my work

TREE OF LIFE

coffee table

The shape of this coffee table is based on the Acacia tree, or the “tree of life,” which in its native African savannah represents the connection shared by all living things. Sustainably sourced, designed and built from off-cuts and scrap wood, this table honors its namesake and is an engaging centerpiece.

 

TARP GUIDE

emergency shelter instructions

The TARPguide was created for use in situations requiring shelters  in the aftermath of community displacement or natural disaster.

 

The non-verbal illustrations can be easily duplicated and distributed, and show how to construct housing using common emergency materials given out by the international red cross, and display safety precautions that may otherwise increase the risks of these situations.

 

Designed with TYTHEdesign

more at www.tythe-design.com

DOGGIE BAG

computer sleeve

Made from sandwich bags saved from going to a landfill, the Doggie Bag is tough, water resistant, recyclable, and an easy way to take any laptop on the go.

Millenium Villages

community healthcare

teaching tools

Healthcare handbooks are usually wordy, dense tomes with little room for language differences. The Millennium Villages, located throughout rural Africa, change the way healthcare is learned and taught with this graphic book system.

 

One volume is a teachers’ guide, used to train community healthcare workers (or CHWs) on the best ways to utilize the CHW handbook. The second volume is dual-sided, one side containing notes for the CHW, and the other showing only graphics. This allows the CHWs to teach locals in their native languages about topics ranging from oral hygiene to pregnancy to HIV and AIDS.

 

more at www.milleniumvillages.org

DR. SEUSS

exhibit design proposal

The work of Theodore Seuss Geisel has provided decades of entertainment to children.  Many of Dr. Seuss' books, however, contain heavier themes or moral elements and lessons that adults can appreciate as well.  The beauty of Seuss is the way in which he impresses these values without being obvious or preachy.

 

The goal of this design is to propose an exhibit that would provide adults with lesser-known information while still retaining the fun, kid-friendly atmosphere that has become so universal in our culture.

UNESCO TOOLKIT

HIV research specialist toolkit

Human-centered design is a way of using design research methods to gain insight into one’s target population. This interactive toolkit was created to help specialists working for the UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (or UNESCO) do just that.

 

These program specialists work around the world to combat some of the humanities’ biggest problems, in this case HIV and AIDS.  By utilizing the design research tools created for them, they are better able to understand the actions, motives, beliefs and behaviors of the communities in which they reside.  They can then identify patterns, locate key risk factors, and create targeted, culturally appropriate messaging strategies  for the ongoing HIV and AIDS campaign.

 

more at www.unesco.org

BREWCARDS

coffee handouts

Crop to Cup is a wholesale importer and roaster of coffee beans.  They work directly with bean farmers in Africa, enabling them to give money and resources directly back to the farmers they work with, their families, and the surrounding communities.

 

Crop to Cup also offers coffee and espresso brewing lessons in their Park Slope cafe location.  This series of six sustainably-printed “brew cards” gives clear instructions for brewing novices on how each different coffee brewer that Crop to Cup sells should be used.

 

more at www.croptocup.com

ARK

bent-wood chair

‘Ark’ is Danish for ‘sheet’, like the sheet of paper which was the original model for this reading chair.  It’s name also recalls the culture in which it was designed, at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad in Copenhagen.  Using traditional Scandinavian materials and techniques, the chair came to life with the guidance of practicing Danish design professionals.

People Reaching Out

website/branding

People Reaching Out (or PRO) is a charity founded by women dedicated to raising money for worthy causes.  They have been active for a number of years, and have raised and donated thousands of dollars to various charities around the globe.

 

PRO needed a new, updated look, as well as a total web redesign; I designed the new logo, the slogan, and the new PRO website, which was implemented with the assistance of a coding expert for a successful visual rebranding of the charity.

 

more at www.peoplereachingout.net