Design to solve world problems

How great is it if design is not only for the rich and privileged but if design was for helping the poor? The current exhibition at Cooper-Hewitt is just for that. "Design for the other 90%" addresses how designers are turning to help the poor.

One of them is the LifeStraw. More then 6,000 people die from waterborne disease every day. This LifeStraw is a purification system that turns any surface water into safe drinking water.

I remember I got really curious about design when one of the interior designers said to me great design = functionality. Even if it's beautiful, if it's useless it's not a good design. At this point I thought whatever looked good was good design. Boy I was wrong.

世界の問題を解く為のデザイン
従来、良いデザインのものは結局お金持ちや購買力がある人の為のものである。もしデザインが貧困の人を助けるものであったら。。。？Cooper-Hewitt Museumの展示『他の９０％の人たちの為のデザイン』は発展途上国などで住んでる人たちの生活を良くする為のデザインをショーケースしている。

例えばLifeStraw。水発生の病気で6,000人毎日死んでいる。LifeStrawはブリタみたいにすぐに水を浄化して安全な飲み水にしてくれる。