Over the past century, the word design has slowly assumed the role of a proper noun. Stores sell Design. Companies market luxurious lifestyles filled with Design. But the word is much more potent and exciting as a verb, the act of tackling real problems and finding elegant solutions.

Design will offer innovative responses to the world’s crises, but only if we can nurture its growth from noun to verb. Beyond improving the living rooms of those for whom Design is already within reach, design will improve the lives of every person on Earth. This is not to say we should disregard beauty. Rather, beauty must be put to use. Remember the words of Buckminster Fuller, the revolutionary designer and thinker, who said, “I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.”

In this issue you’ll discover that design is a tool with vast utility. There are problems everywhere. It’s time to design solutions.

Design Solutions Features

Better-Than-It-Has-to-Be Design
The words "good" and "design" share a complicated history, but sometimes the goodness of design is measured by the very fact that it isn't noticed at all.

Education by Design
Affordable and community-driven, the green-school movement stands to change the world in which children learn. So what's the holdup?

Real World Studio
The design students of Project M bring high concept to high impact.