Design implies the translation and interpretation of the contemporary values, codes, services and spaces which express the Zeitgeist of our advanced society. Designers create the things that surround us and that we use on a daily basis.
However they only represent a limited cross-section of our society, disregarding the diversity and richness of other cultures, or using them merely superficially.
Additionally, the increasing tendency of Design Thinking practice (transferring Making to a secondary dimension through standardized industrial manufacturing) makes the job of designers less and less hands on. Today’s designers are losing contact and connection with their materials and techniques.
Craft transmits the knowledge, tradition and values of different cultures across the globe.
This heritage is key in preserving a collective memory of who we are and where we came from. Today, as globalization and technology continue to take precedence in our lives, shifting the physical to the ethereal space of the digital world, the importance of craft, of a tangible memory and unique identity, comes to the forefront.
Craft provides a physical window into the soul of a culture. There is priceless value in this inheritance alone, yet there is also an unbridled opportunity to build on this lineage in efforts to extend its proliferation and refresh its relevance by connecting, codesigning and collaborating with designers.
The Craft Platform reimagines ways to incorporate craft into today´s design practice. A free, open source digital database that enables artisans and makers from across the globe to offer their expertise, techniques and materials to designers from all over the world.
By partnering with institutions, associations and organizations to crowdsource the information, we can build an international network to nurture the platform, thus creating a living database that’s constantly growing.
A partner is a local ambassador of The Craft Alliance projects.
Our partners:
- Universidad Sena, Bogota, Colombia
- Movimiento Manuela Ramos, Lima, Peru
- National Arts and Crafts of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan
Become a partner
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