piece studio research

7/31/2019 piece studio research

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Monday, October 15, 2012


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this is not a presentation about piece studio. actually, it is, but this is just the kind of Wrong Thinking that they encourage: by trying to break out of the expectedresponses, we can generate new solutions we might never have thought of. but really. this is a presentation about CLICK


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Piece Studio, founded by Bernard Canniffe,Mike Weikert, andOliver Munday, is a socially-based collaborative design studio in Baltimore, MD. They work with everyone from communityorganizations to activists, in search of creating positive change.

lest i be accused of plagiarism, let it be known that a portion of this presentation is directly quoted from an interview.

We believe that PIECE Studio gives a voice to people who cannot speak for themselves. We want to assist the marginalized, the disenfranchised and thosewho are outside of what society sees, wants to see or wants to help. We work with individuals, communities, community organizations, governmentorganizations and academic institutions.


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this is their website. Their mission statement reads thusly: Designers are a special breed of thinkers. We engage in the discussion and help define solutions to the problems faced by society. Through

partnering with community organizations, activists, researchers, scientists, institutions, politicians, and artists, designers become an essential piece of the collaborative process needed to inspire and

create change.

unfortunately, their websites kinda wonky about content, so i found


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( )Monday, October 15, 2012

this alternate location. parenthetically, not really sure what was the problem with these? but this was a bit of a recurring theme. all the images here break. andheres the website of bernard canife, a founder, all decked out in lorem ipsum)


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In an interview, they explained that we do not act as a service provider, which means that we are not interested in working with clients who ask us todevelop a letterhead, business card, website etc. We are interested in clients who come to us and ask, Help us understand who we are and what we do.

We feel many designers are still thinking in terms of design for non-profits as the only way to produce social design. There is a new way to concentrate fullyon social design and make a living from it. Its about connecting with medical researchers, public health practitioners, community organizations andacademic institutions. Its working with grant writers and creating new markets. This is where PIECE Studio is making its mark, creating community throughdesign as well as defining the role of designer as a social responder, instigator, collaborator, and catalyst for behavioral change.


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designing for the common good

raising awareness of social problems

leveraging social & economic change

building community capacity

social responder

instigator

collaborator

catalyst

connector


In an interview, they explained that we do not act as a service provider, which means that we are not interested in working with clients who ask us todevelop a letterhead, business card, website etc. We are interested in clients who come to us and ask, Help us understand who we are and what we do.

We feel many designers are still thinking in terms of design for non-profits as the only way to produce social design. There is a new way to concentrate fullyon social design and make a living from it. Its about connecting with medical researchers, public health practitioners, community organizations andacademic institutions. Its working with grant writers and creating new markets. This is where PIECE Studio is making its mark, creating community throughdesign as well as defining the role of designer as a social responder, instigator, collaborator, and catalyst for behavioral change.


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piece studios believe Designers and artists have an obligation to engage society. The UN Millennium Report stated that if current world socioeconomic trendscontinue then their will be an smaller and much richer world super consumer class, a vastly smaller and almost nonexistent world middle class and a vastlyincreased and poorer world poverty class. It makes sense to us that if design does not play a part in changing this worldview then there will be no jobs fordesigners. This is because the design needs people with money to purchase the things we produce. If the world middleclass disappears and the world superrich gets smaller and richer then there will be fewer people for us to connect with. Design is educating and promoting its way into extinction.


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this is the year 2007 iteration of project M, an intensive summer program designed to demonstrate to young makers that design can truly work towards doinggood for people. this project encourages people to donate to get regulated water for a community that doesnt have guaranteed access.


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this is An exhibition and symposium celebrating the artwork of the Black Panther Party held at the MICA. Various pieces include poster, exhibition graphics, and gallery guide. The gallery guide

was in the format of the original Black Panther newspaper designed by Emory Douglas. With the permission and collaboration of Emory, we wanted to create a community component that would be

mass produced and distributed throughout Baltimore.


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this is An exhibition and symposium celebrating the artwork of the Black Panther Party held at the MICA. Various pieces include poster, exhibition graphics, and gallery guide. The gallery guide

was in the format of the original Black Panther newspaper designed by Emory Douglas. With the permission and collaboration of Emory, we wanted to create a community component that would be

mass produced and distributed throughout Baltimore.


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this is an environmental design and identity for jubilee arts, as a part of newborne holistic ministries, converting a building for use for ceramics and art classes,dance classes, community events, and oces for counselors and support staf. this facility is designed to bring the creative atmosphere back to west baltimoreand improve the area. this reminds me of the work that anna desando and i are doing with tyler as part of the new programme, in an attempt to revitalize themarlborough neighborhood with a new art center in an abandoned public school.


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this is an environmental design and identity for jubilee arts, as a part of newborne holistic ministries, converting a building for use for ceramics and art classes,dance classes, community events, and oces for counselors and support staf. this facility is designed to bring the creative atmosphere back to west baltimoreand improve the area. this reminds me of the work that anna desando and i are doing with tyler as part of the new programme, in an attempt to revitalize themarlborough neighborhood with a new art center in an abandoned public school.


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what do i think?


In November 2010 Bernard J Canniffe was invited to speak at The Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar. He spoke about the role of design with a big"D" and a large "R" where design is finally sitting at the grown-ups table and sitting at that table design has to accept its place and moral obligation.

We do not think that it s only the designer who should care about social involvement its everyones responsibility. Its a moral imperative and we each havea choice.

We can deny the injustice or walk away from the prejudice or turn our back on the suffering. But sooner or later, in one form or another, we will be

confronted by it, and it will be quick and it will be nasty, and then it will be too late.


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personally, i find it really interesting the two-pronged appeal they make to other designers to follow in step: theres of course the simple question of doing goodfor people, of trying to improve communities and bring people together and lift them up, but just in case that doesnt sell the idea of socially responsible designto some people, theyre not afraid to tell you that if you keep working only for the rich and powerful while alienating the poor, youre going to run out of peoplewho can pay you, which puts the question of sustainability right in your lap, no matter how apathetic and disconnected you pretend you can be about it.

piece studio research

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