If You Build It

Design is more than just seeing something in a different way or creating something. Design can do so much more specifically, it can be a form of advocacy. The movie "If You Build It" is a great example of this. In the movies, design is used to bring a poor, rundown town together. Most of the kids in Bertie, North Carolina do not like school and most of the kids do not graduate. The kids do not go onto to further their education. Two designers start a new program at the local high school that is very hands on and teaches the students about design. This class allows students to think creatively while also helping out the community as a whole. The class designed and built a farmers market for their town. This was something that the town continued to back and it brought the town closer together. This farmers market then led to more businesses coming to town and it supplied more jobs for the community. This one building is helping turn this town around. All of this was because of design. The community took to this idea of the farmers market because it was though of by other community members. Design can be thought of as advocacy because something is always created for a specific purpose. The purpose changes from object to object. Design can change not only one person's life, but it can change an entire community. Design advocacy is successful because the people using the design really back the idea. It is something they want and can use. It can make big changes for people and it excites them.