While conversations about climate change often focus on the future, the effects of rising Earth’s temperature have clearly been felt in the present. A new exhibit at the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) explains how designers can help reduce the devastating impacts of climate change: “Architecture for Survival and the Art of Resilienceâ€. The traveling art exhibition was created by Art Works for Change, a non-profit organization founded by Randy Jayne Rosenberg. She also curated the show’s featured designers and recently joined ‘City Lights’ host Lois Reitzes via Zoom to talk about their contributions and what design can mean for the future of a caring life. of the climate.
The exhibition divides his work into four sections. “Circular” focuses on design using reusable materials, and “Portable” shows architectural designs for nomadic dwellings and shelters. “We started this around shelters in response to climate change, but… we’re in Oakland, California, and there’s such a big problem around homelessness for so many different reasons, and it’s really about refugees and roaming, â€Rosenberg said.
The third section, “Visionaryâ€, has a more open theme, offering works with creative blossoming as well as strategic speculations towards the future. “We weren’t necessarily looking for designs and creations that could be functional, as much as pushing boundaries; think expansively, think visionary, â€said Rosenberg. The fourth section, “Resilient,†presents models of shelters already in distribution, including IKEA’s “Better Shelter†which has helped Syrian refugees with adaptable, mobile and solar-powered housing.
Rosenberg described an unusual and particularly ingenious design featured on the show, the “Cricket Shelter:†a mobile solution to food insecurity for its theoretical inhabitants. “It is set up with a hygiene system for the reproduction of crickets. They need the temperature of the human body to warm their environment so that they can reproduce, and in many countries crickets are a source of protein… This does not require the resources of which livestock or a lot of protein. animal origin need, â€says Rosenberg. “It’s very economical.
“The Architecture of Survival and the Art of Resilience†provides a space to explore affordable housing, given the particular challenge that climate instability poses to populations living in poverty. One example, “Cardboard Origami”, shows flexible temporary accommodation structures made from augmented cardboard, which can help homeless people achieve periodic stability as they may be in search of employment, care or security. The exhibition also looks at the evolution of trendy housing concepts such as “tiny houses†and converted shipping containers.
Rosenberg’s organization, Art Works for Change, founded in 2008, organizes traveling art experiences that engage communities in discussing the changing environment and facilitate climate action efforts in their host cities. “We create these content-driven exhibits, but we ask the host museum to reach out to the community and use the exhibit as a physical platform to tap into the resources. [that are] within the community already, â€said Rosenberg.
“There are still people who believe that climate change, the climate crisis, is not really something that exists. So… we don’t want to focus on the problem. Our whole approach is really to be visionary, and ‘Where can we go from here?’ Rosenberg said. “By associating ourselves with the community through museums, we hope that the groups who have made their mission 100% around climate, resilience and housing, will make their resources known so that people can go within the community and explore the resources there. . “
“Survival Architecture and the Art of Resilience†opens August 27 at the Atlanta Museum of Design. Tickets and information are available at www.museumofdesign.org/survival-architecture.
