Designing Water’s Future – New Book Shows Student Solutions to Global Freshwater Crisis

Competition engages 10,000 communications design students worldwide to develop new solutions and approaches to the global fresh water crisis.

In August 2008, AIGA, the professional association for design, INDEX, Design to Improve Life, and Circle of Blue issued an ambitious call to the next generation of creative thinkers in the first annual Aspen Challenge, “Designing Water’s Future.” The international contest challenged cross-disciplinary student teams to develop design solutions that explore new ways of understanding and responding to the global water crisis.

“We wanted to make students realize they can use their profession as designers to make a real difference in their world by addressing serious challenges,” writes Lise Vejse Klint, director of programs at INDEX in a new interactive book of the solutions published on World Water Day today.

“The subject of the water crisis originated from a discussion held during the January 2007 World Economic Forum, where COLLINS: Design and Circle of Blue presented water-related issues in first, second and third worlds, effectively demonstrating that the fresh water crisis is truly a global issue.

“In fact, water is the axis issue that intersects the world’s challenges, including health, poverty, and security, as well as climate, energy, immigration, and the environment. Even financial and commodities markets are affected. But the overall issue is complex and requires a 360-degree, multidimensional design approach that includes powerful, fact-based, relevant narratives, accessible information and coordinated channels for action”

“In fact, water is the axis issue that intersects the world’s challenges, including health, poverty, and security, as well as climate, energy, immigration, and the environment. Even financial and commodities markets are affected,” Klint said. “But the overall issue is complex and requires a 360-degree, multidimensional design approach that includes powerful, fact-based, relevant narratives, accessible information and coordinated channels for action”