I love. So so simple, but as I've never seen anything like this, it's so so clever!

The walls will double as a blank canvas with visitors encouraged to leave their mark on the surfaces.
And when they get bored by the accumulated daubings, the studio can presumably replace individual sections of their workspace for, well, nothing much at all.

It's worth having a look at their website, fabulous!

Talk with Justin + Unpackaged

During the last tutorial with Justin, we sat and had a discussion about where I might want to take my FMP after the Easter break. I wasn't really very sure where I might want to take it, but I had made some notes and got some ideas down about a couple of possible briefs.

As my subject/theme is Sustainability Within Design, he wanted me to focus on what I mean by that. Dig deeper into what I'm on about, in a bit more detail than I have been doing.

After a bit more discussion we came onto the conversation about re-branding and packaging. Which then led onto easter eggs and too much unnecessary packaging, he proposed the idea of me looking at redesigning some easter egg packaging...which then moved onto me considering a sustainable confectioners. Creating a brand, and then proposing ideas such as no-packaging and alternatives, the promotional material etc. Along the lines of that, but focusing on a confectioners.

Since then I've had a think and I really like the idea of producing something like that for the big main brief of my FMP. A lot of research is still required before I make any final decisions.

Anyways...I've come across Unpackaged. Unpackaged, an organic local grocery store in North London, uses design to help its local customers to be more environmentally friendly by using less wasteful packaging when they buy their supplies.



PROBLEM
We use packaging like it’s a never ending resource. Every person in the UK generates about 500kg of waste each year, 160kg of which is packaging waste that uses finite resources then ends up on landfill sites because not all of it can be recycled.

RESPONSE
Unpackaged, a North London social enterprise helps people use less unnecessary packaging. It worked with designers to create a local organic grocery store which helps local customers shop in a new packaging free way.

RESULT
60% of Unpackaged customers reuse their own packs when they return to the shop and about 1.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions are saved by the store each year compared to if it was selling the same groceries pre packed.

Packaging is an environmental problem because the materials that make it are often from finite resources (like oil which is used to make plastic, or trees that are turned into cardboard and sometimes not replaced with new trees), and once it’s used, packaging tends to end up on landfill sites rather than being recycled. Unpackaged started as a stall at Exmouth market while Conway figured out what groceries people were likely to buy loose and got feedback on the sort of issues that would put them off buying unpackaged goods.

Unpackaged needed a brand identity that would pack an eco-friendly punch but also counteract preconceptions that self serve stores were bargain basements and that sustainability was all about knitted carrier bags and chairs made out of old bottles. A classic glass jar provided inspiration for the Unpackaged logo which uses a simple outline and modern typeface to make the idea of reusing packaging appealing for a 21st century customer

"Everything we’ve produced from the start has been not wasteful. Everything doubles up as something else. The flyers and invites are printed on bits of old cereal boxes. And when we moved from the stall to the shop I had lots of business cards left and they were stapled together and made into Unpackaged loyalty cards..... ‘We designed a flyer that uses icons with the same proportions as the Unpackaged jar to explain how the new shopping concept works. The “weigh, pay, save” process is illustrated with a set of scales, an old-fashioned till and coin purse. Once Cath moved from the market stall into the shop we put larger versions of these icons in gold foil on the door so everyone who enters the shop can easily figure out how it works.’’ - C. Conway

Noisy Decent Graphics

Discovered this blog today, created by Ben Terrett a graphic designer in London.

This link takes you to the "Sustainability in Design" category of his blog. There are loads and loads of interesting posts, and the good thing is that he updates it regularly. This is definitely a blog worth following...

I've added it to the 'Nice Stuff...' section of my blog.

Interesting link no.2

On visiting a blog whilst doing some research for the Design Context side of the FMP, I can across a link to a blog on graphics and living by someone called Mike Dempsey.
From Caveman to Spray Can

He has written up a talk he gave to the RSA in 2005. It's about all sorts of interesting things but essentially it's an overview of graphic design.

I only read it because underneath the link to the article it said "If you're a graphic design student, you must read it"

A lot of it isn't really relevant to my FMP, but it's an interesting read.

8 Tips for Sustainable Design

1. Insist that every product starts with a written strategy, whose measureable objectives include a 'Triple Bottom Line': People, Planet, Profit.

2. Choose designers (certified ones, if available) who have made a public commitment to minimum standards of performance and social responsibility, and that will keep you informed of what's new.

3. Plan products that will be designed to last (or perhaps distribute electronically the content that is more time-sensitive)

4. Consider solutions that start with eco-friendly materials (preferably from nearby ethical suppliers) that reuse existing things, or that result in things that can be used (or at least recycled).

5. Offset any unavoidable carbon footprint of your project.

6. If you can't find a promise to make about your product that you'd feel comfortable making to your children or best friend, redesign your product.

7. Tell the world about your great process: lead by example and take the credit you deserve.

8. Don't just do good work. Do good.

Quote no.3

"Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future. Design is therefore responsible for the world our children will live in"

- Robert L. Matthews

Quote no.2

"Design is crucial in moving us towards a more sustainable future. It can help us rethink how we deliver products and their benefits without decimating the world around us, or compromising the well-being of others"

- Beatrice Otto

Interesting link no.1

An interesting link to an article about the amount of waste involved with food and supermarkets.

Quote no.1

"Sustainable development is like teenage sex – everybody claims they are doing it but most people aren’t, and those that are, are doing it very badly."

Chris Spray, Northumbrian Water

marc & anna and some reflecting...

Marc&Anna is a small, independent graphic design consultancy founded by Marc Atkinson and Anna Ekelund based in London.
I discovered their work during the process of putting together my design context presentation, in which I have had to discover work or designers that influence my work, the kind of work I want to produce when I leave this course and go out into the big wide world.

This is the work that I want to produce, this is the kind of work I'm focussing my FMP. Although I've decided to set my subject as "Sustainability within Design", I don't want to pigeon hole myself to just producing environmentally friendly design, by this I mean, only printing on recycled stock, only working for ethical causes, using the colours brown and green all the time, whilst in the mean time, only eating organic food, not using deodorant or driving my car....because that's not me. As a designer, considering the environmental footprint of your work and your actions should be something of importance, especially in this day and age. But that doesn't mean it has to become my ethos.
That's why marc&anna is a good example of the type of work I want to produce and the kind of person I am. There work is fantastic, answering all briefs given with good communication; creating beautiful work with strong, exciting ideas and delivering an end result beyond expectation. But at the same time, they seem to take time out and think about what it is that that they're doing.



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For example, the work below is marc&anna's moving card. All screen printed onto the flap of a cardboard moving box. Such a simple and straight forward idea, but I bet a lot of people would never have thought of it. Simple steps like this, to avoiding printing on all sorts of new stocks, when they had plenty available from the boxes they used to move. This is them doing their bit for the environment, without really putting much thought into it or putting themselves out there all that much.



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Then there's this lovely mail shot. Run by English Heritage and The National Trust, the conference Your Place Or Mine? was aimed at engaging new audiences with heritage. We were asked to design the identity and literature. Not necessarily a sustainable design, but it's just a 'nice' piece of work for a good cause.




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They are greener than traditional bulbs, cutting energy use by 80 per cent, and they also come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
They created a small case bound book with a specially designed flower on the front (using seven of the bulbs available to buy) and full of facts, paired with lifestyle photography.
Again, a fantastic piece of design, but for a sustainable cause. They're doing their bit, but without making too much of a fuss about what it is that they're doing!

Frater

Here are a few screen shots to a short ad campaign for Oxfam, created by Frater.
To see the full moving ad, go to Frater's website, which also includes examples of how this was created and more information.

A viral designed to getting us living more ethically, telling the familiar story that human beings have a tendency to accumulate 'stuff' until we are overwhelmed with things we don't need.
Very simple way to tell the tale, the character starts off as a one man band, but quickly becomes weighted down by his growing mountain of instruments. This problem is then solved when he shares his instruments with others.







Such a simple method of delivery, but gets the message across perfectly and effectively. It just shows that by over complicating things it all becomes too much. But a simple and quirky way of communicating gets results every time.

Airplot

I found this logo on the logodesignlove blog.
Another brief I'm working on, alongside the Stuff-O-Meter one, is to design an identity for the head of interior design's on-the-side sustainable design business, called Salvedge. So I'm currently keeping my eyes peeled for influential logo's, with a sustainable point to it.

This is a useful piece of work, as it shows the end design, but also shows how they got to this point through the development which is always interesting to see.

I got a reply...

The other day I sent out an email to 5 different design companies across the country, who all work in a sustainable manner, with a few questions that might be able to help me along my way with the FMP.

So far I've only had one reply :( Better than nothing I guess but still, it wasn't like I'd sent loads of questions that would be a hassle to answer, only 5 short minutes! So I'm a bit annoyed that there was only the one.

Task today is to send it out again, to another 5 companies, maybe reconsidering the questions I'm asking.

Anyways, here are the answers I got from a guy called Neil at 'Face' in Harrogate.

1. Is it something you have always been aware of as a subject, or was there a life changing event that made you consider your environmental footprint?

Not always aware, market forces dictate, but we are not attempting to be a carbon neutral company. I think responsibility is key. We can all offset CO2 by planting trees but that just gives you the excuse to make more CO2 emissions.


2. What changes have you made to work in a sustainable manner?
Cycle to work (in summer – it is a 36 mile round trip), make sure computers are not left on standby, recycle, not print unneccessarily, but then we never have done.


3. Do you encourage your clients to use environmentally sensitive processes and materials whenever applicable to a design?
As much as we can do. Environmental perceptions against realities are often quite different. Many agencies have been using more environmentally friendly products for years but that doesn’t mean recycled. Some of our clients subscribe to wrap. http://www.wrap.org.uk/


4. Do you think it is important for the educational institutes to inform us about sustainable practice, making it a compulsory subject?
It is something we are working on at the moment with a number of clients. Research is mixed on the subject of whether students are that bothered. Some institutions are trying to use it as a USP


5. As a student who will be venturing out into the big wide world of design in a few months, do you think it is important that I have a good understanding of working sustainably?
I think it could be your USP and would apply more with some agencies than others but creativity will always be tops.


6. How might you define sustainable practice within graphic design?

not sure at the moment


7. Do you think graphic design can be sustainable?
Yes, without doubt, but it is about changing lifestyles of everyone.


8.Do you think there's anything else you think I need to consider, or have any helpful advice to help me along the way?
be yourself, be true to what you believe in and if it is about sustainability and you know a lot that counts for loads. Make sure you are the best you can be. Research your target audience, whether that be for getting a client or just getting a job.


Thank you very much for your time
Your welcome


What's useful with this questionnaire is that I can use it for my dissertation as well.
Fingers crossed I get some more response after I send some more out.