By the People: Designing a Better America

Synopsis

By the People: Designing a Better America'--the third volume in Cooper Hewitt's series on socially responsible design--examines how design is effectively challenging poverty and social inequality across America. The book explores current social, economic and environmental issues in America with a particular focus on marginalized and underserved communities. 'By the People' features design projects organized into six working themes: Act, Save, Share, Live, Learn and Make. It is a true manual--in format and content--featuring design solutions that expand access to education, food, health care and affordable housing; increase social and economic inclusion; offer improved alternative transportation options, and provide a balanced approach to land use between the built and natural environments. Cooper Hewitt Curator Cynthia E. Smith traveled to post-industrial cities, urban areas impacted by natural disasters, sprawling cities, places of persistent poverty and major metropolitan regions. Her research yielded nearly 400 potential projects from over 30 states and three indigenous nations (Navajo, Lakota, Pueblo). Smith met with local designers, community members and organizations. Her research was guided by the following questions: Where does poverty exist? Why are poverty numbers increasing? What populations and communities are most affected? Who are the individuals, organizations and networks that are creating innovative and systemic approaches through design? What are the local, regional and scalable design solutions? In addition to the highly illustrated project profiles, 'By the People' contains essays by, and interviews with, those designers and architects building the innovative and systemic approaches being developed through design. Exhibition: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, USA (30.09.2016-26.02.2017). Foreword / Caroline Baumann -- Preface / Darren Walker -- Essays. Designing an America of the People, by the People, and for the People / Cynthia E. Smith -- Where is the Public Today?: Design for a New Civic Imagination / Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman -- The Aesthetics of Equity: a Magic Strategy for a Healthy City / Mindy Thompson Fullilove, Molly Rose Kaufman, and Aubrey Murdock -- The People are Beautiful Already: Indigenous Design and Planning / Theodore Jojola -- Interviews. Mapping for Social Justice / interview with Laurie Rubel and Sarah Williams -- Imagining Restorative Justice / interview with Barb Toews and Deanna Van Buren -- Designing Humane Borders / interview with Robin Hoover -- Designing Recovery Housing / interview with Juanita Valdez-Cox and Brent Brown -- Designing the New Commons / interview with Corinne Hill -- Projects. Building Dignity -- Cross-Border Community Station -- Divining LA -- Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent -- Future Cycles --^ High Speed Rail Map and Board Game -- Mapping the Measure of America -- Occuprint -- Open House -- Quixote Village -- Resist, Delay, Store, Discharge -- City Digits: Local Lotto -- D.C. Neighborhood Libraries -- What is Affordable Housing? and Rent Regulation Rights Posters -- Probation Resource Hubs -- Public Access 101: Downtown L.A. -- Red Hook WiFi -- Remix -- Seedclassroom -- Superuse Pavilion -- Vroom -- Where's Daryl? Toolkit -- Atlas of Tomorrow -- Crest Apartments -- Designing Justice+Designing Spaces -- Firehouse Clinics -- Fresh Moves Mobile Markets -- Humane Borders Water Stations and Warning Posters -- Polis Station -- Superblock Retrofit -- Text4baby -- Urban Housing Design Principles -- Nuestro Lugar Productive Public Space and Biciteca Bikeshare -- Raleigh Denim Workshop -- Rapido Rapid Recovery Housing -- Rebel Nell -- TechShop Incubating Ideas: Kicker Helper and Infinite Socket -- Thunder Valley Regenerative Community --^ Woodwise Urban Designs and Glass House Collective -- Belt Line Atlanta Concept -- Collinwood Community Center -- Dudley Neighbors Community Land Trust -- Gray Area -- Greenprint -- Harlem Hospital Pavilion Facade -- Higher Ground -- LaSalle Cultural Corridor -- Museo Urbano -- Owe'neh Bupingeh Preservation Project -- Project Row Houses and Rice Building Workshop Collaboration -- 4th Floor -- Detroit Future City -- Edcouch-Elsa Fine Arts Center -- Evergreen Cooperatives -- Fallen Fruit Public Picnic Tables -- Farm Hack Tools -- Las Abuelitas Kinship Housing -- Outside in Outreach Center -- U.S. Land Port of Entry -- Underpass Park. [Cynthia E. Smith] Published in conjunction with the exhibition By the People: Designing a Better America at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, September 30, 2016-February 26, 2017. Includes bibliographical references and index.