Without conflict, we would still be living in the Garden of Eden. A conflict in itself, as an event, is rarely regarded as something positive but it is a necessary incentive for future innovations. It is basically defining the way in which humanity continues to evolve. In this process, a designer can play an extremely important role. He designs with this particular awareness in mind. The focus is specifically on the social impact of design, on the need for good design that creates solutions for conflicts, for design based on observation and participation. This exhibition presents design with a clear socio-political goal: creating a better living and working world.
The broad framework within which conflict and design can be situated, can be divided into three areas:
Conflict & design on a human level. The focus is on design that is reflecting on tensions related to the way in which we are socially organized or based on existing or potential frictions between people in society.

Conflict & design on a material level. How do we deal responsibly with our natural resources, with pollution, with our energy needs? How can designers make vital contributions to a fundamental change in the way we are exploiting our planet?
Conflict & design at the level of the dislocated society. What role can designers play in situations emerging from conflicts that are completely disorganizing our society, such as wars or natural disasters? In what way can design than fulfill specific needs and requirements? How can a designer anticipate?

The 7th Triennial for Design in Flanders 2013 presents various design processes and products dealing with these three levels and exhibits them in seven specific categories:
1—Human behavior and social participation
2—Health and welfare state
3—Mobility
4—Energy and natural resources
5—Consumerism
6—Urban space and blurred boundaries
7—Socially dislocated contexts
This Triennial is a forum for designers who wish to contribute to this public debate. Their work can be considered as essential as we are forced to live and act differently and to change our attitudes towards our natural resources.
Conflict is a starting point for designers to think about our society, to create content and significance within a design process and to produce sustainable and economically viable products.

The 7th Triennial Design in Flanders in 2013 takes place in C-Mine Genk, opens on December, 14, 2013 and runs until March, 2, 2014. The partners in this project are Design Flanders, C-Mine Genk and Design Hub Limburg.
Kurt Vanbelleghem Curator 7th Triennial Design in Flanders 2013

Open call: http://www.conflictanddesign.be

Contact
Design Vlaanderen, Koloniënstraat 56 7e verdieping, B-1000 Brussel, +32 (0)2- 2276060, info@designvlaanderen.be
C-Mine C-mine bezoekersonthaal, C-Mine 10 bus 2, +32 (0) 89654490, c-minebezoekersonthaal@genk.be
Design Hub Limburg, Katherina Kitsinis, Zuivelmarkt 33?, B-3500 Hasselt, +32 (0)11-295985, katherina.kitsinis@limburg.be
Curator 7de Triënnale voor Vormgeving: Kurt Vanbelleghem, kurt@conflictanddesign.be