"Designers can contribute to a better world, but not if we dictate how they do it"
Ahead of the launch of our Good Design for a Bad World, Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs asked: "Can design save the world?" In this response, Louise Schouwenberg argues that global issues can't be placed on the shoulders of guilt-ridden designers alone. More about "Designers can contribute to a better world, but not if we dictate how they do it"
"It's about time we rethink the notion of authorship"
Opinion: after Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde was forced into an awkward discussion about the ownership of his projects, Louise Schouwenberg suggests that "star" individuals shouldn't be getting all the credit. More about "It's about time we rethink the notion of authorship"
"It's time to rid ourselves of the obsession with the new"
Opinion: designer Hella Jongerius and theorist Louise Schouwenberg today launch their manifesto, titled Beyond the New: a search for ideals in design. Here we exclusively publish the full text, in which the pair argue that "design has become an impoverished field" and propose a new idealistic agenda for the profession. More about "It's time to rid ourselves of the obsession with the new"
"Design fairs fail to represent what's going on in the rest of the world"
Opinion: driven by economics and overly concerned with "iconic" design and star names, international design fairs have lost their way. But BIO 50, the design biennial in Ljublana, offers a refreshing alternative, says Louise Schouwenberg. More about "Design fairs fail to represent what's going on in the rest of the world"
"Taste is not what a museum is about"
Opinion: in choosing to stage a major exhibition of work by Marcel Wanders, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam has mistaken commercial success for cultural importance, says Louise Schouwenberg. More about "Taste is not what a museum is about"