Issue 1 Wild Speed 14 NGV Contemporary 36 Do Something for Nothing 60 Hey Jane 86 A MAGAZINE DRIVEN BY DESIGN BETTER FUTURE A simple, big-hearted and world-shaking idea. – Nick Cave ISSUE�
our
Award programs. ProgramLaunch1October2022WinnersAnnounced1June2023
ANNOUNCEMENT This
NEW PROGRAM is a pipeline Award celebrating best of the best across global Award programs, nominations. WILD projects that are taking courageous leaps to get to a better future faster. for winning project global
us
the
To be eligible
WILD Design Awards
These are the
consideration you must have a
alongside jury-curated
nominated into one of our existing
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE4
PRODUCTION DETAILS Editor Lucy Grant Designer Fiona Brand BETTER FUTURE TEAM Founder Mark Bergin Awards General Manager Ulli Maas Exec Club Manager Karen Henderson Building Foundation Managing Director Maria Scott Awards Operations Nathan Phillips Awards & Exec Club UK Associate William Knight CONTACT instagram @awards.design ENVELOPE magazine@betterfuture.design COVER Oudulf Garten by Piet Oudulf and Vitra. Image by Marek Iwicki. See Pages 34–35 for more.
BETTER FUTURE acknowledges the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which this magazine is created and published. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise that this land was never ceded. of Country
Acknowledgement
IMAGE CREDITS: Pp 10-11. Tony Feder via Getty Images / p.12 clockwise from top: Geralds Bar, Paul Kristoff, The City Lane, Mabu Mabu, Boilermaker House, SOS / p.13 clockwise from top: MAP Studio (Venice), Brunetti, The Astor Theatre, Modern Times, Ben Moynihan, Dead Man Espresso, John Gollings, Black Pearl / p. 92 Mansom Yim via Unsplash / p. 93 clockwise from top: Hyatt HK, The Peninsula HK, Virgile S Bertrand, S.bastien Goldberg via Unsplash, Landmark HK, PMQ, Ronin, Pondi
5 BETTER FUTURE Issue 1 Welcome to a Better Future 6 The WILD Launch 8 WILD Speed 14 Contents MoniquePROFILESWoodward 72 Paul Priestman 80 Hey Jane 86 Li-Ning Sports Park 30 SRG House 32 Oudulf Garden 34 NGV Contemporary 36 Smart Manhole Cover 40 White Sack 42 3D Pet Prosthetics 44 The New York Subway Map Debate 46 Map Your Future 52 TRACE AME 54 SSO Rebrand 56 Volksentscheid Berlin Autofrei 58 Do Something for Nothing 60 Uth Klub 64 Qingming: A Sculpture of Resilience 66 Design for Planet 68 Digital Toolkit 76 L’ArcSHOWCASEdeTriomphe, Wrapped 20 Rainbow after the storm 24 ANOHA 26 Bourse de Commerce 28 PLACES WE LOVE Melbourne 10 Hong Kong 92
The future From 2023, we are pledging 50% of our profits to the Better Future Housing Foundation.
We have some very exciting news…
Welcome to a
future starts now. Everything we do is about creating impact to build a better future, but we don’t just want to recognise others for their good work, we want, andneed, to lead by example. This is about creating a strong economy, sustainable environment and social equity.
a Better Future
LaunchThebetterfutureexecclub.com/WILDWILD
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE8
One of the most exciting developments for BETTER FUTURE in 2022 has been WILD. It began after we held an intimate dinner in Melbourne with powerhouse special guests Debbie Millman and Roxane Gay.
The conversations at dinner started a larger conversation about the speed of innovation and the need to move faster into a kinder, brighter, greener future. So began the concept for WILD. We kicked off our official programming in May with the Melbourne WILD Dinner, where we were joined by 100 leading design minds and next generation leaders from Melbourne and Sydney. It was a fantastic night of networking, idea exchange and celebration of wild design. We followed up with an event in Sydney in May and a London WILD Dinner in June, led by our UK Associate, William Knight.
Following the success of our foundation round of WILD events, we have created a global program packed full of events throughout the rest of the year and into 2023. Grow your network, extend alliances and prepare for a new exciting era of WILD design. For more information about upcoming events, head to
9
g (Clockwise, from above) Building Foundation Managing Director Maria Scott and Founder Mark Bergin introducing the Better Future Housing Foundation at the Melbourne WILD Dinner. Fatuma Ndenzako, Emily Summers, Clare Cousins and Monique Woodward at the Melbourne WILD Dinner. At the table at the London WILD Dinner. At the table in Melbourne.
Melbourneby Amber Bonney Lucy FionaGrantBrand
Three Melbournians, Amber Bonney - Founder & CEO at The Edison Agency, Fiona Brand - Founder at Brand by Name, and Lucy Grant - Editor at BETTER FUTURE Magazine, share some of their favourite places in and around the city.
WE
LOVE Pla ces
11
Big Esso at Federation Square –Run by Torres Strait chef Nornie Bero, the menu is inspired by foods from indigenous Australia; Bunya nuts, Crocodile, Bush tomato, Quandongs, Saltbush and Pepperberries. Nab a table outside to make the most of its people-watching location.
Boilermaker House, CBD – Take your pick of delicious cocktails, a mindboggling whiskey list or a namesake Boilermaker. Oyster specials on Wednesdays. Depending on the day (or night), the soundtrack ranges from New Orleans jazz to cranking Blues.
Gerald’s Bar, Carlton North –Owner Gerald Diffey (who published a cracking book late last year) is full of character and it seeps into every aspect of his bar. It is cosy, unpretentious (yet still cool), the staff are passionate and knowledgeable, and the ever-changing seasonal menu always delivers. I also love going there by myself just as much as I do with friends, which I think speaks to how great it is.
Old Raffles Place, Collingwood –The Hainanese Chicken here is the dish I crave most. The menu is a no-frills, extremely satisfying Singaporean fare and the owners Alan and Carol are a delight. A bit of an institution.
This is my definition of relaxation. The upstairs bathhouse—fitted out by a kick-arse assembly of local, female-led studios—is a truly sublime place. I recommend heading there at the very top or bottom of the day, which tend to be a bit quieter.
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Sense of Self, Collingwood –
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Black Pearl, Fitzroy (for cocktails)
Good Measure, Carlton – One of the very welcome post-lockdown additions to south Lygon street. This is a coffee shop by day and bar by night, and the atmospheres of both are equally good. Try the Mont Blanc coffee in the am and the meticulously crafted cocktails in the pm. The sangas are good too.
Dead Man Espresso, South Melbourne (for breakfast)
M Pavilion, Arts Precinct – I could wax poetic about the good work M Pavilion do all day. They are an architectural commission that want to spread the good word of design throughout the community, and they offer a stacked line-up of free and ticketed design events throughout the year. The pavilion (which changes each year!) is located opposite the NGV at the Royal Botanical Gardens, which makes it the perfect place to fritter away some time on a sunny Melbourne afternoon.
Heide Museum of Modern Art, Bulleen (art, a sculpture park and beautiful grounds)
13
The Astor, St Kilda (for classic revival cinema) Modern Times, Fitzroy (mid-century furniture and art)
Brunetti, Carlton (for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert!)
It is fascinating that we live in an era where values and purpose are driving so much of society. Here at BETTER FUTURE we have three core principles: strong economics, a sustainable environment, and social equity. Any project that drives along these three principles, and does it with high innovation speed—which we refer to as ‘wild speed’—will be growing by about five to ten times the standard speed. If projects are only having an impact of one to two times, then we refer to them as having ‘mild speed’. We know that these things are never simple. And it’s not enough to engage our values, reach wild speed and then put the brakes on. After one cycle of wild speed comes another, and then another, and before we know it we’ve entered what we call the cycle of product management; where product experts are able to look at the intersection of sales, engineering and market fit to make sure that we are not only solving the needs of today, but building longitudinal roadmaps and product cycles that keep our organisations, products and services wild, thriving and focused on a better Sofuture.the objective is clear: we want to reach wild speed. But how can we do so without losing value and opportunities along the way and also leaving space to value add? A useful analogy is to imagine our journey beginning with a half-full bucket of liquid potential.
By Mark Bergin
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE14
15 With the bucket of potential in tow, how do we reach warp speed whilst also minimising spills at each stage of transfer and creating opportunities to top up the bucket with even more liquid potential along the way? We can identify the challenge as cascading opportunities and it’s all about reaching efficiency cycles that will reduce the opportunity–spill and nurture future value Makingcreation.surethere are solid foundations in place from the get–go is crucial; if we begin with a leaky bucket then we are all but destined to be left with so little opportunity by the time we arrive at our destination, even taking into consideration the contents we may add along the way. Ensuring the structural integrity of our project or organisation—that is a strong, clear values system, a united goal and a motivated team—is there before we set out on our journey is key. This way we are far better prepared to plug up any holes and maintain balance along the way. It also means we can embrace cascading opportunities along the way and fill the bucket up with more liquid potential. Whether it’s on a macro or micro scale, our responsibility is to facilitate multistage value creation so that our bucket is increasing in value, instead of losing precious contents or becoming diluted. Every time we reach a new stage of the process, we are presented with both the greatest risk and the greatest opportunity. If we know how to nurture cascading opportunities then we minimise potential spillage and can value-stack. Often with mild innovation, knowledge does not transfer from one stage to another. Wild innovation occurs when we are able to develop the highest level of efficiency in transferring our existing potential forward while accumulating and integrating new potentials. If we can adopt wild speed while the liquid in our bucket rises, that’s when we will be creating space for our own success.
This is wild speed. This is a deep dive article. Each Issue, we will publish an article from our Founder that aims to stretch the minds of our readers. We want these articles to launch deeper, continuing conversation about design and a better future. If you’re ready to be challenged, have a read and join the discussion at www.betterfutureexecclub.com/post/wild-speed
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE16 Part of what makes high innovation speed so necessary is that with mild speed comes an insidious function that attacks projects—be they mild, wild or otherwise—meaning they are unable to fight the tide of irrelevance. In today’s hyper-relevant society, where we can so easily name the relevant monopolies of different services—think YouTube for videos, Spotify for music— we must consider the tide of irrelevance. We do not want outstanding innovations to suffer at the hands of mild speedgenerated irrelevance. Cosmic resonance theory, which first dates back to a work of Chinese philosophy from the third century BC, dictates that ‘events and things separated in space, with no observable linear causal connection to one another, are assumed to have an invisible, instantaneous influence on one another’. Put simply, the same sets of problems— be they scientific, financial, social and so on—are likely to be solved simultaneously by different people in different corners of the globe, without collusion or plagiarism. There isn’t a logical explanation for this phenomenon, except to say that sometimes the collective consciousness of the world decides that the time has come. Many of us will have the same toolkit to deal with new problems thrown our way, however we will drown under the tide of irrelevance unless we are travelling faster than our contemporaries. The question is, how do we know if we are being mild or wild? What is wild speed? Well, we already know that wild solves and allows users to thrive, whereas mild merely addresses complaints. If all we do is address complaints, then we aren’t actually completing the necessary work to excite the imaginations of those who are using and buying our products or services. Addressing complaints as they arise is about satisfying management, it is not about delivering elite performance. Being wild does not and should not cost more. Often, it mitigates the cycle of addressing consumer complaints on a surface level by removing the root cause of the issue. This is an essential element of scalability.
17 In 2022, BETTER FUTURE is striving to enter wild speed. We want to leverage cascading opportunities, fight the tide of irrelevance and deliver an elite service to our global design community. Go andwildjoin us. B /post/wild-speedbetterfutureexecclub.com
SHOWCASE
SHOWCASE
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Centre des Monuments Nationaux / la Ville de Paris / Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation Architecture-Cultural
In 1961, three years after they met in Paris, Christo and Jeanne-Claude began creating works of art in public spaces. One of their projects was to wrap a public building. When he arrived in Paris, Christo rented a small room near the Arc de Triomphe and had been attracted by the monument ever since. In 1962, he made a photomontage of the Arc de Triomphe wrapped, seen from the Avenue Foch and, in 1988, a collage. 60 years later, the project was finally concretised.
L’ARC
L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, a temporary artwork for Paris, was on view for 16 days from 18 September to 3 October 2021. The project was realised in partnership with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux and in coordination with the City of Paris. It also received the support of the Centre Pompidou. The Arc de Triomphe was wrapped in 25,000 square metres of recyclable polypropylene fabric in silvery blue, and with 3,000 meters of red rope. B awards.design/gov22/project.asp?ID=24458
WRAPPEDTRIOMPHE,DE
21 SHOWCASE g
dusk.atWrappedTriomphe,deL’Arc
LoyseauBenjaminImage:
g Aerial shot of L’ArcdeTriomphe,Wrappedat night. Image: Wolfgang Volz
23 SHOWCASE
g Fabric panels are being unfurled in front of the outer walls of the Arc de Triomphe. Image: Wolfgang Volz a Christo in his studio working on a preparatory drawing for L’ArcdeTriomphe,WrappedImage:WolfgangVolz,2019
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE24 AFTER THE STORM RAINBOW g RainbowAftertheStormpavilioninfrontofStAnne’sChurch,Soho.Image:AaronHargreaves b Entering the first portal. Image: Aaron Hargreaves
25 SHOWCASE STORM
Pop-Ups,Display,Exhibit&SetDesign
Rainbow After the Storm stands as a reminder that, for the LGBTQ+ community, Covid-19 is not the first pandemic of recent times. Just as Covid-19 has paralysed communities worldwide, the global HIV crisis has had a disproportionate effect upon LGBTQ+ people, their families, and friends. Rainbow After the Storm reflects on the experiences and responses to these two health emergencies, while evoking a message of positivity and togetherness, and signalling the end of the fear, stigma and loneliness in times of adversity. The pavilion features two portals, representing the HIV and Covid-19 pandemics. The small, compressed entrances to these are shaped to allow only one person to enter at a time. The journey starts out as dark and slightly uncomfortable, symbolising the fear, uncertainty and isolation people have been through during both pandemics. The portals gradually become lighter and bigger towards the centre, creating a light-filled arena that hopes to bring people together and highlight the power of the collective. B awards.design/lon21/project.asp?ID=22911
LFA / Architecture LGBT+ / Foster + Partners
Jewish Museum Berlin / Olson Kundig
More than 150 sculptural animals populate ANOHA’s ark, each created from found objects by a team of 18 German artists. This approach encourages children to consider the importance of recycling and adaptive re-use, while supporting ANOHA’s core philosophy of creativity and imagination. B awards.design/ber22/project.asp?ID=24341
Located within an existing former flower market hall, the heart of ANOHA is a circular wooden ark, standing almost 23 feet tall with a 92-foot base diameter. The curvilinear ark complements the curved ribs of the Brutalist light scoops overhead, while the shift in materiality from concrete to wood offers a softening counterpoint to the existing space.
ANOHA
Inspired by the pioneering vision of Noah’s Ark at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, which underscores the importance of diversity, collaboration and second chances, ANOHA: The Children’s World of the Jewish Museum Berlin seeks to give the museum’s youngest guests a sense of hope and possibility.
Pop-Ups,Display,Exhibit&SetDesign
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27 SHOWCASE g SucksdorffYvesImage: g Hufton+CrowImage:
b The concrete walls from within the rotunda extent into the basement.
BOURSE
g The newly added 9-metre-high cylindrical concrete exhibition space, as seen from above. Maxime Tetard
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Image:
DE COMMERCE
Image: Patrick Tourneboeuf
François Pinault / Tadao Ando
COMMERCE
The Bourse de Commerce building illustrates four centuries of architectural and technical feats. It associates the first free-standing column in Paris—erected in the 15th century for Catherine de Medicis’ palace—with the vestiges of a granary impressive for its circular 18th-century design, which was capped in 1812 with a spectacular metal and glass dome. The building was then modified in 1889 to become the Paris Stock Exchange. Today, the monument has been injected with new life thanks to Tadao Ando’s contemporary architectural contribution. The Japanese architect creates the conditions for a dialogue between the architecture and its context, between heritage and contemporary creation, between past and present, and between the collection and the visitor. To date, the Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection is the largest project designed by Tadao Ando in France. B awards.design/par22/project.asp?ID=24184
29 SHOWCASE
Architecture-PublicandInstitutional
PARKSPORTS
Hangzhou Haisheng Construction Co. / PT Architecture Design Co. UrbanDesign Li-Ning Sports Park is located in Genbei New Town, Hangzhou. In order to reserve enough greening space in the park and outdoor sporting grounds, the building coverage ratio was only designed at 15%. Designing and building a high-standard modern sporting complex that integrates The Cultural Centre and The Sports Centre was critical to the project. The Cultural Centre houses a reading room, a small theatre, a youth activity centre and an elderly activity centre, while The Sports Centre offers a gym, an indoor swimming pool, basketball courts, adaptable volleyball and badminton courts and a specialised rock-climbing gym.
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE30
a The indoor swimming pool and basketball court. Images via PT Architecture Design Co.
LI-NING
To ensure that the complex met diversified functional requirements, it focused on the connection between the park’s greening space and outdoor sporting resources. The Sports Park provides Genbei New Town with an exciting, quality public place for physical exercise, leisure and entertainment. B awards.design/sha22/project.asp?ID=24678
overlookingpark,theofviewAerial theandtrackrunningelevatedthe viaImageCentre.CultureandSports Co.DesignArchitecturePT
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Architecture-Residential-Constructed
Private Client / Studio Johnston
The semi is part of a heritage-listed pair, and a crucial component of the brief was restoring as much original building as possible, and adapting the original material language, while making major improvements to the function and flow of interiors and dramatically improving the home’s environmental performance.
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE32 HOUSESRG
The brief for the SRG House was to turn a two-bedroom 1972 semi into a four-bedroom sustainable home catering for multi-generational living. The client wanted to open the building up to its cool central court-garden and add a plunge pool in the small harbour-facing garden. They needed two additional bedrooms within the envelope of the main house for young children and also sought to redevelop a single-level gauge that was added in the 1980s to incorporate completely independent in-law accommodation that was both separate to the main house but linked.
The project considers its environmental impact deeply in terms of construction process, material selection, energy/resource efficient operation. B awards.design/syd21/project.asp?ID=21526
33 SHOWCASE g
SmartAnsonImage:
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE34 GARTEN OUDULF g The garden in full bloom. Image: Marek Iwicki
Viet / Piet LandscapeOudulfDesign
a The bees are kept according to a combined nesting method that allows them to build natural honeycombs at the bottom of the beehive. Image via Vitra
35 SHOWCASE
For once it is not buildings that are sprouting up on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, but plants: situated between the VitraHaus and the production facility by Álvaro Siza, the 4000 m2 garden designed by Piet Oudolf in 2020 is now blossoming in all its variety. The garden design favours perennial varieties that are self-regenerating like shrubs, grasses, bushes and wildflowers. Over 30,000 plants were used to create Ooudulf’s meticulous wilderness, which extends beyond mere decoration and functions as a living landscape that establishes a rich complementary dialogue with the surrounding built architecture. A garden created by Dutch designer Piet Oudolf was planted on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein in May 2020. The artfully composed wilderness will be in full bloom from summer to early autumn. Bees have also been kept on the Vitra Campus since 2020: beehives are located next to the Oudolf Garten and house a population that is expected to reach a total of six colonies in the not-too-distant future. B awards.design/ber22/project.asp?ID=24351
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE36 CONTEMPORARY NGV
g Daytime render of NGV Contemporary and public green space, facing south. Render by Darcstudio. Aerial render of NGV Contemporary rooftop terrace and restaurant at dusk. Render by Darcstudio.
b
Victorian Government / Angelo Candalepas and ArchitectureAssociates-Proposed
37 SHOWCASE
This awe-inspiring design, proposed by Australian architect Angelo Candalepas and Associates, was selected by the Victorian Government and the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) as the winning design for NGV Contemporary, Australia’s soonto-be largest gallery dedicated to contemporary art and design. This new Victorian landmark will celebrate the central role of art and design in contemporary life. The extraordinary design draws visitors inside through its dramatic arched entries and into a wondrous and uplifting building featuring a more than 40-metre-high spherical hall. As visitors travel through the space, they will be offered an unforgettable architectural experience as they journey between the building’s levels, finally emerging on the spectacular dual-levelled rooftop terrace. B awards.design/gov22/project.asp?ID=24456
CONTEMPORARY
g Daytime render of central spherical hall by Secchi Smith. Artwork: Goneby KAWS, 2019.
g NGV Contemporary and public green space, at dusk facing south. Render by Darcstudio. a Render by Secchi Smith. Artworks clockwise from left: Insideanotherland1-75 by Del Kathryn Barton, 2017; Canweall haveahappylife?by Dhambit Munuŋgurr, 2019–20; Venusby Jeff Koons, 2016-2020; Thefour seasons, WoldgateWoodsby David Hockney, 2010-2011; Mass by Ron Mueck, 2016-17.
39 SHOWCASE
When the manhole cover rises and unfolds, the warning light will also rise automatically. At night time, a fluorescent under belt will alight to warn pedestrians. The internal structure also effectively filters trash to prevent it from clogging the sewer pipes. If the manhole cover is missing, the self-luminous fluorescent strip on the inner ring of the base allows pedestrians to detect manhole hazards from a reasonable distance away. B awards.design/sha22/project.asp?ID=24681
In the event of heavy rainfall and water pressures, the manhole cover will automatically rise and use the turbine to drain upwards. If groundwater rises to create upward pressure, the turbine will slow down the outward drainage to avoid causing urban flooding and reduce drainage pressure.
Yang Aoru, Yu Hao, Li jing & Shao Jianxin
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE40
COVERMANHOLESMART
ProductDesign-Commercial&Industry
Manhole covers are an essential but often dangerous element of urban infrastructure. After investigating and analysing the leading causes of manhole cover related injuries and incidents, the team proposed a redesigned alternative that prioritises safety. Current versions of the manhole cover suffer from poor anti-suction qualities that increase the likelihood of injury to pedestrians and workers. When a storm arrives, the urban drainage system is prone to breaking down, often causing rainwater to back up and wash-away manhole covers, creating a dangerous risk. This design offers a solution to the problem by improving the structure of manhole covers with a smart lift-andunfold anti-suction variation.
The design is equipped with an automatic pressure sensing device with two turbines inside.
41 SHOWCASE g
Hao,YuAoru,YangviaImages JianxinShao&jingLi
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White BetterSackFuture-EnvironmentalSustainability
SACKWHITE
White Sack’s process is a new concept that connects the dots from waste management to planting. The White Sack service exchanges your household paper waste with quality fresh organic worm-laiden compost. Subscribers separate their household paper waste, White Sack collects it and transforms it into vermicompost and delivers it back to subscribers. With online shopping ever increasing, White Sack are particularly interested in cardboard waste from postal deliveries. Cardboard paper waste only takes eleven weeks to decompose and doesn’t require any machinery or chemicals. If households commit to initiatives like White Sack, that only ask subscribers the small task of separating paper waste, there is great potential for a large-scale community waste management solution. B awards.design/gov22/project.asp?ID=22716
43 SHOWCASE g sacksmanurecattlerecycledwasteZero ofcollectioncollection;wasteforrepurposed waste;fibreboardcorrugatedsubscriber’sa larvae.andearthwormswithladenVermicompost, Sack.WhiteviaImages
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE44 PROSTHETICS
g Hannah with her new prosthetic leg. Image via DiveDesign.
PET3D
b Tammy, a rescued piglet with a prosthetic hind leg. Image via DiveDesign.
45 SHOWCASE
Bionic Pets is the leading animal orthotics and prosthetics company in the US. With a mission to revolutionise rehabilitation and pain management in the animal world, DiveDesign realized the opportunity for innovation in their prosthetics development. With 3D scanning and printing technology, DiveDesign created a digital tool to rapidly expedite the development process of full-limb prosthetics for animals. B awards.design/nyc21/project.asp?ID=22744
PROSTHETICS
Bionic Pets / DiveDesign ProductDesign-Technology
Take a look at the different membership options and benefits available to decide which Exec Club program is right for you. Upon joining, our Club Manager will work with you to build a tailored growth and success plan. In 2023, we are introducing the IMPACT membership. If you, or someone you know, would benefit from a community supported Exec Club membership then we encourage you to apply. For more info visit
The Exec Club sits at the intersection of design, innovation, transformation and technology. An environment where leaders learn from leaders. If you want to deepen your exec skills, move beyond your current capacity, and be challenged while growing, join the club today.
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE46
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The Exec Club Toolkit
The Exec Club is all about building the fitness and depth of our members, and supplying them with the strongest possible strategic foundations to support and strengthen their executive capacity. As with any sustainable fitness program, the Exec Club offers a comprehensive toolkit to guide you through your journey, along with the tailored expertise to help you build the growth and success plan that is right for you. Have a read through the Exec Club Toolkit offerings and chat to our Club Manager (karen@betterfuture.design) to find out which membership best suits your needs.
EXEC MEMBERSHIPCLUB TIERS Introductory Growth Full OBSERVER CLUB IMPACT NEXT ACCELERATORGEN LEADER GLOBALLEADER Membership Inclusions No Fee $250 No Fee* $1,250 $2,500 $5,500 BETTER FUTURE Magazine Check-circle Check-circle Check-circle Check-circle Check-circle Check-circle Jury Invitation Invitation Invitation Check-circle Check-circle Exec CPD Learning Invitation Invitation Check-circle Check-circle Exec Spotlight Invitation Invitation Check-circle Check-circle Innovation Labs Check-circle Check-circle BETTER FUTURE Events WILD Meet Check-circle Invitation Check-circle Check-circle Check-circle WILD Hang Invitation Invitation Check-circle Check-circle WILD Exchange Invitation Invitation Voucher Check-circle WILD Expedition Invitation InvitationVIP * Via application All prices are $USD per annum
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BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE48
THE NEW YORK SUBWAY MAP DEBATE
GraphicDesign-Publication
Standards Manual and Gary Hustwit
The discovery of a lost audio recording sheds new light on a pivotal event in design history: the 1978 debate between designer Massimo Vignelli and cartographer John Tauranac over the future of the NYC Subway Map. The New York Subway Map Debate features the full transcript and discussions that followed, along with never-before-seen photographs of the evening by Stan Ries. Edited by filmmaker and design historian Gary Hustwit, with a foreword by designer Paula Scher. The New York Subway Map Debate opens a hyper-specific window into a moment in New York design history and the eternal struggle between form and content. B awards.design/nyc21/project.asp?ID=22702
VignelliMassimobook:theFrom Photographaudience.theaddresses LayoutRies.Stanpublication:in Manual.Standardsviaimage
49 SHOWCASE g
askmembersAudiencebook:theFrom werepeople150Approximatelyquestions. publication:inPhotographattendance.in StandardsviaImageLayoutRies.Stan g
Back cover of TheNewYorkSubwayMapDebate. Image via Standards Manual.
g
g From the book: NYCTA Subway Map, designed by Vignelli Associates, 1971, © New York City Transit Authority. Layout image via Standards Manual. a Front cover of TheNewYork SubwayMapDebate. Image via Standards Manual.
51 SHOWCASE
YDAS focuses on supporting disabled young people who require individual advocacy. Their Map Your Future workshops are about helping disabled young people to be aware of goals that they might want to set—living their lives, setting themselves up to leave school and live independently—but within the context of it being accessible.
The entire project was driven by co-designing with disabled young people: from preliminary paper sketches detailing what the tool could look like, through to testing ideas, digital prototypes and iterative site design and build. B awards.design/mel22/project.asp?ID=24804
MAP
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE52
FUTUREYOUR
Youth Disability Advocacy Service / Today BetterFuture-Equity&Inclusion Map Your Future is a co-designed free online program that enables young disabled people to set goals and get the right support to achieve them. Today and Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) worked together with young people to design a process that leads with the theme of disability pride.
53 SHOWCASE g FutureYourMapnewtheofviewMobile
g TodayviaToldiNiquiIllustrations:
Today.viaImagewebsite.
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE54 AIMTRACE
Australian Merino Exports / CANYON BetterFuture-Sustainability
CANYON was asked to create a brand and visual language that reinforces the high quality and social responsibility of their offer with credibility and reassurance to all their clients. The design challenge was to create a brand and visual language that reflected a strong social responsibility and talks to a diverse audience. Illustration and animation played a key role in reflecting this and bringing the TRACE journey to life. B awards.design/mel22/project.asp?ID=23063
TRACE AME are leading the way for socially responsible, fully traceable Merino wool sought after by A-Grade brands worldwide. Through a unique, highly tailored program, TRACE AME delivers the highest quality, socially responsible Merino wool, meeting growing consumer demand and contributing to customer objectives.
55 SHOWCASE g AMETRACEnewthefromExamples Today.viaidentitydigital
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SSO from SSO visual identity via Principals. SSO brand poster. Nick Bowers via Principals.
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In a city that’s overflowing with contemporary culture, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra battles for relevance today with younger audiences, who aren’t formally introduced to the classical artform in the way their parents and grandparents were. This has left the Orchestra reliant upon a devoted yet aging community of supporters that can’t sustain the company forever. The SSO’s future hinges upon the engagement of post-Boomer generations, many of whom are yet to experience the power of live classical music. A new Chief Conductor, new CEO and marketing team had begun to boldly reimagine their future concert calendar, before COVID struck. Beyond fresh concert formats, the team recognised the need for a breakthrough in the orchestra’s positioning and identity, to cast classical music in a totally fresh and 21st Century light. B awards.design/syd21/project.asp?ID=21534
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Sydney Symphony Orchestra / Principals
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g Image: Volksentscheid Berlin Autofrei
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The aim of Volksentscheid Berlin Autofrei is to ensure that the public streets in Berlin are fairly apportioned, healthy, safe, liveable, climateappropriate and environment friendly. Fed up with government inaction, the program seeks to take matters into its own hands in a direct democratic manner through a referendum. All Berliners entitled to vote can decide on certain issues and pass laws for Berlin via referendum, and this is how Berlin Autofrei hopes to make the ‘Berlin law for road-use based on the common good’ a reality. Under the proposal, all streets within the S-BahnRing (except federal highways) will become carreduced streets after an appropriate transition period. This means that the use of the streets will be limited to walking, cycling and public transport (the so-called ‘Umweltverbund’). B awards.design/ber22/project.asp?ID=24338
Volksentscheid Berlin Autofrei BetterFuture-EnvironmentalSustainability
BetterFuture-Equity&Inclusion
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Bristol-based design agency Phoenix Wharf has volunteered some of its creative expertise to help inspirational Do Something for Nothing Founder, Joshua Coombes, with the creation of a new book and website. The grassroots pioneer’s initiative to give haircuts to homeless people has helped spark a wider, socially conscious movement, focusing on how we can all play a part in positively affecting the lives of those around us. Musician Nick Cave called the initiative ‘a simple, big-hearted and world-shaking idea’.
Do Something for Nothing / Phoenix Wharf
Phoenix Wharf gifted professional design time and expertise to help with this initiative, especially as author profits from the new book are going to fund future not-for-profit art projects, which will give voice to the lives of the people Joshua meets. B awards.design/lon21/project.asp?ID=22270
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DoSomethingforNothingwebsitehomepage,viaPhoenixWharf. Hardcover design by Jamie Morrison for Joshua Coombes’ ‘Do Something for Nothing’, via Phoenix Wharf.
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Spotlighting individuality and identity, a series of six personalities were conceived to illustrate the dynamic realm of Uth KLUB. The Foodie, The Fashionista, The Intellect, The Aesthete, The Athlete, and The Techie are experiential embodiments of K11 Art Mall. Each personality is brought to life through vibrant illustrations of symbolic objects representative of the personas. The illustrations are then collaged into a set of digital card faces that members personalise to represent themselves and their interests on the K11 Mobile App. The membership is finalised with a unifying logo depicting the lively, distinctive nature of Uth KLUB within the broader sphere of the K11 world. B awards.design/hkg21/project.asp?ID=22346
K11 HK / Toby Ng
KLUBUTH
GraphicDesign-IdentityandBranding
A unique addition to the K11 Art Mall membership program, Uth KLUB is created especially for the Gen Z population in Hong Kong. Focused on providing exclusive art, cultural, and career development experiences, Uth KLUB offers a wide array of privileges with youth appeal.
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g Entry to the virtual portal at the digital dreamscape recreation of the Hongshan Auditorium. Image: Jiabao Li, Huiyi Chen and Rui An.
b The project blurs the boundary between the digital and physical realms by turning visitors’ trace on the website into a 3D model that can be brought into other websites or even physical world. Image: Jiabao Li, Huiyi Chen and Rui An.
Jiabao Li, Huiyi Chen, Rui An Digital-Community Qingming is a sculpture formed by traces of visitors walking on an online space commemorating victims of Covid-19. It is an attempt to voice resilience and solidarity, in a time and place where mourning in person is not possible. Qingming, also known as ‘Tomb-Sweeping Day’, is a day to mourn and commemorate ancestors and loved ones in China. On April 4, 2020, the website Qingming.space was launched for people in China to mourn the lost lives of Covid-19. Visitors were brought to Hongshan Hall in Wuhan, the place where the controversial ‘Two Sessions’ of Hubei Province were held in January 2020. 1824 visitors left their names on the website to join the counter-clockwise walk and commemorate the lost lives on that day. Trajectories of the visitors collectively formed an online monument. This monument is now permanently standing in front of Wuhan Hongshan Hall on major map websites. B awards.design/sha22/project.asp?ID=24509
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g The Design Council congregate outside the V&A Dundee at the 2021 Design For Planet festival.
b Sophie Thomas and John Ferguson lead a tour of the BINN Group Eco Waste facility. Image: Medium via UK Design Council
A landmark festival to galvanise and support the UK’s design industry to commit to a sustainable, climate-first future. This two-day event provided a platform for visionaries across the sector who are leading the way in sustainability and climate action, and supports others in the industry to prioritise the welfare of our planet in their work. Design for Planet welcomed over 100 invited experts and was livestreamed to thousands of online Designparticipants.Council’swork chimes with the UK Government’s One Step Greener campaign to create a mass movement of green steps to culminate in large collective action. B awards.design/gov22/project.asp?ID=24457
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Australian Design Awards NEW PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT This is a pipeline Award celebrating the best of the best across our Australian-based Award programs, alongside jury-curated nominations. The pool of future-focused design projects across Australia is phenomenal and we want to shine a spotlight on those that are at the very forefront of innovation. To be eligible for consideration you must have a winning project nominated into the Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or GOV Awards. ProgramLaunch9August2022WinnersAnnounced17January2023
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MELBOURNE Join us in Melbourne on 12 October 2022 for the WILD Boost. Special guests: Rob Adams, Director City Design and Projects at City of Melbourne, member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization. Rick Bell, FAIA, Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University NYC, former Executive Director of NYC Department of Design and Construction and Executive Director of AIA New York.
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WILD Boost is about leaders learning from leaders. fast-paced one-day active participation event with peers to expand and activate new ideas. WILD Boost will drive an agenda based on a stronger economy, sustainable environment, social equity and uniting strategies that bring these three foundation principles together. deep dive for strategic thinkers, problem solvers and those looking to be stretched. this sounds like your mode of learning then join us! Get your tickets www.wild12.eventbrite.com.aunow
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By Lucy Grant
An architect of the moment designing for tomorrow In any industry, there are certain voices that signal the arrival of a new era. For Australian architecture, Monique Woodward is one of those voices. This profile comes from a BETTER FUTURE Spotlight conversation between Monique and our Founder Mark Bergin.
H M Image: John Gollings
onique Woodward is the director at ArchitectureWOWOWA —a Melbourne/ Naarm & Perth/Boorloo-based practice full of ‘optimistic lateral thinkers’ who offer residential, civic and probono city shaping work. She is exceptionally passionate about not just the built space, but the entire political and social eco-system it operates within. In discussing what it means to be an architect, she answers ‘we are champions of the built environment and good design, and what that means for community and Thisenvironment.’notionshone through at Collective Agency in 2019 (which Monique co-curated), where the intent was to ‘talk about sustainability in a way that was fresh, in a way that resonated and in a way that engaged with Country’. The conference picked up on the steadily building gatheringmomentumaroundthe ‘global shift towards decolonisation, towards indigenising the built environment, towards diversity and gender equality’, and asked the questions: ‘what are the issues at play?; how can we challenge the status quo?; how can we be better activists?; how can we market ourselves in a way that is meaningful?; and how can we change the conversation?’
Monique’s ‘biggest fear in life would be that [she is] not here to serve others, to help them and contribute to a lineage, to understand that we are part of this chain that moves the needle on the big issues… to contribute in a way that is meaningful.’
These are themes and questions that exist throughout Monique’s growing body of work and they are a big part of what makes her such an invaluable asset to the Australian design community. Monique’s ability to identify what a better future might look like and to suggest how we can begin to go about its creation renders her perfect for the current moment. Monique admits to having a self-appointed ‘obsession with the power of the individual’, and she stresses that we must continually be asking ourselves ‘well what am I actually doing about it?’ Monique’s need to do is immense and she stresses that in this current social, political and environmental climate we find ourselves living in, there is ‘no time for promises anymore, there is only time for action’. As individuals we must embrace the agency and potential we possess, and part of that is understanding that ‘accountability and transparency are important signifiers that will allow us to step into our truth’. Monique and the WOWOWA team certainly do not shy away from accountability and transparency; In 2019 they attained certified B Corporation status and they have been 100% carbon neutral and gas-free since 2020. When Monique caught up with our Founder Mark Bergin in 2021, the studio was already shifting their sights to ISO 9000 Certification, backed by the determination to ‘live [their] values’ and ‘get clear on what [they] stand for’. This valuesled approach to design must be championed as the new standard, and the powerful voices (and actions!) of people like Monique are going a long way to help normalise greener and fairer practice.
Of that fear Monique need not worry, it is apparent to all that view her work that her values translate into tangible outcomes and she is certainly doing everything in her power to move that needle. She describes herself as someone who ‘embraces everything wholeheartedly’ and from what we know of Monique that has definitely proved to be true. Watch this space! < B
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One of the most exciting developments for WOWOWA is their involvement in Finding Infinity’s A New Normal—a $100 billion transformation initiative for the City of Melbourne guided by fifteen projects that will ‘transform Greater Melbourne from a consumer to a producer by 2030.’ A New Normal has partnered with studios from around the globe, and hinges on the idea that ‘as countries are too politicised, it is cities that can make real change’. The project proposes not just a better future, but an ‘astounding future’ for Melbourne. With true innovation projects like these, there is, according to Monique, a certain collegiate buzz within the architecture profession in Melbourne right now, ‘where everyone is very supportive of each other, and it feels like [they] are starting to sing from the same song book as an WOWOWA’sindustry’. participant project for A New Normal is a waste–to–energy concept that ‘couples public pools with Anaerobic Digesters, converting food waste from the local community into biofuel to heat these facilities’.
They chose Fitzroy Swimming Pool to illustrate the concept and it took out Gold in the 2021 Melbourne Design Awards Better Future – Circular Economy Monique’scategory.ideasare matched by her impressive drive and to hear her speak on design ignites many exciting possibilities for the future of not just the Australian built space, but architecture in general. As we collectively attempt to navigate complex, global issues, it is crucial that the conversations we are having occur globally, where leaders in their respective geographic regions can break out of their local discourse to share and gain insights from around the world, accelerating our path into a better future and finding cultural cohesion within a globalised society. It is the purpose of what we do at the Better Future Exec Club and recognising pioneering voices like Monique’s is central to our mission.
75 PROFILE a WOWOWA’s Waste to Energy participant project for A New Normal.
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The Digital Health Lab at Samsung Research America collaborates with world-class institutions to run medical research trials. Clio is a business platform that consolidates and centralizes trial information and data all in one place, allowing users to quickly navigate and manage multiple congruent studies.
ADPList TheINVISIONAmazing Design People List (adplist.org) is founded on a simple concept: a platform—created by two designers in Singapore and Ghana, with the support of InVision’s Design Forward Fund—to connect unemployed designers with mentors who help them uplevel skills and connect them to companies with open roles.
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At BETTER FUTURE, we’re fortunate to be exploding with new discoveries thanks to our global Awards entries. It is important that these resources extend beyond the awards and into our design community.
So often it is not the resources we are lacking to see a good job done, but the very knowledge that they exist. The issue in harnessing the power that is available to us is discovery… in digital economies, discovery is the new friction.
Clio - The Trial Management System SAMSUNG RESEARCH AMERICA
We have selected a range of tools from the Awards programs over the last two years, with the hope that these digital resources, once discovered, may help you to accelerate into the future faster.
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MAGISTRATES COURT OF VICTORIA & TodayTODAYworked with the Magistrate’s Court of Victoria to design and implement the first online Family Violence Intervention Order Form (FVIO) in Australia. A complex paper-based application of over 12 pages was brought into a streamlined online experience allowing a safer and more efficient experience for violence survivors. B asp?ID=19825awards.design/mel20/project.
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introduced to sign language at an early stage, a deaf child may miss out on learning language. This can lead to language delay or deprivation, which has long-term negative impacts on a child’s life. That is why it is so important that parents of deaf children can learn American Sign Language (ASL) as soon as possible. Enter Fingerspelling.xyz. B awards.design/nyc21/project.asp?ID=22763
Australian Family Violence Intervention Order Application
Kids ‘Digital Distraction’ App
TLC FOR KIDS & AVENUE Distraction Boxes assist in psychosocial support during painful or invasive procedures, achieving this through the diversion of a child’s attention towards a neutral focus. Research has shown these activities reduce distress, anxiety, pain, and the need for sedatives during medical procedures. The Digital Distraction aims to bring the highly successful physical Distraction Boxes into digital form. B awards.design/mel22/project.asp?ID=24845
WithoutMONDAYbeing
Fingerspelling AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR DEAF CHILDREN & HELLO
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE78 Magicplan App MagicplanMAGICPLANhelps you get more work done while on site: Instantly create and share sketches, field documentation, and estimates with one easyto-use application that will connect the on-site project to the office. Magicplan is the construction app every contractor needs. B project.asp?ID=21098awards.design/ber21/Siemens Predictive Analytics SIEMENS, SHANGHAI The unpredictable failure of an individual section of a production line can put all your production out of action, even for several days. With Predictive Services, thanks to the accumulated know-how of service experts combined with cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, you can see into the future and avoid surprise machine failures through optimised maintenance planning. B awards.design/sha21/project.asp?ID=21868 Charli CHARTER HALL Charli is a leadingtalentattracttenantproductivity,collaborationtechnologiesandservices,thedesignedworkamenitiesenvironmenttenantsexperiencecustomertoPropTechharnessesworkplacemarket-leadingdisruptive,appthatleadinginnovationsdeliveravaluedserviceconnectingtotheirandlocalforabetterday.Charliistoreimaginedeliveryofpropertyamenitiesenablementtofosterandenhancesatisfactionandandretaintopintheworld’sofficebuildings. B asp?ID=21549bne21/project.awards.design/
IBM Master Data Management AcrossIBM
siteLab AURECON GROUP
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IBM MDM provides clean, consistent, and timely information that empowers you with trusted master data and a 360-degree view of your customers to drive deeper insights and business transformation. B awards.design/nyc21/project.asp?ID=22514
siteLab is an incredibly powerful ‘digital canvas’ that allows users to interact with rich built environment or infrastructure design visualisations in real time, including virtual reality. From a single light fitting or piece of signage, to an entire building or precinct, siteLab allows quicker, smarter, and more cost-effective design decision-making.
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almost every industry, data is the key driver of business insights, solutions, and results. But how do you make the most of your data when it comes from diverse sources, in different formats, and is stored—and potentially duplicated—across applications that don’t even talk to each other? The solution to all of these problems is IBM Master Data Management (MDM). IBM MDM is designed to help you know your data, trust your data, and use your data with confidence.
Loopit Loopit is a software-as-a-service company servicing the emerging new mobility market by providing a robust software management solution for car ownership alternatives such as vehicle subscription, rideshare management, digital car rental solutions, last-mile micro-mobility and more. B asp?ID=21679awards.design/syd21/project.
b Dragonfly is an integrated drone delivery concept designed to show how cities can be adapted to accommodate drone technology, relieve congested roads in urban areas and solve the last mile parcel delivery challenge.
In conversation with Paul Priestman Paul Priestman, the Founder and former Chairman of PriestmanGoode, is one of the world’s leading design voices for transport. Just as he is on the cusp of an exciting new career adventure, he joins our Founder Mark Bergin for a discussion about design in the boardroom, the fallacy of design dust, the importance of interchange, the beauty of public transport, and managing longitudinal visions. Below is an abridged transcript of Paul and Mark’s BETTER FUTURE Spotlight conversation.
PROFILE
M: Interesting. For some context for our listeners and readers, we did a podcast series before the pandemic called Design in the Boardroom where we spoke to different executives about how design takes a different shape in the boardroom compared to the studio. A lot of designers feel that they want to bring the studio language and nuance into the boardroom, but most boards need more concise direction, they need strategy, they need to deal with risks, they need to talk about leverage, they need to remain relevant. These are very different conversations to aesthetics and style.
P: As a designer, you must accept that often the people you’re talking to have no interest in design, and really don’t understand it. Certainly in some roles, for example when I headed up the internal environment at Heathrow Terminal Five, the language you have to use is different. You must put forward suggestions that everybody understands and it’s just not good enough for a designer to say, ‘I’m doing it like this, because that’s how I like it’.
P: Yes, it was part of the Design Museum Exhibition on New Old, which was really exploring the realm of the aging population. I’m chairing the Design Advisory Panel for the Design Age Institute, which is an institute here in the UK looking at elderly demographics, and positively looking at how that is changing in society. Every society is going through the classic pyramid transformation where once there were a lot of young people at the bottom and old people at the top, whereas now there are fewer young people at the bottom, a reasonable middle-age spread, and then a lot of elderly people at the top. What are we going to do about that?
P: Yes, and you have to you have to talk in a slightly different language, while also coming up with ideas that solve problems and have logic to them. Design has to be very careful that it doesn’t come across as something light and fluffy to be scattered over something—like a design dust sprinkled after all the serious work is done. That is not design, design is embedded right from the beginning, that’s when it’s successful.
M: Hello Paul, how are you and whereabouts in the world do we find you?
M: You’re talking about that certain level of pragmatism that is required. Boardrooms and executive types love pragmatism, but they’re a little bit reluctant when somebody becomes dogmatic about something.
M: You have expertise from very micro-mobility and transport spaces, like with the scooter project you did that became part of your London Design Festival medal—
P: Well the creative world has changed so much and it’s now so much more to do with problem solving. What I’ve been able to do more recently in my career is to sit at the top table of CEOs and organisations. That is where design needs to be, that is where the decisions get made. I think it’s absolutely critical that CEOs know how to leverage design. They know they need it, but they often don’t know how to use it. That’s the role that I’m beginning to play.
M: Let’s dig in on that. What is the difference in your requirements now?
b Scooter for Life is a project commissioned by the Design Museum as part of the New Old exhibition, initially unveiled in London in 2017. The exhibition has been touring around the world since. The Scooter for Life is a range of products to accompany you through your life and develop as your mobility needs evolve.
P: Hello everybody. I’m in London today.
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P: That’s right. We successfully transitioned PriestmanGoode into an employee-owned company, which I’m very proud of. It means that the success of PriestmanGoode is shared between everyone in the company. I’ve always planned to do something new, and I felt it was time to wean myself away, especially with the company being in such a great position. I had this opportunity to make a clean break and start something new. When I set up PriestmanGoode many years ago, my driving force was different—I needed money, I wanted fame, but now I have a completely different set of requirements.
M: Now, you’re in career transition, aren’t you? You’ve left your position as Chair at PriestmanGoode and you’re in the in between stages before you tell the world what the next chapter of your working life is ... that’s a very special moment.
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M: So you have these micro transportation vehicles in the form of the scooter. You have large airplanes, like the A380 cabin design, and you also have mass transit in the form of trains in Hong Kong and China. I’m interested because there’s a very different context between somebody trying to move at five to ten kilometres an hour versus somebody trying to move at 1,000 kilometres an hour, as is the case with Hyperloop. That must be interesting to get your head around the different comfort factors required when you’re on a personal scooter versus when you’re sitting in a cabin which is designed to propel you to the other side of the world very quickly.
a PriestmanGoode’s Airbus Airspace Cabin business class configuration, which maximises privacy and comfort
We’re looking at things that are going to be in operation for thirty to forty years. How do we design for that? It must be modular; we have to think ahead, and also from a design point of view, it can’t be too radical in some respects otherwise it will date. It’s a fascinating area to work in.
WHAT I FIND FANTASTIC ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS THAT IT IS NOT WITHIN THE DISPOSABLE PRODUCT DESIGN WORLD OF A THREE-YEAR CYCLE.
P: Yeah ... it’s a massive subject this. I think interchange is absolutely critical. When you’re building a railway system, traditionally you end up with the station, the car park and the taxi rank around the outside. Now that’s gone, because people aren’t using those different modes. It’s about thinking of other ways to integrate. It’s multimodal, and the fact is that to encourage people to leave their cars and use other forms of public transport, the transport must be better. There are so many interchange issues that we must THINKINGconsider.LONGTERM,
I know where we will arrive and so I think a better future is happening now … In saying that, time is ticking, and everyone realises we urgently have to do something about the environment and the way we use the planet.
g Economy class cabin in the VIA Rail Canada, designed by PriestmanGoode PriestmanGoode’s Island Bay design to alleviate overcrowded trains has an extra ‘seat’ at the end of each bay with a padded backrest for standing passengers to lean on h
P: Because I’m having to think so long term and so many of my projects are five or ten years ahead, a better future is already in my head now.
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The pressure is on with all governments to do something about this, and to do it urgently, but we cannot just sit back and let the government sort it out for us, it’s down to us. If we can start to make the right choices, and then start to lead markets, companies will follow the money. < B paul-priestmanbetterfutureexecclub.com/post/
THING ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT, IT IS PART OF SOCIETY.
M: I’m interested with what you said about not doing things too radically because you know that you don’t want them to date or bounce on the public. How do take design leaps without disrupting people too much? It’s a big challenge, isn’t it?
M: Recently I was talking with one of the chief rail architects for one of the great world cities and he was talking about a zero-carbon station he is building—it’s fantastic. I asked him when it’s coming, and he said that the dwell period is around eight to ten years. We forget how long it takes for the building of transport networks to come around … It takes a long time, but there are micro interventions that help move the journey along and solve problems as we are moving through the lifecycle of either rolling stock or stations. So how do you manage and refer to things that involve a longitudinal delay and dwell time, versus those that you can affect immediately? Is there a simple way to distinguish the difference between the two?
P: One of the areas that I’m particularly interested in—and this is part of my new venture—is public engagement: looking into the future, bringing things to life, and then allowing for public engagement. If a country or city is making a massive investment into a new transport system or upgrading their existing infrastructure, how do you bring the public along with that? You know it means a lot of disruption and a lot of expenditure and so the way to bring these projects to life is to offer options and let the public make decisions. Maybe within those options for a new tram, or bus, or train there is a more radical option, and you can then let public decision come through. Then people begin to get on board and own the whole
THAT’Ssubject.THEGREAT
That’s what I really do love about it—you’re creating the character of the city, like the new tube for London, or the Hong Kong metros, or the new trains for Canada or Austria. You’re creating something which embodies a culture and it’s a fascinating area of design to somehow encapsulate the look and feel of a country or city.
P: In design you must think pragmatically about that and do so in a modular way. When we have been involved in designing stations and airports, we must consider the things that will always be there and things that will change … You need to really think about how you can fundamentally change the look and feel of something while keeping the structure the same. That’s the ultimate re-use and recycle model.
M: Excellent. And now I’m going to ask you a question that we ask every episode. When I ask you what a better future looks like, what comes to mind first?
Welcoming a new series of BETTER FUTURE spotlights. An inspiring series of one-on-one conversations with leading executive-level designers about a better future.
Listen here
BETTER SPOTLIGHTFUTURE
LONDON
Join us in London on 16 September 2022 for the WILD Global Brief.
Twenty executive leaders will drive an agenda based on a stronger economy, sustainable environment, social equity and uniting strategies that bring these three foundation principles together.
WILD Global Brief is about leaders learning from leaders. A fast-paced one-day active participation event with peers to expand and activate new ideas.
A deep dive for strategic thinkers, problem solvers and those looking to be stretched. If this sounds like your mode of learning then join us! Get your tickets www.wild08.eventbrite.co.uknow
By Lucy Grant
Absence of justice and democracy is
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The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade and healthcare providers like Hey Jane are now more important than ever in making sure women have access to safe abortion care.
devastatinglypalpable
WONDERING WHAT OTHER PROTECTIVE LAWS SIT IN THE CROSS-HARES OF THIS INSIDIOUS, CONSERVATIVE SCOTUS MAJORITY.
The hypocrisies of decision–making among US lawmakers is clearer than ever, as we witness their refusal to act on gun laws to protect school-children and racial minorities contrasted with their unrelenting efforts to overturn an almost 50-yearold law protecting the health of women. The absence of justice and democracy is devastatingly palpable.
As
H I begin writing this, my phone is alive with breaking news notifications announcing the overturning of Roe v Wade by the US Supreme Court. As someone geographically protected from the immediate realities of this decision, I am clutching onto my fast–dwindling faith in humanity with both hands, but it impossible to not feel the fear, the rage and the heartbreak in solidarity with all women in America, but especially financially vulnerable women who will be the most affected.
PROFILE
TO SEE HOW QUICKLY PROGRESS CAN BE QUASHED UNDER THE POWER OF A SMALL FEW IS TERRIFYING AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO STOP THE MIND
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89 For the better half of a decade, the global stage has witnessed one of the most backwards.AmericaintoenterWhiletowardssocio-politicaldisappointmentsperplexinginourcollectiveadvancementabetterfuture.othersareattemptingtowildspeed,toaccelerateanimprovedtomorrow,hasinsistedontravelling H
Hey Jane is a virtual clinic healthcare service that provides ‘private, safe, supportive, accessible, and convenient’ medication abortions. The realities of Dobbs v Jackson mean that the legality of abortion will now be up to each state.
Abortion shouldn’t be a design problem, but by virtue of its conservative, gendered politicisation it is. Because of this, the importance of organisations like Hey Jane is absolutely paramount, and we must do what we can to spotlight and support them. As with any political blow, there is a great deal of emotional whiplash felt as we flit between the anger and hurt generated by these affronts to once-sacred human rights and the hope felt in response to those advocating for equality and justice. It is important that we do not let our outrage blind us to the incredible programs and organisations that are doing what they can to protect women, transgender men, non binary and genderqueer people needing to terminate a pregnancy.
PROFILE As they move further away from the future so many of us are hoping to create, we can see the world’s long-standing cultural idolisation of the US rapidly waning in real time. Why should we continue to look towards a nation who continually refuse to make compromises in the interest of tomorrow?
Abortion is still legal in all six states that Hey Jane operates in and they are committed to providing pregnant people the right to access care—abortion care via mail is now likely to be the most viable form of access, however only 1 in 4 people know about abortion pills. A big part of their service is geared towards educating people on this safe and effective option.
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Medication abortions— which are also referred to as the abortion pill or Plan C—most commonly involve taking two (FDA and TGA approved) medications: mifepristone and misoprostol, that when taken together, have a 98% efficacy rate in ending pregnancies up to 11 weeks. Hey Jane works with full time medical providers who have experience in abortion care from institutions like Mount Sinai, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and UCSD School of Medicine to deliver the most safe and comprehensive Telehealth abortion experience possible. Visit heyjane.co/resources for a list of US-based Talk and Textlines; Legal Support; Health Centres, Abortion Providers and State-Specific Laws; Financial Assistance; Reproductive Justice; and other resources. These are a great place to start if you are looking to offer your support. <
LOVE Pla ces
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HongbyKong Stephen Luk Stephen Luk is the Regional Vice President of Design Services for Hyatt Hotels in APAC. Here he shares his top destinations in Hong Kong for eating, drinking, shopping, sightseeing and sleeping.
PMQ: To see some young, local ‘create-preneurs’, PMQ is probably a place to check out. You may also stumble across exhibitions from time to time in their central courtyard.
M+: It is a must to mention M+. The latest and the greatest in HK. I was very impressed with the collection and the curation. Definitely worth a visit.
Pondi: It has a fantastic French menu inspired by Indian heritage. Its small, charming space lies off the beaten path in the Sai Ying Pun neighbourhood. Delicious food and a charmingly chill location. What’s more to ask for?
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The Grand Hyatt: Not only it is a shameless plug, it does have beautifully appointed rooms by BAR Studio, fabulous restaurants including the best Italian restaurant, Grissini, and a great pool (when it isn’t busy).
Ronin: It is just the place. Delicious Japanese cuisine with a modern take. Intimate space and a great collection of whiskey.
Star Ferry: Take a Star Ferry. It’s a pleasant contrast to the busy pace of Hong Kong. Jump on board and admire both the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon skylines, or just zoom out for some meditative time.
The Peninsula: It is the Grande Dame. It’s history and it’s service. Again, some great restaurants and a great view of the harbour, and it’s not mixed into any shopping mall, which keeps it charm and exclusivity.
Upper Lascar Row: Some people may thing I am crazy. You are not going to buy anything there, but it is charming to check out the street. It also has some nice eating destinations like the Halfway Cafe and Mora, new Tofu base restaurant. There is also a cool antique/thrift shop around the corner that is worth checking out.
BETTER FUTURE MAGAZINE94
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