This document discusses the relationship between design and politics. It argues that design can both support existing political structures by making them more accessible, as well as challenge prevailing conditions by opening space for contestation and new practices. When design is applied in a partitioned, instrumental way to local policies, it can potentially lead to risks like gentrification. However, design may also refresh local politics when used to prototype new policies. The document presents examples of design initiatives that politicize public space and suggest alternatives to market-driven societies.

1. DESIGN
&
POLITICS
DO NOT MIX

3. RE
DESIGN
GOVERNMENT
NOW!
In the Political Arena
Prototyping Policy
Redisigning Democracy

4. DESIGN
&
POLITICS

5. POLITICS

6. POLTIHTIECAL

7. POLTIHTIECAL
=/
POLITICS

8. POLITICS

9. “…is a set of practices and institutions
through which an order is created”
POLITICS
Mouffe

10. POLTIHTIECAL

11. THE
POLITICAL
“…is the dimension of antagonism which is
constitutive of human societies”
Mouffe

12. POLTIHTIECAL
“…space of freedom and public
deliberation”
Arendt

14. POLITICS DESIGN FOR

15. “…most often works to improve access to information or to improve the
access to various forms of ordered expression and action; it emphasizes
techniques of merging form and content in aesthetically compelling and
functionally appropriate ways to support the means of governance”
POLITICS DESIGN FOR
DiSalvo

16. DESIGN POLITICAL

17. DESIGN POLITICAL
“…attempts to reveal, question and challenge prevailing
conditions and structures (hegemonies) in our society; it
opens space for contestation and suggests new practices”
DiSalvo

18. RE
DESIGN
GOVERNMENT
NOW!

19. POLITICS DESIGN FOR

20. POLITICS DESIGN FOR (PARTITIONED UNIT OF)

21. THINKING DESIGN

22. THINKING DESIGN (INSTRUMENTALIZED)
(FOR CORPORATIONS)

23. Refreshing local-level politics.
POLITICS DESIGN FOR
Potentiality

24. Antanas Mockus - Bogotá

25. Applying partitioned units of design to local policies resulting in,
for example, gentrification
POLITICS DESIGN FOR
Risk

26. “Gentrifiers focus on aesthetics, not people. Because people, to
them, are aesthetics”
Sarah Kendzior - Hipster Economics

27. ‘Poor but sexy’ - Berlin

28. DOES
EINDHOVEN
WANT TO BE THE
NEW BERLIN
?

29. POLITICS DESIGN FOR

30. DESIGN POLITICAL

31. Eindhoven - Oct/2012

32. OTHER THE
MARKET

33. OTHER THE
MARKET
“…Is a platform, materialized in a series of carts and stalls, to trade
products and services without money, using dialogue as a currency. The
carts and stalls are made embracing the aesthetics of informality, aiming
to create a contrast with over-planned and over-designed societies; this is
also the main aspect to trigger dialogues on the streets. The Other Market
affirms the public space as a place for participation and contestation”

34. Eindhoven - April 5/2013

35. Eindhoven - April 19/2013

36. Utrecht - May 4/2013

37. Den Haag - Sep 26/2013

38. Rotterdam - Nov 26/2013

39. Budapest - Dec 10/2013

40. Leuven - May 10/2014

41. WHAT
DESIGN
CAN DO
FOR
PUBLIC
SPACE

42. Amsterdam - May 10/2014

43. I AM JUST
(AN)OTHER
DESIGNER

44. POLITICIZE
DESIGN
BEFORE
POLITICS
(RE)DESIGNING