ABSTRACT
This chapter considers design as a catalyst for social learning and behavioural change by increasing the interface of sustainable social innovations with the general public and augmenting their value as tangible references for alternative ways of living. Designing for change, particularly social change, has been on designers’ agenda for some time now. A constellation of practices and experiences can be catalogued in the past two decades alone, all looking at what the shape and form of the design contribution to the improvement of the quality of life and people’s living conditions could be. The chapter provides background on social innovation theory, discusses specific neighbourhoods and communities in New York City, describes the case study methodologies in detail and considers the implications for designers and society.
The chapter presents the ‘amplification by design’ approach, proposed by the Parsons DESIS (Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability) Lab in New York City using a real project, to codify one possible approach and its collection of strategies for how to use design to promote social innovation and behaviour change. The ‘amplification by design’ approach was tested in two New York City neighbourhoods: the Lower East Side in Manhattan and Williamsburg and Greenpoint in North Brooklyn. The process was based on multiple design strategies, starting with systematic research and documentation of local sustainability initiatives and urban activism by citizens and communities. These initiatives were documented in short films and publicly showcased through exhibitions designed as mechanisms to promote social conversation, by both collecting data directly from the public as well as promoting generative collaborations with community leaders through a series of workshops.
