National Design Triennial: Why Design Now?

‘Problem solving’ is the watchword for the National Design Triennial 2010, which takes as it theme the work that designers are doing to address human and environmental issues around the world.

Inaugurated in 2000, the Triennial series seeks out and presents the most innovative, forward-thinking designs at the centre of contemporary culture from the previous three years. The exhibition showcases design solutions that promote environmental stewardship, social equity, accessibility and creative capital. The 2010 Triennial is the fourth in the National Design series, which runs at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, and the first to include international as well as American designers.

Key developments are grouped under eight themes: energy, mobility, community, materials, prosperity, health, communication and simplicity. Under these headings come a huge range of innovations - from the world’s first hydrogen powered hotel to a set of drinking glasses ridged for easy gripping - from disciplines as diverse as architecture and product design, graphics and fashion.

Highlights of the exhibition include the XOXO children’s laptop, designed by Yves Behar, which is targeted at the developed world and can be held flat, angled or like a book; the Energy Aware Clock, which can display the total energy consumption for a household or for single appliances, and affordable corrective eyewear that is self-adjusted by injecting various amounts of fluid into the lenses of thick glasses.

As well as showcasing innovation, the exhibition aims to examine why design thinking is an essential tool for solving today’s problems; what draws creative thinkers, makers and problem solvers to this crucial field of discovery; and why business leaders, policy makers and consumers should embrace design values.