A Better World by Design Conference

In addition to our core speaking and panelist events we are hosting many other intersted and relevant activities on campus! Look out for more events coming soon!

A Better World Gala Party
Presented by Westminster Lofts

With entertainment by dj Nick de Paris on the Peerless penthouse deck. Dinner and appetizers will be served and a 21+ cash bar will be available in the Peerless Atrium. Semi-formal attire please. Conference attendees only. Conference shuttle service will be provided.

(blank)LAB Providence
Presented by Project M Lab

This project aims to inspire people to follow their heart and do what they are passionate about, no matter the odds. Sponsored by SAPPI Fine Paper and a proposal from a young designer named Jenny Leonard, we will engage the Better World by Design participants with Project M’s (blank)LAB to capture both their dreams and the fears that prevent them from living out those dreams. Stop by the (blank)LAB during the conference and get involved in this collaborative project and get a free t-shirt for your participation!

The BxD Social Mixer
Presented by JTJ Investments

Kick off the conference in Providence’s coolest “green” live-workspace with
entertainment by a live brass enemble. Appetizers will be served and dinner will be available from various vendors. 21+ open bar courtesy of The Savory Grape. Casual attire. Conference attendees only. Conference shuttle service will be provided.

Why We Brand, Why We Buy with Debbie Millman of Sterling Brands
Presented by AIGA\RI

To kick of A Better World by Design 09 at 7PM on Thursday October 1, we are partnering with AIGA\RI to introduce AIGA National President and Sterling Brands Design President Debbie Millman at The Providence Black Reperatory Theatre! Millman's presentation will take a deep dive into the influence branding has on our everyday lives, from branding ourselves and the world around us to the role branding plays in the products we buy and the way we live.What makes a brand stand out? Is there some magic that turns a simple script logo for a soda into the international graphic icon that is Coca-Cola, or makes us salivate over the latest product from Apple? Please come for an evening of engrossing discussion and participate in the open forum following the presentation. $5 for conference attendees.

Maker Meet Up
Presented by Maker Faire RI

Are you a maker, hacker, or DIY designer? Come chat with the organizers of Maker Faires in Rhode Island, San Francisco, and Ghana, as well as representatives from the Providence Fab Lab at AS220! In the first time such a group has been formally assembled, we’ll be openly discussing the future of Maker Faires, hacker spaces, and DIY culture.

The Materials Petting Zoo™
Presented by Ecolect

Responsible material decisions require informed and available options. The Ecolect Material PettingZoo™ is a traveling exhibition of green materials. The goal at every event is to provide inspiration for responsible design and great environmental decisions. From choosing the right fabric to specifying a new flooring material for an office, the PettingZoo™ provides on-site, educational information. Each sample is accompanied by a card that is written for designers and architects. The cards list the materials sustainable attributes, production notes, use scenarios, engineering specs, performance, and cost. Every Materials PettingZoo™ is custom curated to fit the audience of the event, ensuring the most relevant content.

One-Hour Design Challenge
Presented by Core77

Core77, the premier online design magazine and community, will be working with us to create the first ever in-person installment of their well-known creative contest, the One Hour Design Challenge. In the matter of an hour our guests will be given a project prompt and will design a solution in small groups. Finalists will give be invited to give short presentations of their solution before our entire community decides the winner

Seed Fund Poster Design Series
Presented by Better x Design

Better x Design, Brown and RISD's student organization for design and social change, will be sponsoring a speaker/panelist poster design series to raise funds for their Seed Fund for student research and collaboration. Last year the Seed Fund promoted interdisciplinary projects including Rainwater for Humanity, a collaborative project to create a sustainable water collection system for a community in rural India and the Brown Progress Initiative's design, engineering, and construction of energy-generating physical training machines.

Currently participating are: William Drenttel, Nathan Shedroff, Debbie Millman, Krzystof Lenk, Tom Wedell, Nancy Skolos, Lucy Hitchcock, Shawn Cournoyer, Scott Stowell, Natacha Poggio, and John Maeda. The prints will be sold throughout the weekend in a numbered limited edition.