I went to an interesting show a few weeks back at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, a division of the Smithsonian Institution. Design for a Living World has been mounted with the Nature Conservancy. It’s an in-depth look at how a number of designers are putting sustainable materials to excellent use in products like wool rug tiles and packaging made from cocoa. At the website, there are slide shows, illuminating text, and video interviews with the designers, Isaac Mizrahi and Maya Lin among them.
A couple of years back, they had another terrific exhibition: Design for the Other 90%. This show looked at innovative, low-tech design breakthroughs in energy, transport, shelter, health, water and education.
If you’re in New York between now and January 4, get over to the Cooper-Hewitt (no relation) to see the show.
