karen tinney - intangible problems

Because I am still interested in a variety of issues, I chose to explore three different intangible problems which I think are somewhat related to one another.

UNEMPLOYMENT IN AMERICA:

OBAMA’S GREEN JOBS: The intangible problem which this system addresses is unemployment in America. The plan works towards creating jobs in American manufacturing communities while working towards the greater problem of climate change and oil shortages which plague us all. The problem of unemployment is intangible because it is tied to greater political and social implications and is a result of greater changes taking place in the world. This design scheme addresses this problem while also addressing another.  It takes a problem which must be immediately fixed (global warming) while serving to benefit those who are in need in America (the unemployed). It is also interesting that there are numerous products that could come out of this – if many manufacturing communities are involved in this plan we will come out with many technological solutions based on the resources of that specific area.

PRESERVING TRADITION

EPA’S BROWNFIELD PROJECT: This project works towards solving the intangible problem of preserving tradition. This problem is intangible because the preservation of tradition requires an incentive to keep our material histories alive. This project solves this by treating that history and tradition as food for new and useful objects. The restoration and re-development of mills helps to reconnect communities (as mills are commonly placed at the heart of towns) by providing new housing or even new jobs if the mills are restored to technologically current factories.

LOCAL DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING IN AN INCORPORATED SOCIETY.

ETSY AND PONOKO: These two systems of manufacturing and distribution address the intangible problem of local design and manufacturing in an incorporated society. This problem is intangible because it is tied to the greater nature of capitalism and the inability for local design and manufacturing to become successful and competitive compared to outsourced goods. These two companies target specific customers (those who are interested in local goods and handmade objects) and link them to sellers who can serve them. I think these two companies are interesting as sources for young designers to begin getting things manufactured (Ponoko) and for getting their name out there and developing a customer base (Etsy).