The Responsible Object: A History of Design Ideology for the Future

Marjanne van Helvert studied textile design at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and cultural studies at the Radboud University. She explores the dynamics of theory and practice in design. Her field of interest is the relation between ethics and aesthetics in design, DIY practices, and gender politics.

Sustainability and social responsibility have become prolific buzzwords in the design discipline, generating new products, materials, and technologies designed to change the course of our future. The intrinsic design ideologies are not just a new hype; they form a fundamental part of design history reappearing throughout the previous centuries.

Initiated and edited by Marjanne van Helvert, The Responsible Object presents a history of socially committed design strategies within the Western design tradition, from William Morris to Victor Papanek, and from VKhUTEMAS to FabLab.