August 25, 2008. For its efforts to use design to confront the challenges of climate change, RISD has been chosen by the City of Denver and the Host Committee of the Democratic National Convention to curate and produce an exhibition including student designs and highlighting climate-improving initiatives and products during this August’s nominating convention. RISD students in six design disciplines (including graphic, furniture and industrial design, landscape architecture) will present Partly Sunny – Designs to Change the Forecast as part of the convention’s public program called Dialog:City. It will showcase work about transportation, food, buildings, energy, landscape and water. One display will feature the efforts of non-profit, The Chicago Urban Farm, which has grown produce on vacant lots around the city as well as LEED-certified building projects like the Burnside Office Building in Portland, OR.
Sophomore industrial designers have developed collateral, including water bottle labels and bike flags. Senior furniture designer Kallie Weinkle has reclaimed wood from used shipping pallets to create a 40-person table made from six reconfigurable trapezoidal modules that will serve as a meeting place during the event. Perhaps there is a little room for optimism come November? partlysunny.risd.edu