VBAT Meet Market, an initiative from international branding & design agency VBAT that focuses on emerging design talent, introduces The Wise & The Curious. In this breakout VBAT Meet Market teams up with Stefan Sagmeister for a very special Q&A on the theme of What Design Can Do for Urban Issues.

1. WHAT DESIGN
CAN DO FOR
URBAN ISSUES
AMSTERDAM, 22 MAY 2015

2. HELLO.
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO
FOR URBAN ISSUES…

4. INTRODUCING
GRAHAM STURT
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
VBAT

5. INTRODUCING
STEFAN SAGMEISTER
SAGMEISTER&WALSH

7. Currently half the world’s population live in cities.
Year on year this number is set to continue growing.
Whilst the experience of living in a city is
generally a positive one, with living space
becoming tighter issues will inevitably arise.

8. The recent rise of megacities in Asia and the
Americas, such as Shanghai, Mexico City,
Jakarta, and Mumbai, has already taught us
how their rapid growth has spawned
associated Urban Issues such as:
• Overcrowding
• Poor waste management
• Mobility problems
• Air pollution
• Bad energy supply

10. With these problems projected to grow
explosively worldwide in the near future, we
feel now is the time for greater awareness to
be raised amongst the young design
community in Europe.
Our ultimate aim, in doing this, is to find new
design solutions for these problems to
prevent European cities, such as Amsterdam,
from going down the same path.

11. How can we inspire young
designers to engage with
Urban Issues in Amsterdam?
Q.
#asksagmeister

12. #asksagmeister

13. Have you visited any of the
so-called megacities? If so,
what particular urban
issues did you experience
whilst visiting them?
#asksagmeister
Q.

15. New York
(New Amsterdam)

16. In the many years you’ve
lived in New York what
changes have you noticed
in respect to Urban Issues?
#asksagmeister
Q.

17. Welcome to Amsterdam
You are here

19. Urban Issues
in Amsterdam?
• Overcrowding
• Noise
• Drunken tourism
• Trash
• Loss of green spaces
• Air pollution
• Transportation
• Loneliness

20. “Mass tourism
can kill a city.”
— The Guardian

21. What do you think will be
the biggest issues facing
city dwellers in the future?
#asksagmeister
Q.

22. How can we use design to
make the people of
Amsterdam really feel the
urgency of sustainability?
#asksagmeister
Q.
— Babette Porcelijn

24. Are there any designers
engaged in Urban Issues
projects that inspire you?
Q.
#asksagmeister

25. “Ensure it feels like it's made
by humans, for humans.”
— Stefan Sagmeister

31. How can we use design
to make city living a
happier experience?
#asksagmeister
Q.

32. What’s the best design
solution you’ve seen for
an Urban Issue?
#asksagmeister
Q.

34. • Airbnb
• Uber
• Shutter projects
Urban Issues
Solutions
• Smart Traffic Lights
• Pocket Parks
• Smartphone zombie lanes

35. Urban Issue:
Empty city
retail units

36. Urban Issues
Solution 1.0

37. Urban Issues
Solution 1.0

41. Urban Issue:
Safely crossing
city streets

42. Urban Issue
Solution 1.0

43. Urban Issue
Solution 2.0

45. Urban Issue:
Finding somewhere
affordable to stay

48. Urban Issue:
Affordable travel
around the city

50. Urban Issue:
Loss of
green space

53. Urban Issue:
Smartphone
zombies

55. Urban Issue:
Obsessions
make my Life
worse and my
Work better

58. Urban Issue:
Unloved
spaces

62. Is your agency,
Sagmeister & Walsh,
working on any other
design projects that
touch on Urban Issues?
#asksagmeister
Q.

64. THE NEXT
GENERATION?
WHAT ABOUT

65. Wesley
St.Joost

66. “How can I make it clear
that young designers
should take a stand
in society?”
Q.
— Wesley van Groenland

67. How do you think that
design students can
get more involved with
urban issues?
#asksagmeister
Q.

69. What do you think are the
biggest Urban Issues that
young designers really
need to think about?
#asksagmeister
Q.

70. What can the next
generation teach us
about Urban Issues?
#asksagmeister
Q.

72. #digital

73. “Any excuse to get away
from the computer
screen is welcome."
— Stefan Sagmeister

74. #asksagmeister

75. The Future?

76. Solutions can simply
be something that
stimulates you.
#asksagmeister

77. Why not turn a
problem into an
opportunity?
#asksagmeister

78. Let’s make
something
from this?
#asksagmeister

79. THANK YOU
STEFAN SAGMEISTER

80. THE WISE & THE CURIOUS Q&A | WDCD | 22 MAY 2015