4th Annual Healthier Design Innovation Contest

For the first year, we are extending the contest to students outside of the United States. To be eligible to enter, you must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree-seeking design program.

Many of the materials typically used in art and design today are unhealthy — meaning they pose harm to the planet, present risk to human health, and contribute to our global carbon footprint. There are materials that never biodegrade; can never be recycled; adversely impact frontline communities; and contain harmful chemicals like flame-retardants, antimicrobials, and VOCs.

Impacts of design decisions are far-reaching, inescapable, and indisputable. As designers, the questions we continually ask ourselves are: how does what I make impact the world at large? What materials am I using? Who am I designing for and are my designs inclusive?

We will choose winners who exemplify healthy material innovation and advocacy in design. Entries can include models, prototypes, artwork or visual media. We also require documentation of the design process through pictures, drawings/short videos, etc. Another important requirement is an annotated life-cycle diagram summarizing the carbon impact of your design in order to understand how your design responds to the current global climate emergency.

Click the link to submit: https://healthymaterialslab.org/blog/fourth-annual-healthier-design-innovation-contest