By Kristin Leu

I’m surprised how many posts I’ve seen lately regarding speculative work in the design industry.  We all know we shouldn’t do it. Still, companies ask and we become enticed. When we’re starting our careers, designers are often drawn to spec work to get a foot in the door, develop portfolio samples, and to obtain real-world design experience beyond our student portfolios. We continue to be drawn to this type of work to exercise our creative muscles, show off our design skills, and present fresh and innovative ideas. However, whether it’s for a competition, a client, a prospect, or a friend-of-a-friend, working for free is not a good idea.

Most design organizations agree. For example, the AIGA regularly speaks out against spec work and aims to educate designers and clients about the problems of doing non-paid work. (See the recent AIGA response to the National Endowment for the Arts’ RFP soliciting designs.)

But even when we’re not openly asked to work for free, we often unwittingly volunteer to do so in our own business practices. We’ve been trained to look at things and question: Why is it communicated that way? What can I do to make it better? How can design help to solve the problem? And because we’re eager and excited, we’re often too quick to provide answers and solve other people’s problems.

When we offer solid design ideas and concrete recommendations (rather than proposals or examples) before there is a viable project, we’re losing sight of our creativity as profit. We make it look too “easy” and giving away design for free comes at a cost – both monetarily and professionally. Offering immediate solutions implies that the design process is simple and not strategic. If clients truly want to reap the rewards of professional design, they need to understand the role and process of the designer. To build the perceived value of design to others, we must demonstrate the value of our creativity, our problem-solving abilities, and our business acumen.

Designers provide well-thought-out creative solutions to problems; for most of us, this doesn’t come in a moment of creative genius. It comes with trial, error, research, process, a college education and many years experience. It’s smart to sharpen our business and presentation skills to confidently approach new prospects and articulate the value of design. But we have to stop short of actually doing the work before we’ve officially landed the project. And once we do, let’s be sure to bill accordingly.

design-driven innovation is essential to the engagement of users in the selection of choices and adoption of behaviors that enhance wellbeing.

When strategic design intelligence is used at the “fuzzy front end,” it can create alternatives that are cost effective and toxin free. Chemicals of concern can be screened out and wellbeing designed in. This issue provides examples of food-based paint that smells like a milk shake and contains no polyvinyl acrylic and welding processes that reduce the use of argon gas to zero. Both alternatives are cost effective and contribute to wellbeing.

This issue of CATALYST demonstrates that it is possible to design a future with robust wellbeing as the core of the design brief. We present research that argues that design-driven innovation is essential to the engagement of users in the selection of choices and adoption of behaviors that enhance wellbeing.

As we send out this issue, we watch the petrochemical economy threaten the livelihoods of citizens and the security of states as BP continues to mop up its mess. The petrochemical economy is, at core, an unsustainable one. It now produces economic value for a few at a significant cost to the many. It trades off human health for limited short-term return on investment. And, as we now see with BP, it puts our world at risk.

We invite you, our readers, to move beyond petroleum and its politics of loss. We invite you to read about the individuals and organizations designing for a new economy and redefining the role strategic design plays in policy making and social innovation in communities and countries around our shared world. We invite you to act on your intuition, inspire each other and use your skills and intelligence to change the way we trade, exchange and create economic value.

Dr. Mary McBride

Strategies for the design of wellbeing must balance the wellbeing of individuals and communities. Designing for all and each is not necessarily an easy design assignment. But it is an important one. The wellbeing of the individual should feed into the wellbeing of the community.

Though there are different factors for individual wellbeing and community wellbeing, these factors need to be identified and considered to ensure designing for all benefits each of us. Strategic design can balance the wellbeing of individuals, communities, states, nations and our shared world.

1. Establish and define individual wellbeing factors.
2. Design for individual wellbeing in conjunction with the wellbeing needs of the community, ensuring both are met.
3. Apply the first two steps to the community level, now measuring against state wellbeing needs.
4. Continue to expand the model to larger entities such as nations and global organizations.

Conducted by Rachel Starobinsky

Executive Summary In an interview with Whitney “Anna” Walker, she discusses both of her companies, and how she has engrained the triple bottom line into their business models. She speaks about the process and motivations behind manufacturing responsible products, specifically the Anna Sova Food Paint, the patented zero-VOC paint that is made of 94% food ingredients.  Describing the “five considerations” that are taken into account for every product that is developed, The Antique Drapery Rod Co. and Anna Sova have proven that a company can be socially and environmentally responsible while still being profitable.

Whitney Walker, founder of Anna Sova

RS: Your company has built a reputation on having an eco-centric product line. The great thing about the line is that it not only deals with the well being of the consumer, but it also deals with that of the people and the community who are involved with the production of these items. Designing wellbeing seems to be ingrained in your business model.

WW: I’ve been in manufacturing for 20-25 years. The other company that I own, The Antique Drapery Rod Company was also founded with an eco-responsible business model.  The original labels from years ago said recycled steel, recycled aluminum with packaging made from recycled paper and plastic. Over time I found that being involved in a production process you learn so much more about the products that every American consumer is so distanced from, so many real things in life such as a death, not just of human beings but that of the consumer goods, as well as the birth of the goods, and where the goods actually come from. I’ve traveled to 47 countries, and for over 30 of those countries I’ve been to the manufacturing facilities. I have the video and photos of all of the facilities to find out how exactly all of the products are made, and get involved in the very, very, very beginning. Some of the conditions that I’ve seen are absolutely horrifying. I personally feel that once you’re aware of how products are produced, you will only buy products that you know are responsibly produced.

“…once you’re aware of how products are produced, you will only buy products that you know are responsibly produced.”

RS: You really do get involved from the beginning of the manufacturing process. What would you say has been your biggest hurdle, in getting involved in the beginning and then sustaining these practices within your business?

WW: Well, I see designing a product in three different steps. First: Choose products there are markets for. You can design all the products you want, but unless people are going to buy them, it does not bring about change. I choose products I want to buy. I don’t sell any products I would not personally use in my home.

Second: Analyze the ingredients used to make the product. Are they the healthiest ingredients?
If I want to build paint, then I look at the ingredients. I painted murals in college, some in New York. I did mural restoration and that involves a lot of mixing paint from scratch. Some of the paints were really toxic using formulas that were over 150 years old containing lead, arsenic, etc. Some of the ingredients are just as carcinogenic as the petrochemical ingredients that we use now. I went to Egypt to study how paint was made for the ancient temples. When visiting the temples, you realize the paintings have become part of the stone walls, and have lasted over 4,000 years. These paints were made from sheep casein, pigments and lime. It’s my understanding the sheep’s milk protein bonded the pigments to the stone, which is great. However, many of the natural pigments could not be used today because they would be considered too toxic. I’ve experienced it again and again, people think that natural and/or ancient ingredients must be healthy when, in fact, they may not be.

Another example of “are they the healthiest ingredients?” is the choice between using eco-safe synthetic dyes and natural ikat dyes in India. A small textile co-op in Asia may say, “We’re producing natural dyes, which were used centuries ago”. When you visit them in person, you find the nuts, berries and insects from the surrounding countryside used to produce the natural dyes are not harvested in a sustainable manner and may be toxic. Some of the dyes produced from a particular beetle are in fact toxic when grinding the beetle for a prolonged period of time. You find the person who is responsible for that particular pigment may have a short lifespan. I may choose certified organic textiles dyes over “natural dyes” because they are much more healthy for the water run-off from the textile dying, for the employees who actually work with the materials, and of course long term for the consumer.

CATALYST Insight: Always explore alternative, healthier ways to design.

Often when you become involved with the process, you wake up and realize there is a more contemporary and safer alternative than the ancient way. I want to design a paint; I’ve got some ancient formulas and I’ll build some new formulas, and I’ll see what’s available in the marketplace now. You find yourself inventing new ways to produce products from scratch, and there’s always an alternative. That’s probably one of the blessings that my parents and grandparents gave me was to never, ever believe there is only one option for anything. For any item you look at, there’s always an alternative, a better way to do anything.

Third: Look at the labor to build the product. With the ikats production, you find groups of 4-12 year old children going out scavenging for dye materials for three or four days at a time. It may be part of what they’ve done for hundreds of years, however it is not a labor choice I would make. When I visit a production facility, the happiness and healthiness of the employees often defines the quality control as well. I believe the energy from the people who produce a product with pride is transferred to the end consumer.

People, Planet, Profit – The Triple Bottom Line: How do you create a product that is both socially and environmentally responsible?

» Understand the process of creating a product

» Determine the life cycle of the product

» Establish its holistic impact

» Consider effects on the consumer

» Develop an exit strategy for the product

RS: You’ve provided a lot of information on your website regarding your product line and the effects on the environment. It seems like education is a big part of what you’re doing in both of your companies. Would you agree?

WW: I think education is part of the entire product. I believe an educated consumer will help bring about change. An example is Wal-Mart, really look around the store, what do you think they are selling? Petrochemicals. When you walk into a Wal-Mart, look at the entire contents of the store, break it down and you’ll find that the largest percentage of ingredients is petrochemical packaging, injection molded plastic, and petrochemical textiles. Then you’ll realize that Wal-Mart is actually in the oil business. In many of those goods, almost nothing is biodegradable. I don’t think Wal-Mart wants to tell people this. When you learn to look at everything through the eyes of a product designer, you realize what we’re actually doing is not just to the planet, but to ourselves; ultimately what we do to the planet affects us. For example I believe we have a fairly aggressive ban on petrochemical and toxic ingredients for the Antique Drapery Rod Company.

” When you learn to look at everything through the eyes of a product designer, you realize what we’re actually doing is not just to the planet, but to ourselves…”

There are a lot of tough decisions. Twelve years ago, we did a lot of welding and I had 16 full-time welders. I loved the idea of forging out 1,400 and 3,000 yr old designs, and the steel was upcycled and could be recycled again. Then I realized how much energy we were using. More importantly, in the welding process, I realized we were using argon, which is not a good thing for the planet. We decided to machine more pieces which is lower energy use and reduced to 3 welders. Finally, we decreased the amount of argon gas down to zero, and now weld a small amount with Helium which is healthier. It’s a big difference.
The key is five layers to the way we think about a product’s impact. It’s not just the cotton is organic, but also fair trade labor standards in a self bag (not plastic) and we have personally been involved from the ground to shipping.

1st level: Where the product materials come from? This is the ground itself, the mining, growing, processing place, the water run off.
2nd level: What are the basic labor conditions where the product is made?
That is one of the things I am most passionate about. There are many places I can buy much cheaper products and make a great deal more money. I’ve made a conscience decision to not put people through bad working conditions.
3rd level: What are the hidden labor conditions? The assembly, finishing, packaging and shipping conditions.
4th level: What are the effects on the consumers? Does it contain ingredients that might harm consumer wellness?
5th level: What are the long term effects on the planet? What are the impacts of cumulative toxicity? Is it recyclable, biodegradable? ADR products can be resold on ebay or donated to the Salvation Army or Habitat to Humanity.

Displays of Anna Sova paint and packaging.

RS: Not only are you supporting economies abroad, but you’re also helping out locally with your Homeless Hiring Project. Is this project still in effect?

WW: We actually have 2 new, full time employees we hired from a shelter when we moved (they opened up a new facility in Dallas this year). During the move we probably had up to 40 employees from homeless shelters for a period of two weeks. It’s sad because America is very divided on the issue of the homeless. I believe there are so many homeless men and women that really want jobs. I know this from personal experience; if you go down and work in a shelter you will find some people might need medical care, some might be suffering from depression or some other ailment, but there are others who have slipped and have no personal support system.  I’ve found many homeless men and women make great employees for us. When you ask them ‘would you like to come to work with us?’ They may answer: “Is it ok if I come dressed like this?” It breaks your heart when you hear those words, because these people do not have a change of clothing and are very self conscious. Then they ask, “Is this a job I can do?” I have hired people with doctorates, masters, and people that have written books on best-seller lists. We’ve checked it out, and their credentials are real. You find a lot of people have fallen through the cracks because they don’t have family. Or something critical has happened in their lives, a bad divorce or they have lost their job. Once they’ve lost their home, their sense of self worth is so low that they don’t want to contact their friends. It’s amazing how many people will work incredibly hard, once you hire them and give them a leg up. Once they’ve been with you a few months, they will gain their self worth back.

CATALYST Insight: Design for enhanced wellbeing involves giving back to the community which supports your business.

RS: Your company encompasses the triple bottom line. You have been practicing this business model for over twenty years, and many would say that you were ahead of your time. Would you agree?

WW: People have been doing it for thousands of years. If you look at ancient cultures, sustainability was absolutely essential to their survival. It’s really less than 100 years that we’ve been working on destroying the planet.

“It’s really less than 100 years that we’ve been working on destroying the planet.”

RS: What was the thought process behind the development of your food paint?

WW: The deciding factor for me in building the paint products was how to make the healthiest paint you could buy. I love the idea of paint, but I knew what was in paint was toxic. As an interior designer, you use a lot of paint when your projects are offices, homes, hospitals, etc. Thirty years ago, a partnership I was in painted the largest children’s hospital in Dallas. The paints that were used were incredibly toxic because they had to pass the hospital scrubbability test, and have long-term durability. It didn’t make me physically sick, but I saw the reaction it caused in my employees.

Displays of Anna Sova paint and packaging.

We would be painting the ceiling tiles. Later young children would be on their back on a gurney, going into surgery. They’re seeing all these happy clouds and sunshine on the ceiling tiles, but the paint fumes were still incredibly noxious after a few years. Why would you want to expose a child who’s already sick with an illness and is about to have surgery, and make them sicker? That was one of the driving forces. The other was when we were building the paint, my grandmother was ill. She wanted to redecorate her home. I would test the paint in one of the spare bedrooms, or in a room on the other end of the house, and the fumes would be so strong that it would make her more ill. We started the paint project in 1998. We went to different paint manufacturers, we discussed how to make different paints with them. We realized that the VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) were so high, in these manufacturing facilities that anything we made was going to be toxic because it was going to absorb VOCs in the manufacturing process. So my father and I built a factory from scratch. We rented a manufacturing space, bought mixing equipment, hired a couple of paint chemists and started having ingredients delivered.  The ingredients would have 18” disclaimers on what the paint industry called non-toxic. I realized that there was no such thing as non-toxic in the paint industry. The paint is manufactured in Texas. In the beginning we mixed everything from scratch. We went from paint grade ingredients to pharmaceutical to cosmetic to food grade ingredients. Almost all of the ingredients, up to 94% are food ingredients.  We patented our paint in 2003.

“I realized that there was no such thing as non-toxic in the paint industry.”

In our stucco paint, we use food grade bamboo cellulose, which is really important. Regular stucco is highly carcinogenic. I have not pursued a patent for the stucco because I would prefer that other paint companies use something healthier. It’s healthier for the planet and the consumer.

RS: Are there any new product developments that we can look forward to in the future?

WAW: We are looking at essential aromatherapy that goes into the paint. The fragrance lasts about 6 months. It’s a subtle fragrance. The Japanese actually use orange essential oils to increase productivity when the manufacture cars. The most basic of our senses that will cause the biggest shift in our sense of wellbeing is the sense of smell. Some people think its music, some think its light, but it is actually the sense of smell.

RS: Do you carry your work ethic outside of your work life?

WAW: The key is once you have that piece of information you can choose to make it a part of your life or ignore it. I choose to keep it part of my everyday life. I have a strong opinion of little things such as plastic straws in water glasses. You look at everything differently, take whatever action you can and hope you make a change.

CATALYST Insight: When all the elements are balanced properly, socially and environmentally responsible businesses can still
be profitable.

Biographies

Whitney “Anna” Walker, the CEO of Anna Sova and the Antique Drapery Rod Co. has embedded sustainable practices and social responsibility into her companies for over two decades. Designing wellbeing is a part of her core-values as a product, textile and interior designer. Most famous for the Anna Sova “food paint,” she has made a name for herself in eco-friendly home goods. Her commitment to sustainable products and fair trade, have made her a model in the business community.  She has proven that a n environmentally and socially responsible company can also be a profitable one.

Related Resources

Anna Sova

Anna Sova Paint

The Antique Drapery Rod Company

Environmental Protection Agency – Indoor Air Quality

Green Seal

Super Natural Home by Beth Greer

Executive Summary

Community wellbeing can be achieved through social innovation policies. By redefining the role design plays in policy making, the SEE Project aims to build upon political interest in social innovation. This article explores the role design will play on a policy level in the future and how policy making is changing, focusing on a bottom up approach to achieving results. It also explores wellbeing initiatives that have been put into action through several case studies in France, Italy, England, Belgium and Estonia.

“engagement is increasingly being initiated by citizens and communities in the form of wellbeing initiatives and community projects”

The social and sustainable development challenges associated with a globalized world require engagement from every player in society-from citizens to governments in order to realize behavior change. Such engagement is increasingly being initiated by citizens and communities in the form of wellbeing initiatives and community projects. Looking towards Europe, wellbeing initiatives are now receiving increased attention at policy level as the policy remit for innovation has expanded to include social innovation.

The SEE Project Team

SEE Project– Sharing Experience Europe, Policy Innovation Design – has been trying to capitalize on this political interest in social innovation to promote design as the key facilitator of this enlightened interpretation of innovation.¹ SEE is a network of eleven European design organizations exchanging good practice on how design can be integrated into regional, national and European policies. The SEE partners are engaging with their governments to bring design up to the top of the policy agenda. With the broader understanding of innovation, there is a real opportunity for design to make a difference for wellbeing.

Over the course of the past two years, the European innovation model has undergone a paradigm shift. Innovation no longer narrowly refers to technology, manufacturing and competitive economic advantage, but encompasses non-technological innovation,
including creativity and design, service innovation, as well as social developments and wellbeing. In the fall of 2010, the European Commission will be releasing a new European innovation strategy. This strategy will incorporate all forms of innovation in both the private and public sectors, including design. Although the exact role of design remains unclear, this level of commitment is a significant achievement considering that design and social innovation were not mentioned in the previous policy at all. With an increased emphasis on social innovation, there is a concrete opportunity for design to prove itself as the process that maximizes citizen involvement in exploring local challenges and proposing solutions that are sustainable, fit for purpose, and that enhance community wellbeing.

Wellbeing Through Public Policy

» Utilize grassroots efforts to achieve awareness

» Increase morale through community based projects

» Work with the desired outcomes of the public sector to achieve results

» Examine policy at every level of the public sector

» Redefine policy making and work from the bottom up

» Evaluate and augment what value is assigned to

» Incentivize community involvement in wellbeing projects

‘The term social innovation refers to changes in the way individuals or communities act to solve a problem or generate new opportunities. These innovations are driven more by changes in behavior than by changes in technology or the marketplace and typically emerge from bottom-up rather than top-down processes.’² Social innovation can be used to optimize wellbeing through design processes. Design is proving itself as the strategic process for engaging citizens in addressing an increasing array of social and wellbeing issues and proposing solutions that are desirable to use and enrich people’s daily lives. Europe is experiencing a wave of interest in wellbeing and social innovation projects that take advantage of design processes in order to encourage communities to articulate local problems and involve residents in creative processes that draw on local experience. These projects are building new morale, encouraging citizens of all ages to volunteer in the neighborhood, fostering a strong belief of belonging to a community, promoting a sustainable mindset and bridging diverse social demands.

Middlesbrough, England

Design for wellbeing and social innovation has come at a fortuitous moment when the public sector is looking for new ways to reinvigorate public services and make the policy process more inclusive. In the context of the enduring economic uncertainty, combined with a general lack of confidence in public administration, design is gaining political recognition as a dynamic process that can engage citizens and stakeholders in identifying inefficiencies and proposing innovative solutions. These two issues are bringing design initiatives closer to the public sector, which is no longer just a source of funding, but one of the most important targets for design.

Wellbeing and social innovation initiatives have resulted in a new approach to public governance. As electorates become more demanding, governments have had to make themselves more accountable and their processes more transparent. In Europe, policy-making occurs at three levels, the European Union, the Member States and the Regions.

“Policy-makers are now recognizing the untapped potential of local communities in addressing thorny social issues.”

At all three levels, traditional models of policy-making are being supplemented with new models (see diagram). Whereas policy was previously formulated by the government-led ‘top-down’ approach, grassroots initiatives across Europe are increasingly feeding into evidence-based ‘bottom-up’ approaches to policy-making. ‘What is more, initiatives begun directly by the people most concerned (bottom-up interaction) are often supported by information exchanges with other similar organizations (peer-to-peer interaction) and by different kinds of intervention by institutions, civic organizations or companies (top-down interaction).’³ Design is becoming not only a tool for bridging diverse social demands and promoting wellbeing but also for empowering citizens in the regional administrative decision-making process. Wellbeing and social innovation initiatives that take advantage of design techniques are providing more and more examples of good practice and contributing to better public administration. Policy-makers are now recognizing the untapped potential of local communities in addressing thorny social issues.

How Wellbeing Initiatives Inform Policy Making

The following three examples illustrate how wellbeing initiatives are informing policy at all three policy levels in Europe: the Regions, the Member States and the European Union.

Regional

At a regional level, one of the DOTT07 initiatives delivered by the Design Council and the regional development agency for the North East of England (One North East) was to set a challenge for the post-industrial community of Middlesbrough. In nine months the inhabitants had to organize a meal for 7000 people, serving food grown 100% within the city limits. A group of 1000 citizens from schools, police stations, hairdressing salons and a mental health hospital accepted the challenge. A mapping exercise was conducted to locate where food was already grown within the city limits, enabling a team of designers to connect the resources with willing volunteers and re-engineer food systems to make them more locally sustainable. The ‘Meal for Middlesbrough’ made such an impact on the Minister for Food, the Minister for Health and the Mayor of Middlesbrough that the Urban Farming project has gone on to a new stage with almost five million pounds of funding from three central government departments for more youth, community and work-base activities. Regional and national authorities have recognized this as a valuable exercise in social inclusion that will be replicated in other regions.

A map of Middlesbrough, England

National

At the national level, the Irish government has set up a program called Your Country Your Call⁴ involving a competition that closed on 30th April 2010 where citizens could submit proposals for all forms of innovation initiatives. The two winning proposals will receive 100,000 Euros in prize money and 500,000 Euros is committed for implementing each project on a national scale. There were eight categories for submission, including design. This competition is an example of co-designing innovation on a national scale and forms part of the government’s policy for transforming Ireland into a ‘Global Innovation Hub.’ This program is certainly a more imaginative consultation process for innovation policy action.

Middlesbrough, England

European Union

At the EU level, research on wellbeing and community schemes conducted as part of Territoires en Résidence will feed into the European Commission’s work in preparing the new EU innovation policy to be published later in 2010. One of the projects set up, as part of Territoires en Résidences in Rennes, was a local social digital network called La Ruche with more than 1600 citizens as members. La Ruche means the hive and members are composed of bees – single participants – and hives – local participating NGOs and institutions. The future vision for this project is an ‘augmented citizenship’ using the local network to engage inhabitants in social initiatives but more importantly in local change. Communities and organizations can explore local concerns and engage in a process to transform regional experiences through inclusive design tools. As the project progressed, the function of the network expanded to enhance local governance. Local authorities have been observing these grassroots initiatives as a means to identify social innovation priorities in the region and have been able to catalyze certain projects to tackle public innovation issues. In this instance, design for social innovation is a governance tool to facilitate the creativity of regional communities and promote interconnectivity between the public and public authorities. The European Commission is currently collating case studies of this nature, as these examples of grassroots projects are effective in discovering what citizens really need. There are expectations in the design community that the EU innovation policy will facilitate social innovation grassroots initiatives as they encourage citizens to identify strategic priorities for innovation and wellbeing, thus increasing participation in regional decision-making by individuals.

Middlesbrough, England

The following five case studies from the SEE partner countries represent several forms of wellbeing and social innovation activities in Europe – enhancing citizenship for community cohesion, improving public services for increased participation and sustainability, promoting local production for optimizing regional resources, encouraging healthy living for better lifestyle choices, and implementing new trading systems for good deeds.

Case Studies in Wellbeing Initiatives

FRANCE Territoires en Résidences is a series of social innovation initiatives in France. A multidisciplinary team is integrated into a college, health centre, community hub, railway station or regional administrative body for four months, with at least three entire weeks spent living with local people. The aim is to co-design a future vision with local stakeholders articulated in a set of long-term scenarios and a program of concrete medium term actions for implementing the vision.Since the beginning of 2009, Territoires en Résidences has launched 15 different programmes.

“The aim is to co-design a future vision with local stakeholders articulated in a set of long-term scenarios and a program of concrete medium term actions for implementing the vision.”

The teams involved in delivering the projects are made up of a combination of designers, researchers, students, architects, sociologists, social entrepreneurs and foreign stakeholders who share a design thinking mindset  and use ethnographic observation and inclusive design techniques to define, explore, implement, simulate, experiment and find solutions to complex societal challenges. At the end of each program, the goal is to turn the scenarios and projects into strategic and political decisions at the regional and trans-regional level .

CATALYST Insight: Work hand in hand with community members to achieve wellbeing.

Territoires en Résidences, France

ITALY The Laboratory of Possible Alternatives is a project aiming at waste reduction by taking advantage of the competencies and expertise of tertiary research and public administration. The project started in 2009 based on collaboration between the Industrial Design Course and the Level II Degree Course in Design at the Faculty of Architecture in the University of Florence, the Cooperative for Recycling and Solidarity Florence, the not-for-profit NGO Mani Tese and the Department of Environmental Policy of the Municipality of Scandicci. In the ‘Construction Site of Alternatives’ at the Mani Tese headquarters in Florence, the team is involved in reusing waste materials to create sustainable lifestyles and habits. The ultimate goal of the Laboratory of Possible Alternatives is to reduce waste materials by creating prototypes that respond to market needs and are made with 100% reused materials. In November 2009, the first workshop took place with 20 students from the university courses, which, supported by market experts during the preparatory steps and by the cooperative operators in the prototyping steps, created 30 products.

“The ultimate goal of the Laboratory of Possible Alternatives is to reduce waste materials by creating prototypes that respond to market needs and are made with 100% reused materials.”

Among the used materials for these products were drums, wood panels, clothes hangers, dishwasher components, jeans, used clothes, pieces of old keyboards and furniture, wool and mattresses springs and nets. The products created included furniture accessories such as chandeliers, coffee tables, pouf seats and chairs as well as smaller objects like table lamps, computer accessories, kitchen utensils and jewelry. The products have a strong social and environmental value that, together with their design, addresses several market targets. The next phase of the project hopes to include marginal groups for greater social inclusion.

CATALYST Insight: Increase community wellbeing by designing products for markets that are environmentally sustainable

UK Designs of the time (Dott 07) was a two-year program operating from 2006 and delivered by the regional development agency for the North East of England  (One North East) and the Design Council. The first year of the programme consisted of evaluating current community initiatives in the region and from the list of 200 projects, seven core projects were short listed for in-depth action. In the second year of the programme, the design teams examined new tools and platforms for creating sustainable and innovative solutions to complex societal problems through design. The seven projects short-listed were: Alzheimer 100 on dementia, DaSH on sexual health, OurNewSchool on building new schools, Low Carb Lane about domestic energy, New Work for improving the day-to-day experiences of SMEs, Move Me about rural mobility and Urban Farming on exploring local food systems. These projects were fundamental in unlocking deep sources of innovation present in communities using design processes, ultimately creating practical solutions that improve everyday life. The success of Dott07 attracted significant attention from regional and national authorities and is intended to take place every two for the next ten years. The next Dott will take place later this year in Cornwall.

Territoires en Résidences, France

BELGIUM

In 2009, the Tourist Office for Limburg in Belgium commissioned the service design consultancy Namahn to devise a system to encourage young people to make greater use of the provinces cycle routes. The aim was to provide a talking audiovisual GPS navigation system that would guide cyclists along a themed route, telling stories and offering snippets of information about the region along the way. The assignment was to design a user interface that was as user-friendly as possible for a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) in order to impart cultural knowledge of the area. Design processes were employed to transform the ethnographic research, conducted with representatives of the local community in order to capture the subtleties of real life, into an experience that would encourage identification with local history. The Limburg Cycle Story has built on the interplay between the local community and local history and has contributed to achieving sustainable transport targets and promoting healthy living.

CATALYST Insight: Use design to encourage healthy behavior that has reciprocal community benefits

ESTONIA

A group of young entrepreneurial designers in Tallinn have set up the Bank of Happiness, which is an online social platform for allowing citizens who are active in community affairs to exchange good deeds. In order to participate, individuals must register and list the helpful tasks they can perform for others. This can be anything from cleaning and running errands to what you do in your daily profession. In return, members choose what services they require and receive the benefits in exchange for credits that they accumulate by helping others. The first official transaction was a haircut carried out in March 2009 and the system is going from one goal to another. The Bank of Happiness was inspired because in 2007 Estonia was at the bottom of the European league table for happiness, and concern for a range of social issues including perception of crime, the recession and employment was the highest it had been for several years. The same group proposed the idea of the national cleanup day in 2008, in which 50,000 people participated, designed to change the population’s attitudes towards keeping the country clean. Civic participation was taken one step further in May 2009 when the Bank of Happiness organized a series of brainstorming sessions across the country to improve public governance.

Conclusion

Under the auspices of social innovation, design for wellbeing in Europe is receiving increased attention at all policy levels. The pan-European paradigm shift towards an innovation model that embraces wellbeing, society and services as much as manufacturing, technology and economic success has created a strategic role for design. Although these grassroots initiatives are providing more and more examples of good practice, policy intervention is needed in order to transfer these best practices into other contexts, replicate solutions and magnify results. SEE is dedicated to communicating the value of design in unlocking social innovation to policy-makers across Europe. This theme has been explored in the SEE Policy Booklet, Realizing Sustainability and Innovation through Design; Making it Happen in Communities, Industry, the Public Sector and Policy-Making. The design lobby across Europe is placing emphasis on design as a tool to reinvigorate public life and restore public confidence in local administration by increasing the proportion of people who feel that they can influence decisions in their local area through wellbeing and design projects.

Author Bios

Anna Whicher, Research Officer, International Institute of Design Policy & Support

Anna is conducting policy research to promote design and innovation at regional, national and European levels as part of the SEE project and is editor of the SEE Policy Booklets. Anna gained an MSc in European Public Policy at University College London after finishing her BA in History and French, specializing in European integration, at the University of Reading. Her other experiences include interning for her local MP and working as Assistant Marketing and Communication Manager at Siemens in Paris as part of her year abroad.

Gavin Cawood, Operations Director, International Institute of Design Policy & Support

Following a career as a consultant and leading the industrial design team at Xerox Gavin gained an MBA and started working at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (Wales) to help launch a design support program for industry (Design Wales). Building upon this success and after establishing several UK and European networks of design organizations this work has now expanded to include design support, research, networks and consultancy to support other regions and nations in their use of design.

SEE Partner Countries

UK – Design Wales / International Institute for Design Policy & Support
Belgium – Design Flanders
Denmark – Danish Design Centre
Estonia – Estonian Design Centre
Finland – Aalto University School of Art & Design
France – ARDI Rhone-Alps Design Centre
Ireland – Centre for Design Innovation
Italy – Consorzio Casa Toscana
Poland – Silesian Castle of Art & Enterprise
Slovenia – BIO / Architecture Museum of Ljubljana
Spain – Barcelona Design Centre

Related Resources

The SEE Project Website:http://www.seeproject.org/

U.S. National Design Policy Initiative: http://www.designpolicy.org/

Yourcountryyourcall.com

References

[1] Manzini, E., (2010) ‘Design for Social Innovation, Creative Communities and Design-Orientated Networks’, SEE bulletin issue 3 p. 3 available at www.seeproject.org/publications

[1] Manzini, E., (2010) ‘Design for Social Innovation, Creative Communities and Design-Orientated Networks’, SEE bulletin issue 3 p. 3 available at www.seeproject.org/publications

[1] Raulik-Murphy, G., (2010) ‘Living labs in rural areas, commitment of institutions’, 7th European Conference on Design Promotion, APCI, Paris. Available from www.iidps.org (Research & Publications page)

[1] www.yourcountryyourcall.com

By Tensie Whelan

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Since 1986, they have effectively addressed complex issues related to deforestation through collaboration with community representatives, business leaders, technical experts, local and international non-profit organizations. Through their system of certification and verification of agricultural products, they have enabled communities that manage these natural resources, while simultaneously educating consumers. This article outlines several initiatives that have used strategic design to create sustainability standards for forestry, agriculture and tourism businesses.

Community. Traditionally, it’s been defined as a group of individuals localized in a particular area that share a common interest. But with the advent of computer technology and globalization, the definition of community has morphed and expanded considerably. There are people who share interests and needs despite being thousands of miles apart, and there are communities that exist only in the virtual sense. How does one go about de signing the wellbeing of such a potentially diffuse entity? It may seem like an impossible challenge, but it’s actually the same challenge that conservationists have faced for years. We’ve always known that environmental destruction and its associated impacts do not respect manmade boundaries or confine themselves to discreet spaces. In the US, problems like acid rain lifted the veil and showed us that the actions of a few could affect the wellbeing of fellow citizens hundreds of miles away.

“We’ve always known that environmental destruction and its associated impacts do not respect manmade boundaries or confine themselves to discreet spaces.“

A shot of FSC certified lumber

These days, the headlines are about the BP oil spill, but the message is the same. And on a global scale, we know that rampant deforestation in the tropics has destroyed wildlife habitats—causing species extinctions and the attendant ripple effects—disrupted environmental services such as watershed protection and produced the greenhouse gas emissions that lead to climate change. The idea that any of us can shield ourselves from the choices and actions of others is a fallacy. For better or worse, we are all in this together. And that’s where community comes in. Whether we live in the same town or half a world away from each other, by recognizing our shared goals and working together to achieve them, we can transform complex, seemingly intractable problems into manageable, practical solutions.

It’s what the Rainforest Alliance has been doing since its inception in 1986. Founded in response to the clear-cutting of tropical rainforests, we realized that we could not simply tell an impoverished family or community in a developing nation to put down the axe or refrain from razing their trees and planting subsistence crops. In many cases, the economic survival of entire villages depended solely on the income they earned from illegal logging or other activities made possible by the clearing of forests. The only way we can effectively address the problem of deforestation is by coming up with solutions that take into account all of the economic and social realities that these people are facing.

Certification and Verification

»Design a system of tools that are built around community relationships, based on whole web of issues, not only single dimension of deforestation

»Market and sell products with Rainforest Alliance Certified™ or Rainforest Alliance Verified™ seal

»Consumers support responsible businesses through purchase »Shared interest of community and market can bring about remarkable change

Cultivating a Solution to Habitat Loss Though the tripod metaphor is apt, our triple-bottom-line approach is about more than just preventing collapse. As the various elements of our programs come together, the successes  they produce start to take on a life of their own. Businesses and community enterprises that conserve their environments often become more efficient and are better run in all respects—a byproduct of the increased attention to the management of their operations. By caring about their natural resources—the fertility of their soil, the health of their forests and the survival of the natural and cultural attractions that draw tourists—they ensure the longevity of their businesses and earn the loyalty of their customers. Enterprises that have happy and healthy workers have lower staff turnover rates and are more productive than their peers. And a community that earns a premium for its products and protects its economic bottom line has just given itself a very compelling reason to maintain and even improve on its commitment to sustainability.

We can look to the Indonesian island of Sumatra for an example of these ideas at work. On the island’s southern tip is the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, a World Heritage site that is also home to the worlds remaining population of wild Sumatran tigers, currently estimated to number fewer than 400. The habitat of this critically endangered feline has been shrinking rapidly. Illegal squatters have already converted nearly 20 percent of the 900,000-acre (356,000-hectare) park to farmland for the cultivation of coffee, pepper and other crops. And a large influx of post-2004 tsunami immigrants from the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra has only increased pressures on the resource-rich protected area. Despite government efforts to resettle these immigrants, as many as 15,600 families have built semi-permanent homes within the park, and the incursion continues, endangering not only the Sumatran tiger but scores of other wildlife species.

The Rainforest Alliance believes that it’s not enough to tell these families that they cannot establish homes or farms within the park; there has to be a more positive, proactive response to the very real challenges these people are facing. That’s why we’ve been collaborating with the World Wildlife Fund to encourage the sustainable cultivation of coffee outside of the park’s boundaries. We are working with farmers to help them produce coffee beans that comply with the standards established by the Sustainable Agriculture Network—the network of NGOs that jointly manages Rainforest Alliance farm certification. In addition to preventing further deforestation and habitat loss by operating outside the park, these farmers are learning to make natural compost and intersperse their coffee with other plants including ginger, elephant grass and fruit trees, which can help to slow soil erosion. To earn certification, they must also properly dispose of their waste, eliminate certain herbicides such as paraquat and reduce their agrochemical use overall.

CATALYST Insight: Work with communities to take advantage of available business opportunities which create economic value for consumers and communities alike.

Because their coffee bears the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal, farmers can command a premium in the market. To ensure that these communities are able to benefit from their commitment to sustainability, we encourage coffee trading companies to source the certified beans that these farmers produce. Kraft Foods and ECOM—the world’s third largest coffee trader—have been supporting the Rainforest Alliance’s work on Sumatra, and other traders, such as Nedcoffee and Olam, are following the call for a combined effort to promote Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee grown in this area. As Qori Nilwan Ishaq, our project coordinator in the region, explains: “Biodiversity is being maintained, and farmers are benefiting economically. This gives squatters the incentive to move outside the park boundaries where they can live legally and still earn a living.” When local communities are able to do better by producing a crop in harmony with the environment than they would by alternative means, it provides them with a persuasive reason to keep precious wildlife habitat intact.

Training the Next Generation The ethnic Poqomchi are one of Guatemala’s smallest indigenous groups. They have relied mainly on subsistence farming, and the women of the community weave textiles on backstrap looms, as they have done for centuries. Most Poqomchi live in the country’s mountainous Alta Verapaz region, where the indiscriminate clearing of forests for the cultivation of corn and beans presents an ongoing problem. In 1996, four members of the community created a forestry association, known as ASILCOM, in an attempt to take a more organized approach to harvesting and selling timber. The Rainforest Alliance began working with ASILCOM in 2007, helping the group manage its growing forestry business, prepare for certification and market its products.

Today, the association includes more than 800 members, from nine communities, who manage 2,604 acres (1,054 hectares) of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)/Rainforest Alliance Certified forestland. They now have a sawmill and carpentry warehouse and plan to harvest more than two million board feet of lumber by 2015, worth a total of $292,000. When transformed into products such as sawn wood, pallets and furniture, the market value of these goods could reach one million dollars. With their newfound financial prosperity, the Poqomchi have chosen to invest in education. Two of their leaders have been teaching forestry to over 100 girls and young women, helping them develop their basic technical knowledge, which would allow them to become active members of the local forestry association, and stewards of their land. These young women are learning about the life cycle of trees and the link between trees, erosion control, wildlife and water resources, as well as how to identify and map natural forests and tree plantations in their local communities.

Kids at play exemplify the level of wellbeing provided by the Rainforest Alliance

A Host of Responsible Travel Options A vital part of our work with certified farms and forestry operations focuses on educating consumers about the connection between certified products and the communities and businesses that produce them. When it comes to tourism, however, the connection needs little explanation; travelers can see the impacts with their own eyes. The very survival of the destinations they visit and the economic and cultural wellbeing of the communities that host them depend on the sustainable management of tourism businesses. A beachfront hotel that destroys the coral reefs that draw visitors to its shores is a beachfront hotel that will not remain in business very long. Through Rainforest Alliance-led workshops and training sessions, tourism enterprises learn techniques for integrating best management practices into their particular business. A 2009 study of hotels that participate in our program demonstrates the kind of change that is possible. An examination of 14 hotels of various sizes and types located in Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, found that these businesses reduced their operating costs and improved both the quality of their service and their public image. Seventy-one percent reduced water consumption, 93 percent decreased their energy use and 71 percent reduced solid waste, while the amount of money they spent on water and energy decreased by 31 percent and 64 percent, respectively.

When it came to supporting their local community, all of the hotels purchased goods and services from small- and medium-sized local enterprises, and 64 percent saved money on transportation costs as a result. All of the businesses hired local workers, and 93 percent reported a decrease in staff turnover. In addition to helping existing hotels and tour operators to operate more efficiently and responsibly, we also provide forest communities with the information they need to establish lodges and other sustainable tourism businesses as a means of generating income from their healthy standing forests and natural attractions. These businesses offer a good alternative to other potentially lucrative but damaging activities. In Ecuador, for example, we have been working with the indigenous Kichwa community of Añangu, whose Napo Wildlife Center provides visitors with a high-end tropical experience while earning community members a sustainable source of income and the means to conserve 53,500 acres (over 21,400 hectares) of rainforest. In Rainforest Alliance tourism workshops, lodge operators and staff have learned to install solar panels, treat wastewater properly and compost organic residues. By protecting the natural treasures that tourists flock to see, the members of this community are establishing the foundation for an economically and environmentally viable future.

Creating a Stable Climate for Conservation All of the sustainability efforts of forest communities will fall short if the issue of climate change is overlooked. Rural forest communities have not only been among the first to endure the effects of our changing climate, but they will inevitably be among those who suffer the worst of its wrath: the floods, droughts, resource inequities and conflicts that are likely to intensify as resources grow increasingly scarce. Deforestation is responsible for 17 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by human beings—which is more than all of the emissions generated by cars, trucks and buses combined—so it’s never been more important to help forest communities manage their land properly and keep their trees standing.

By verifying that forests, farms and other natural sites effectively sequester carbon, we’re enabling the communities that manage them to benefit from carbon-credit payments made by industrialized nations seeking to offset their own emissions. This provides communities with an opportunity to improve their own economic condition while aiding the global environment.

Since 1997, when the Guatemalan government awarded the community of Carmelita the rights to manage 132,938 acres (53,798 hectares) of land in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, the 75 families who live there have been working to conserve their forest resources through the sustainable harvesting of xate, chiclé and wood.

By verifying that forests, farms and other natural sites effectively sequester carbon, we’re enabling the communities that manage them to benefit from carbon-credit payments

The Rainforest Alliance has certified Carmelita’s forestry operations and helped it find international buyers for its wood products. While this arrangement has meant steadily increasing profits for the community—which has invested it in building a new school, health center and soccer field—it has not completely succeeded in helping its members fully protect against the illegal loggers and fires that continue to destroy forest reserve areas.

To provide communities like Carmelita with the tools necessary to conserve their forests, the Rainforest Alliance is spearheading a project that will help avoid carbon emissions while creating a new source of revenue. During its 20-year life span, the project has the potential to offset an estimated 16 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. On an annual basis, the avoided emissions are equal to those produced by over 145,000 passenger vehicles. Under the terms of the project, the communities, government and two companies that hold concessions in the region will sell credits for verified emissions reductions on the international carbon market. Income from these sales will be applied toward increased vigilance of reserve areas and improved education. “For me, education is crucial,” notes Carlos Crasborn, president of the Carmelita concession. “Sadly, most of the children in our community leave to study elsewhere at the age of 15, because we don’t have the facilities or teachers to educate them up to 18 years. We want them to stay in the community. Educating them here will be a step towards achieving that.”

Weaving a Web

Though certification and verification are now widely accepted tools, this wasn’t always the case. At first, their complexity made them a challenge to explain, to the media, the general public and other key audiences. In many ways, it would have been easier to restrict our focus to one aspect of the deforestation problem—getting governments to set aside forest reserves, or by staging boycotts. But we knew that our work would achieve the greatest results over the long run if we integrated all of the various facets of the problem into a creative, comprehensive solution.

The communities we work with are similarly complex—intricate webs built around the interactions between people and the relationships these interactions help forge. Whether it’s the ability to feed one’s family, the survival of a species, the protection of a local water supply or the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the shared interest of a community is a powerful bond, one that can bring about remarkable change. Though the success of organizations like ours is often measured through numbers and statistics, the true impact of our work is much more profound. In the words of Armando Encarnación, a cocoa farmer who has earned the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and a member of an indigenous community in Ecuador, “The process of certifying our cocoa has changed the way we think and the way we live.”

Conclusion
Economically successful methods of agriculture and natural resource utilization have traditionally been considered to be in opposition to environmental sustainability and community wellbeing. Previous business models have forced communities with access to these natural resources into systems that damage biodiversity, therefore depleting the very natural resources necessary for economic activity. Founded in 1986 as a response to deforestation, the Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Rainforest Alliance’s respect and concern for natural environments, local peoples and all stakeholders has led them to design sustainable business models in over seventy countries around the globe.

Author Biography

Tensie Whelan

Tensie Whelan serves as the president of the Rainforest Alliance, and has been involved with the organization since 1990, first as a board member, and then later as a consultant, becoming the executive director in 2000. Whelan has been working in the environmental field for more than 25 years, during which time she served as the vice president of conservation information at the National Audubon Society and executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters. Whelan also worked as a journalist and environmental communications consultant in Costa Rica, and was the managing editor of Ambio – an international environmental journal based in Stockholm. Prior to joining the Rainforest Alliance as its executive director, Whelan worked as a management consultant to nonprofit organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund. Whelan serves on the boards of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Coalition and Social Accountability International, is a member of the advisory board for corporate social responsibility at Fortis, as well as the sustainable agriculture advisory board for Unilever, sits on the governing body of the U.N. Foundation’s World Heritage Alliance, and is the co-chair of the steering committee of the Sustainable Food Lab.

Related Resources

Rainforest Alliance Website – http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/index.cfm

Forest Stewardship Council – http://www.fsc.org/

Frog Blog (US) – http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/blog/

Frog Blog (UK) – http://thefrogblog.org.uk/

Executive Summary

Brooklyn Bowl is a 20,000+ square foot, state-of-the-art, LEED certified, bowling, restaurant and live entertainment venue located in the heart of the rapidly emerging Williamsburg neighborhood of northern Brooklyn. The 1889 Ironworks factory-turned bowling-alley/rock venue/eatery, has become a favorite place for parties and social gatherings among people of all ages. Founders Peter Shapiro, and partner Charley Ryan enlisted the expertise of a team of designers: Justin Bolognino, Elizabeth Bolognino and Interior Designer Tristam Steinberg to bring the vision of Brooklyn Bowl to life. Utilizing modern, sustainable technology, strategic partnerships and timeless examples of fun, the team has successfully designed an outstanding example of community wellbeing.

Peter Shapiro and Justin Bolognino spoke with CATALYST about the process and perks of designing for community wellbeing. After only a few minutes of speaking with Peter Shapiro, one of the co-founders of Brooklyn Bowl, it becomes clear that he understands perfectly well how to create an amazing musical experience. He has been in the business a long time, and he has worked in some of the best clubs and venues in New York City. Yet his latest venture is something completely different. Shapiro set out to build the world’s first sustainable LEED certified music venue, and he did it in combination with two additional businesses that warrant their own separate spaces. Brooklyn Bowl, as it would come to be known, is a successful example of the power of strategic design to create community wellbeing through the integration of three distinct businesses.

Interior Rendering. Credit: Elizabeth Bolognino

Music and Happiness

The interior of Brooklyn Bowl

Musical experiences, games and food create more happiness in our lives. From the time we are infants we begin to respond emotionally to music. Since music affects so many parts of our development, it is difficult to locate a ‘musical region’ in our brains. Despite this, neuroscientists have found that humans are “hardwired to interpret and react emotionally to a piece of music. One study found that babies as young as five months old reacted to happy songs, while by nine months they recognized and were affected by sad songs.”¹ Another finding in the same report tells us that our reactions to music intensify as we grow older, leading to deeper, more intimate relationships with the music we experience. We are emotionally rewarded while listening to happy songs that trigger positive memories. The brain releases dopamine, which induces the same levels of happiness as chocolate, sex, and certain types of drugs. Music has also been found to be a helpful treatment for patients suffering from depression and as an aid in forging social bonds through live music experiences. “When you get in a room with people who like the same thing you do, you might create more friendships, a proven factor in the search for happiness.”² This scientific understanding supports what the founders of Brooklyn Bowl intrinsically knew: music can be a significant contributor to individual wellbeing. However, choosing the additional components of recreational bowling, great food and environmentally responsible business operations has proved to be a learned skill. The real challenge is how to design these multiple components into a successful business model that is supported by its community. Shapiro and his team have effectively met that challenge.

CATALYST Insight: Bowling is the Number 1 participatory sport in the US, according to The National Sporting Goods Association and the Bowling & Billiards Institute of America, which report that almost 54 million Americans six or older bowl at least once a year.

The interior of Brooklyn Bowl

A Walk Down Wythe Avenue

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, has been an up-and -coming neighborhood for years. It is home to many quality eating establishments and bars and has long been associated with an artistic crowd as well as young, creative professionals. Home to the Music Hall of Williamsburg, among other music venues, it has no shortage of places to see a good show. Yet, in its home on Wythe Avenue (also one of the neighborhood’s quieter streets), Brooklyn Bowl has successfully become the destination for adults and children seeking a good time, in a musically vibrant environment, despite all the competition. On weekends, the venue doesn’t close its doors until four in the morning, providing a place for its neighbors to play safely well into the night. During daylight hours on Saturdays and Sundays, Brooklyn Bowl hosts parties of a different kind, oftentimes for children and their friends.

Music and Activism – Brooklyn Bowls Roots

The spirit of Brooklyn Bowl and its mission to redefine the live music experience for people of all ages was born years ago, during the reign of the Wetlands Preserve music venue in Manhattan. Founded in 1989, the Wetlands Preserve was a live music venue and gathering place for environmental activists. Operating out of a former fish warehouse in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City, the club soon became one of the most revered in the country, both for its support of grassroots environmental campaigns and for the talent it attracted to its stage.

“Best Reason To Keep Going Out In Williamsburg: Brooklyn Bowl…the oversized pleasure center” -New York Press Best Of NY

Owner Peter Shapiro describes it as a powerful connection between music and activism. ‘’If you were interested in politics and wanted to really make a change and believed in direct actions, that was a place where you would probably hold a meeting. Where else would you go?’’³ The nightclub espoused environmental responsibility and became a hub for local activists, yet the facility that housed such commendable initiatives was anything but sustainable. Many times, activists would gather to discuss their latest ideas and would have to work around leaky pipes and a poorly operating boiler. As Shapiro described it, ‘The soul of the Wetlands was sustainable,’ but the structure was not. In many ways, the ethos of the Wetlands was ahead of its time. Had the club been founded ten years later, it could have ridden the current popular wave of sustainability from the beginning. But in 1989 sustainable construction technologies were not widespread. The Wetlands’ commitment to environmentalism could only be expressed by supporting the mission of environmentally sensitive individuals and projects. Though the Wetlands would never holistically tackle the sustainability challenge, it would become revered for mastering the live music experience. Nostalgia for the club still exists in New York City and in the testaments of musicians who performed there. When the Wetlands closed in 2001, Shapiro knew he wanted to create a new venue that recalled the live music experience of the Wetlands and integrated environmental sustainability into the design of the venue itself.

Designing Community Wellbeing

»Have a mission that the community can buy into.

»Design with the social and financial needs of the community in mind.

»Foster a sense of inclusion among patrons to evoke fun amongst participants,

»Revive popular memories of what fun means.

» Design methods to subsidize costs.

»Use your constraints as an advantage.

The interior of Brooklyn Bowl

In Search of a Venue

In 2007, Shapiro and his partner Charley Ryan began looking for venues that would integrate their passion for live music and sustainable design. Due to rising prices in Manhattan, the two crossed the East River into the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg. The former industrial neighborhood was experiencing an economic and cultural boom supported by the influx of artists and musicians who found lower rents and larger living spaces. The two found an ironworks warehouse built in the late 1800s. Though it was a sound structure, the electric and plumbing both needed to be updated. Inspired by the sheer volume of the space, Shapiro envisioned what would become Brooklyn Bowl: a 23,000 square foot venue with room for a dine-in restaurant, a concert hall and a 16 lane bowling alley. Shapiro believed in the feasibility of having three independent experiences under one roof. From a financial standpoint, three streams of income would enable him to subsidize the cost of concert tickets, a definite strategic advantage for the venue catering to the overwhelmingly young adult Williamsburg population. But the initial reaction to Brooklyn Bowl moving into the predominantly independent and alternative neighborhood wasn’t so positive. Several bloggers remarked that a ‘Times Square transplant’ was moving into town. Others likened the new venue to a Dave and Buster’s, the family friendly restaurant chain known for its cheap drinks and video games.

“Instead of a bowling alley that is nostalgic and looking back at something old, we wanted it to be from that time. [Patrons] had to feel like [they] were really there.”

The owners had a few challenges ahead of them. They had to win over the somewhat skeptical community of Williamsburg while staying true to their vision of being an inclusive environment for all to enjoy. They also had to successfully design three business ventures into one exceptional experience. But, the immediate challenge was to transform a one hundred year-old warehouse into a LEED certified venue, a very difficult feat as most LEED certified buildings are new construction projects. With a venue under contract, Shapiro’s next step was to organize a team to give life to the vision. He enlisted Justin Bolognino, owner of design firm Learned Evolution, along with Bolognino’s wife Elizabeth and Los Angeles based interior designer Tristam Steinberg to help translate the concept of the new venue into a spatial experience. The design team approached the project with a sensitivity to context. The local community was rapidly changing, as more young people were moving into the area due to cheaper housing prices. This prompted Bolognino to approach the design concept as a balance between old and new. With an innate understanding that great memories and favorable experiences are guideposts to designing wellbeing, the team selected the old Coney Island as the nostalgic point of reference. “There was no other look we could have gone with, it was so obvious to us that this was Brooklyn Bowl,” Shapiro stated. “Instead of a bowling alley that is nostalgic and looking back at something old, we wanted it to be from that time. [Patrons] had to feel like [they] were really there, but we also wanted to use very modern technologies as well.” All branding elements, interior decor and consumer touchpoints were designed to evoke the fun associated with the popular 1930s summer destination.

The Brooklyn Bowl Logo, inspired by 1930's Coney Island Themes

Incorporating Sustainability

Shapiro was committed to making the warehouse environmentally sustainable. First, he partnered with GreenOrder, a strategy and management consulting firm specializing in sustainable business. GreenOrder helped Shapiro to weave sustainable operations into his new business. For example, Shapiro made the risky decision to serve only beers brewed in Brooklyn. This means that Brooklyn Bowl only offers ten draught beers, with no option for a light beer. Additionally, all beer and soft drinks are served on tap, eliminating the waste generated by bottles. The facilty is 100% wind powered and utilizes a sophisticated HVAC system, equipped with CO2 sensors, variable frequency drive motors, and airside economizers for dynamic airflow to reduce energy consumption. The stage floor is made of recycled truck tires and LED stage lights use 90% less energy than the standard alternative. Bicycle racks are plentiful, encouraging residents to forgo the car ride and cycle over instead. LEED guidelines shaped the aestheic of the facility as well, requiring that interior furnishings and materials be manufactured locally.

CATALYST Insight: Successful Strategic design uses constraints as an advantage.

The ‘Transcend and Include’ Strategy

The finished look, all the way down to the tables at each lane, are custom designed for the space itself and support the aesthetic of an old 1930s’ era amusement park. Bolognino researched the fonts, marquee design, textures, interiors, furnishings, and promotional materials of a bygone era and brought them into harmony with the modern day. “Our design strategy was to transcend and include,” Bolognino stated. “It was such a collaborative process. No one can walk around the space now, point to something and say ‘I designed that.’ In the beginning, it was all of us drawing on the floor with chalk, just getting ideas out.”

“you can feel the power of the space when you visit Brooklyn Bowl for the first time.”

The design of the space was thought out to the nth degree. “It’s the dance,” says Bolognino, describing the design process that led to the final spatial layout. That ‘dance’, as Bolognino described it, is the ability to walk the line between moving towards a determined goal while being flexible and adaptable to change as problems arise. The team’s ability to walk that line has resulted in a fully integrated experience. “Ultimately the space made a lot of decisions for us,” Bolognino further explained, “and you can feel the power of the space when you visit Brooklyn Bowl for the first time.”

An All and Each Approach

When patrons first arrive at the venue, they are met by courteous security guards. Custom jackets read ‘welcome’ on them instead of ‘security.’ “We wanted everyone to be welcome here. We didn’t want anyone to think they had to be cool to come here.’’ Once inside the building, guests are ushered into an opulent waiting area.

“We wanted everyone to be welcome here. We didn’t want anyone to think they had to be cool to come here.’’

A large Coney Island-style shooting gallery wall separates the waiting lounge from the bowling alley on the opposite side. Within the waiting lounge is the reception desk, where smiling attendants greet customers, answer questions and take lane reservations. Adjacent to the front desk, a hostess welcomes guests into the restaurant, complete with a full service bar. Opposite the restaurant is the entrance to the main area that houses the concert hall and bowling lanes. A larger, second bar wraps around the corner. The concert hall is an impressive, column free space. Wood tables and picnic-style benches are arranged alongside an exposed brick wall. A discoball hangs from the open, timber-framed structure above. Instruments and microphones are in place on the stage, awaiting to be transformed by the next band chosen to rock the stage. Worn leather couches and rustic side tables line the half wall dividing the dance floor from the bowlers’ lounge. The dj booth mediates the two spaces, like a general’s post, providing the sounds for the entire venue. Iconic posters from old Coney Island dot the walls, bridging the old memories of fun with new memories being created. From the bowler’s lounge, players can observe the concert hall, bar activity and disc jockey booth. Huge high-definition screens mounted above the lanes show live footage from the stage during a concert, striking visuals or popular movies. No matter the chosen activity: dining, dancing or bowling, the music experience never ends.

The team designed the space with an understanding that each component: concert hall, restaurant and bowling alley, should be arranged to be experienced independently or collectively according to each patron’s preferences. This manifested itself into the details of the layout. The bowling alley was designed to be clearly visible from the concert hall. From multiple points in the venue, patrons can view oversized high-definition projection screens showing live footage of the concert stage. Even as patrons visit the second floor restroom, a sleek one-way window keeps the activity below in plain view. This immersion into the live music experience doesn’t allow any guest to ever forget where he is, even if he has only come to dine in the restaurant. The experience is pervasive.

Catalyst Insight: Designing for wellbeing requires balancing the needs of the individual and the community

This ‘all and each’ experience strategy was designed into the operations as well. Guests who would prefer to dine while bowling are able to order from the full restaurant menu from the lanes or concert floor. Hostesses shuttle food orders from the kitchen to the lanes. Other than a menu note advising hungry bowlers to ‘eat with your non bowling hand,’ guests are given the freedom to relax and enjoy themselves. The results have proven that the design strategy worked. Any given day at Brooklyn Bowl attracts a diverse crowd of people, not only twenty-something denizens of cool, but people of all ages: families, husbands and wives. It has also disowned the initial ‘Times Square transplant’ moniker as well. Last fall, Snoop Dogg played a sold out show there, something one would never see at a Dave and Buster’s. “People go on a Thursday night and they see we’re serving only local Brooklyn beer and that ?uestlove is dee-jaying and they realize that it’s truly a unique experience,’’ asserted Bolognino.

Experience Holistic Wellbeing

”It’s just fun!” Peter Shapiro stated when asked how music, bowling, and good food contribute to wellbeing. Through the use of strategic design Shapiro, Bolognino and Learned Evolution have created a venue that is fun, aesthetically pleasing, and ultimately a sound business. They have designed it to be environmentally responsible and invited all members of the community to participate, directly contributing to the wellbeing of the community of Williamsburg. Shapiro was able to create a holistically sustainable venue that the Wetlands almost was, while integrating two novel business concepts along with it. As the first of its kind in the world, Brooklyn Bowl serves as a model that other music venues and recreational businesses can aspire to. Choosing not to wear its virtue on its sleeve, there is no sign outside that say’s 100% wind powered, it leads by example. The residents of Williamsburg are appreciative. They have another stellar example of community wellbeing to call their own.

The Critical Components of Brooklyn Bowl

Concert Hall

• 600 capacity flexible event space with 35’ x 20’ corner performance stage
• Private, furnished green room with restroom and shower
• 5-zone JBL Vertec audio system designed by including 32 fill speakers
• Dee Jay Booth with media library, Pioneer DVJs & SVM-1000 with Technics 1210s

Bowling Lanes

• 16 new Qubica/AMF bowling lanes with digital scoring
• Nine-screen High-Definition video projection system with Crestron controls
• Elevated bowler’s lounge with unobstructed sight-lines and plush leather furniture

Restaurant

• Food by local favorite Blue Ribbon. Dishes were designed specifically for Brookyln Bowl patrons
• Seating for 250 patrons.
• 2 large hand-crafted bars with wood, steel, and ironwork features

Community

• Custom steelwork was manufactured by local craftsman Rob Ferra, of Ferra Design in Brooklyn
• Commitment to only serve local beers, brewed in Brooklyn. Kelsa, 6 Point and Brooklyn Brewery. (owner Steve Hindi) Brooklyn Bowl is now the number one seller of Brooklyn Beer in the city.
• Offers free or discount tickets to live shows, often for $5.00
• Kid-friendly daytime hours during the weekends

A shot of brooklyn bowl late at night

Team

• Charley Ryan, general manager of the wetlands
• Peter Shapiro, filmmaker, co-owner of the Wetlands Preserve. Co-founder of GreenOrder, sustainable business consultancy
• Tristam Steinburg, Interior Designer of Record
• Justin Bolognino: Brooklyn Bowl Media Director, Owner of Learned Evolution
• Elizabeth Bolognino: Conceptual Design, Justin’s wife.

Sustainability Components

Brooklyn Bowl is the first LEED. Certified bowling alley in the world. Green Design features include:

• 100% Wind-powered electricity
• Forest Stewardship Counsel (FSC) Chain of Custody controlled wood
• Pin-spotters use 75% less energy than a typical pin-spotter
• No bottles, no cans. All soft drinks and beers are on tap.
• 10 draught beers are all brewed locally in Brooklyn, New York.
• LED stage lights use 90% less energy than the typical draw
• Energy Star Certification wherever possible
• HVAC Johnson Controls are the most efficient units available
• HVAC also features CO2 sensors, variable frequency drive, air-side economizers.  Four “Big Ass Fans” brand ten-foot fans to augment HVAC system
• 100% reclaimed cork floors in Bowler’s Lounge
• Stage floor is 100% recycled truck tires
• 30+ capacity bike racks
• 16 trees planted in and around property
• Ancient glass from Brooklyn Navy Yard reclaimed and remade as design features
• Soy-based, zero VOC primer/sealer for mezzanine and waterproofing walls
• Reclaimed 200-year-old floor boards used to face both bars

Founder’s Biographies:

Peter Shapiro
Independent music and film entrepreneur Peter Shapiro’s varied career has thus far been marked by two things: a desire to create films, TV specials and events that span the musical spectrum, and a need to continue to push the envelope with each new project. In 1997, Shapiro became the owner of the celebrated downtown New York live music venue, Wetlands Preserve. An environmentally friendly and eclectic home for everything from punk and hardcore to hippie-rock and reggae, Wetlands was hailed as a “landmark rock club” by Rolling Stone and hosted the first NYC performances by the likes of Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Rage Against the Machine, and Oasis. A feature-length documentary film documenting the history and story of Wetlands played numerous leading film festivals and premiered on the Sundance Channel in July, 2008.

Peter also created and is the executive producer of the annual Green Apple Festival, which over the past three years has become the largest Earth Day event in America. On April 20th, 2008, 200,000 people attended simultaneous Green Apple events in landmark parks in 8 cities across the U.S. In June, 2009 he opened Brooklyn Bowl, a 20,000+ square foot live music venue/bowling alley located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that he spent more than two years developing. Rolling Stone described the venue as “one of the greatest places on Earth”. Brooklyn Bowl is the first bowling alley in the world to receive LEED certification for green construction. Peter is a co-founder of the environmental consulting firm Green Order (with his other brother, Andrew); a co-founder of the environmental information website GreenYour.com; a co-owner of the popular Slipper Room lounge on Manhattan’s Lower East Side; a founding Board member of the voter registration group, Headcount, and a member of the Arts Committee of the City Parks Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Justin Bolognino
Media producer, entrepreneur, and conscious evolution philosopher Justin Bolognino stands at the forefront of New York City’s next generation of cultural creators.  At the helm of his boutique experiential marketing firm aptly named Learned Evolution, Bolognino is one of the creative visionaries behind some of the city’s most vital and vibrant offerings including Brooklyn Bowl, Eclectic Method, and the Vimeo Festival & Awards–to name a few. Learned Evolution develops and produces experiential marketing initiatives by integrating emerging technologies and innovative media platforms with the human energy of live, interactive events. From concept creation to final execution, LE’s intelligent and forward-thinking campaigns reach and deliver an audience focused on Growing Media for Growing Minds. Founded in 2004, LE collaborates with organizations and artists who share a commitment to positive cultural and environmental development through thoughtful media.

References:
1.Live Science (2008). Babies Know Happy From Sad Songs.
2.Edmonds, Molly (2010). Is There a Link Between Music and Happiness? Howstuffworks.com. Retrieved from http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-nature/emotions/happiness/science/music-and-happiness.htm/printable

Related Resources:

1. Wetlands Preserve: http://www.wetlands-preserve.org/

2. Brooklyn Bowl website: http://www.brooklynbowl.com/

3. Blue Ribbon: http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/

4. LEED Requirements: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222

5. GreenOrder: http://www.greenorder.com

By Kevin Rorick

The way in which the people are consuming published content is changing. With emerging channels to consume and publish content, patterns of use, marketplace competition and business models are all being reevaluated and redesigned.

The sale of physical books declined by 1% in 2009, and 2010 saw a 5% drop, not significant numbers one may think. We are in a recession. However, according to the Institute for Publishing Research, during the same period, sales of eBooks in 2009 increased 99%, and in 2010, early sales results suggest anywhere from a 126% to 190% increase. The book publishing industry has faired significantly better than the newspaper industry. The newspaper and magazine business model rely on two main revenue streams, advertising and subscriptions. With failed digital models, increased competition on the internet and advertisers finding new channels, many wonder if the print model is over.

eReaders should be considered another form of the printing press. Though still in their infancy, eReaders and  their technologies stand to monetize aspects of the publishing industry that have been suffering since the late 1990s as the internet began to grow. As the growth of eReaders continues, it offers an opportunity to redesign a model that is integral in understanding and sharing content.

Aside from business, eReaders support the redesign of content consumption. An eReader challenges the author of the content, the designer and the consumer as it presents a medium that goes beyond content on printed page. It allows for a deeper, more engaged experience. The Authors must consider this as they write their content, no longer is the reader expecting to turn a page. The designer must consider where they can design navigation and narrative elements to keep the reader engaged and increase their experience while supporting the original content. The reader must be prepared to immerse themselves in a deeper experience knowing that they are being provided with a much fuller, educational experience.

In the traditional model, while reading an article that relates to the idea of wellbeing within a nation, a table may be included in an appendix, the reader would either turn to the back of the book review and return to their place in the book or not look at the table in the appendix. With an interactive eReader platform the reader is able to view and interact with the selected table from the page that they are reading in realtime.

With three million iPads sold in the first three months on the market and companies Skiff, Sprint and LG Display developing flexible touchscreen eReaders in the next year, the eReader market provides opportunities for designers to catalyze change in an industry that is deeply wounded. With successful implementation plans, strategic design and market support, eReaders may provide the incentive for the publishing industry to move to digital to support their industry.

Created by Marc Hodosh and Richard Saul Wurman, TEDMED brings together brilliant minds in the fields of healthcare, medicine and wellbeing. TEDMED.com is a collection of the talks from TEDMED 2009; the 2010 conference will be from October 26^th to 29^th, in San Diego, California. The conference is a showcase of talks that demonstrate the intersection of a variety of wellbeing topics, from personal and public health, to testing the potential of the human body. Bill Davenhall reminds us of the many ways we can prevent disease by understanding the basic formula for life, which is genetics + lifestyle + environment; Craig Venter discusses the process of digitizing genetic code, and the implications of creating synthetic life. Perhaps one of the most fascinating of the talks is that of David Blaine, the magician who discusses his various attempts at pushing the boundaries of his body, by holding his breath for seventeen minutes, being buried alive and so on. “As a magician I try to show things to people that seem impossible”, he states. “Magic is practice, training, and experimenting while pushing through the pain to be the best that I can be.” It is essential for the strategic designer to understand that wellbeing can be defined in both tangible and intangible terms. Ultimately, what fosters community wellbeing and resilience is an ability to harness both, in a self-sustaining system.

By Danté A. Clemons

Toxic Beauty, by Dr. Samuel Epstein, uncovers the truth behind many of the beauty products we use everyday. Americans are exposed to carcinogens and toxic pollutants on a daily basis, from various sources. These pollutants are found in air, water and the interiors of buildings. Carcinogenic exposures are subject to regulations imposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); nonetheless American consumers come in contact with toxins in multiple consumer products, including household, beauty, food and personal care items. Of particular concern is the regulation of cosmetic and personal care products in the United States. Under the 1938 FDA Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, there are no safety requirements that need be met before these products are released for sale to the public.

It is at this realization that Toxic Beauty begins its discussion. Dr. Samuel Epstein, a preventative cancer expert, with additional text by reporter Randall Fitzgerald, aims to educate readers on the shortcomings of federal regulations, and the harmful carcinogens present in many popular products in the American beauty industry. Epstein defines carcinogens as “a chemical shown in standard tests by recognized scientific authorities, the National Toxicology Program, or by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, to cause cancer in mice, rats, or directly in humans.” He further explains, “nearly one out of every two men and more than one out of every three women will get cancer in their lifetime. The cosmetics and personal-care product industries bear significant responsibility for this health crisis.” Epstein asserts that toxic cosmetics and personal care products are the single largest avoidable cause of disease in the U.S.

Epstein frames his assertion with a historical view of how toxins were introduced into consumer products. He references the creation of Chanel No.5, introduced in 1921, which revolutionized the manufacturing process of cosmetics by being the first fragrance to use synthetic additives. Epstein analyzes the impact such synthetics and chemicals have had on human health. Yet, Toxic Beauty was written not only to startle, but also to change consumer behaviors. Throughout the book, Epstein educates readers on how to recognize safer alternatives. He assesses the lack of government regulation within the cosmetics industry and offers steps consumers can take to promote and encourage reform. Perhaps the most promising chapter outlines the principles of green chemistry, “a term that describes the development of sophisticated technologies for synthesizing non-toxic ingredients and products designed to degrade into wastes that won’t hurt humans, wildlife, and the environment.” Green chemistry encourages the development and adoption of chemical processes designed to have zero toxic effects.

Toxic Beauty is dense with startling scientific information organized into reader-friendly tables and charts, many of which are detachable for use as a checklist while shopping. Epstein succeeds in creating a “useful self-defense manual” that weaves a very complex story. The result is an engaging and informative guidebook for the American consumer of cosmetics and personal care products.