Designer Creates Empathy-Driven, Innovative Designs for Public Use | Public Access

FDT Bureau

During New York’s design week, Jean Lee, a local designer from Furnishing Utopia, has curated an exhibition called Public Access at the Naval Cemetery Landscape in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The exhibition showcases projects specifically designed for public use and is divided into two sections, namely, an outdoor component displayed on the boardwalk at the Naval Cemetery Landscape and an indoor installation at the Head Hi gallery and bookshop in Brooklyn. Know more on FURNITURE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (FDT).

Featuring a total of 35 projects, the exhibition aims to address various locations worldwide, including the United States, United Kingdom, Vietnam and nine other nations. These projects, selected from an open call last year, encompass a range of outdoor installations such as bird feeders, seed libraries, benches and community fridges. All of these designs utilize simple materials to emphasize the role of design in fostering empathy.

The project has been inspired by both the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to increased interactions with local environments and a desire to explore design beyond commercial considerations. The focus is on repurposing and evolving designs through the collective efforts of different individuals, rather than attributing authorship or seeking ownership.

Notable designers have contributed to the outdoor installation, including Jorge Diego Etienne, who created a wooden shelter for opossums, and Ladies and Gentlemen studio, which designed a public bookshelf and lost-and-found installation. American artist Allan Wexler contributed detachable chairs that form a white picket fence, serving as public seating. Various Projects, based in New York, collaborated with One Love Community to create a modular public fridge using painted lobster cages sourced from Maine.

Image credit: John Daniel Powers