MPHO VACKIER
It’s absolutely possible to design for change, writes MPHO VACKIER, founder of South African product and furniture design company TheUrbanative. And to facilitate a truly human-centred approach to creative innovation, she says, we need to ensure we nurture authentic connections.
One of the things that continues to drive my work is the firm belief that design can, has and will continue to change the world. I am in constant awe of the farreaching tendrils of design, of its ability to influence ways of living, working, playing, loving, interacting and being. And while all modern mainstream design affects us, it is human-centred design that will change the world. A good example of this is how the smartphone – and ultimately the design thereof – continues to influence the way we interact with the world around us.
I believe that the more people can learn about one another, the closer they can get to a place of mutual respect and understanding. So design that facilitates connectivity and inclusivity, that creates a platform for the global community to come together and engage – as well as learn, collaborate and share ideas – is one of the key aspects of our work at TheUrbanative.
We create functional/multifunctional pieces of furniture that aim to connect people through storytelling. In doing so, we share African cultural stories, and bring certain aspects of the cultures that inspire us to the modern audience and conversation. While we obviously design furniture, our role is really to foster an atmosphere of authentic connections through product design. Through these connections, we continue to witness and experience inspiring change.
Moreover, I think that if design is to change the world, it is perhaps necessary to explore the employment of design thinking in everyday problems that the world faces. Applying a type of creative problem-solving to areas that are not already defined as being design-related is, perhaps, what will continue to have a positive effect on the world.
I recently had an “aha” moment about my previous career. While working as a metallurgical process engineer, my job was to try to find ways of increasing system efficiencies, and to ensure that we were constantly getting the most out of the desirable minerals found in a certain amount of raw materials.
When I decided to switch career paths, many people said that design and engineering seemed to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. But I realised that my approach to my work as a metallurgist had always included and employed design in its thinking.
I work in a very similar way still. I have always been a problem-solver, whether through mass and heat balances for a furnace or by creating a piece of functional furniture that tells the story around the power and magic of African hair.
And so I believe that we can all apply a little design thinking to whatever we’re doing – and, little by little, each in our own unique way, we can affect the world in a positive way.
The question is, how will you design for change?