Aimed at the general public, ‘Design does. For better and for worse’ is an exhibition that collectively explores the ways in which design responds to the global challenges facing our society, sometimes making things better and sometimes the opposite. During the 45 days of the exhibition, more than 19,172 people participated in this research project by interacting with the exhibition and responding to questions (registering up to 385,789 interactions) on all kinds of issues related to what design does and should do.
The project aims to transcend the limits of space, time and other conventional formats, and focuses on the responsibility of design with respect to industry, human beings, social systems and cultural values. It also reflects on the role designers have and will have in the future as solution providers and/or humanistic and strategic change agents.
The exhibition is based on the responses of 15 groups of local and international designers to a series of questions about today’s greatest challenges: sustainability, connectivity, marginalization, consumerism, innovation, new materials, etc. In this way it seeks to establish a dialogue with the public, encouraging participation and the generation of knowledge that feeds the transdisciplinary practice of design.
The exhibition premieres together with the Design Does Forum and the publication of the book Design Does.