manifesto

socialdesign platform

reshape uses
innovate culturally
transform socially

The Socialdesign Platform is an initiative formed by an interdisciplinary network of civil society actors, designers, architects, and culture and association professionals. The platform collects, promotes, contributes to and attempts to break down barriers between the practices of contextual designers. The platform seeks to serve as a teaching and research resource for social design, as well as a forum for public and private-sector actors and professionals. Its goal is to establish contextual designers as full-fledged actors in thinking and organising society to meet the urgent need to develop and lay the groundwork for tight-knit communities. 

grasping the contextual dimension of design

All too often, current trends in architecture result in housing poorly suited to its inhabitants or grandiose buildings that are impracticable for users – a situation compounded by the current strain on finances. What is more, knowledge of design remains concentrated in the luxury and furnishings sectors, as well as marketing for “posh” products. Design is too often thought of in terms of upscale or collector’s items rather than as a catalyst for reshaping uses, providing accessibility and building community.

Other practices exist, but they have a low profile or lack support and guidance. These social and cultural innovation initiatives remain undervalued by companies, associations and public authorities. Design practices such as these require a substantial time for development and design, as well as a responsible approach rendered all too rare by administrative and financial limitations and decision-making processes.

In the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy and the countries of Northern Europe, design is viewed as party to these transformations, but this is not yet the case in France. The primary goal of the platform is therefore to take stock of the diversity of these practices, to demonstrate the potential of social design and its leading role in producing transformative change.

the designer: an actor in social transformation

Social design provides impetus for social, ecological and cultural transformation. Designers implement initiatives that enable residents to take part in shaping their city, society and direct environment. As such, these are tangible, critical spaces where designers enable a new approach to transformation, along with objects themselves and they ways in which they are used. Through its actions, the platform seeks to reframe designers’ work as part of an overarching methodology, by re-establishing it at the core of the project alongside the relevant actors and an updated vision of the world. Design needs to extend its focus beyond objects’ aesthetic appearance and tackle issues that affect groups, communities and uses, while also pairing its expertise with a high-quality artistic approach.  

The Socialdesign Platform is a place for developing, practising and raising the profile of social design, where new methods are implemented for approaching social, environmental and cultural issues, as well as aiding extremely vulnerable groups. These all represent tangible living environments that need to be redesigned in line with changing forms of social life, without ever compromising on artistic and cultural quality. 

action research residencies

At the request of civil actors or institutions, the platform could, for instance, work on one or several aspects of projects pertaining to urban life, public health, social and solidarity economy or any other field related to the common good or community-building. The Socialdesign Platform will take action in the field through action research residencies, in particular. It will provide guidance and scientific advice in resonance with all relevant actors. When embarking on a project, designers immerse themselves in the issues facing the community space – a region or location – with which they’ve been entrusted. After this important incubation phase, they work in coordination with the relevant actors and give a clear account of their research and the conditions under which it is performed. These social design projects have great potential to reach a wide audience, bringing to light profound transformations or giving rise to new urban, social or environmental processes, which often take place over the long term.

plateforme-socialdesign.net

The plateforme-socialdesign.net website will extend the reach of social design initiatives both in France and other countries, addressing those who will create social design projects in the future. The site aims to become a reference in the field. A platform for discussion, dialogue and research for designers from different disciplines, professionals and policymakers seeking to gain a better understanding of the role of the designer in public action and become versed in a different approach to leading a project. In addition to providing a forum for resources, questions, information and pedagogy on social design and the work of designers, the site could also publish calls for projects leading to social design residencies. Finally, it will enable people to find social design initiatives, enabling consistent project methodology.

a manifestation by way of manifesto

The goal of the Socialdesign Platform is to assert the role of the social designer and spur the creation of projects that bring about social, ecological and cultural transformation. Decentralised and connected to an international network, the Socialdesign Platform provides insight into social design projects and extends their reach. It seeks to work with professionals, schools and local actors to create a bright future for social design, in which the field is more accessible and there is a focus on the initiatives and issues related to the work of contextual designers in society.