Papanek called on designers to design for disabled people and to involve them in the design process. He also argued that designers need to be aware of the cultural context of their work. Annemiek van Boeijen designed a sports wheelchair and works in the field of ‘Culture Sensitive Design’ .
Welcome to the Deep Dive of the exhibition Victor Papanek: The Politics of Design. This is where we take the themes explored in the exhibition to another level. The exhibition was on view in the museum from October 17 2020 to March 8, 2021.
Papanek’s famous book, Design for the Real World, opens with a statement: ‘There are professions more harmful than industrial design, but only a few’. Here on our digital platform, we take a closer look at those words.
How can design contribute to a better world? What is the designer’s role when it comes to sustainability, inclusion and democracy? How do contemporary designers address their responsibility to under-represented groups and future generations?
Most people don’t have to think twice about using a public toilet. But for transgender people it’s a different story. Discover the history behind the design of public restrooms and find out how the future of the inclusive toilet might look.
Design for the Real World states that few professions are more harmful than that of industrial designer. This podcast makes the point painfully clear. Virtually everything around us has been designed with a man in mind. With fatal consequences for women.
This five-minute podcast offers a neat survey of Victor Papanek’s work. Alison J. Clarke, the exhibition’s co-curator, discusses Papanek’s life, his critique of American consumer culture and his social influence.