We are exploring sustainable design challenges in China

As part of the overall Goodtochina 04 sustainable design we are setting various design challenges and conducting half day workshops to explore potential solutions to some of these challenges. 


The idea is to take a design challenge that originates from an urban need as identified by social research and market demands that will bring a product or system idea closer to market.  


Prior to the workshop, M.Ba/ final year students, who will provide the core of tomorrow's leaders, will be briefed on the challenge. They will have time to research and work on the challenge prior to the workshop.


One week prior to the workshop these student groups will produce a research report, that is the initial step of the challenge, and this will be distributed to all members of the workshop.


The aim is to both get these students thinking about sustainable solutions and also to have them experience the process of working through a real social and business challenge. They will be able to use their knowledge and abilities to contribute and build on the solution and benefit from the cross discipline environment. 


Experts across disciplines, will be included: business, architecture, design, sustainability and engineering. 
In this instance the leader of the workshop is IDEO design, and the subject matter is 
  
"Healthy homes in Chinese urban environments".


Tongqi university (Aalto design factory) & Politecnico di Milano will work together with us towards this workshop. Groups of students will take on this challenge prior to the workshop. They are expected to prepare for the workshop and develop both background research and findings plus explore concept possibilities that we will use to launch exploration within the workshops. 


Research findings will be distributed to the full working group 1 week prior to the workshop date: 30th October – 1st November.


The goal of the workshops is to debate and evolve (possible breakdown, tear back, understanding) products, systems or infrastructure.


For the actual workshop there will be a  maximum of 5 groups, with 3/4 core students in each group: as these initial groups will be joined by students and professors from other disciplines/universities