Design for Sustainable Development (DFSD) is a project conceptualized by the Academy of Design (AOD). It is a venture that exercises the potential of design and creativity in the socioeconomic development of Sri Lanka. Although the past 3 decade civil-war left many of Sri Lanka’s creative industries stagnated and many artisan communities marginalized, the post-war era seems to promise a better tomorrow for Sri Lankan creativity.

DFSD specially focuses on involving war-affected communities in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka and linking their skills with fitting markets. A majority of the artisans in these villages are women, who have been severely affected from the past conflict. Having had lost their livelihoods, and family members to the war, this project has given them new hope in restoring stability to their lives.

At the heart of DFSD is the principle of co-design with regional artisans developing product that builds on Sri Lanka’s rich and varied craft heritage, not imposing subjective stylistic solutions.It is with projects like DFSD that local creativity will be made in to a key supportive pillar of developing Sri Lanka’s economy, while changing the lives of many. DFSD is a non-profit making venture driven and managed by the AOD as a part of its corporate social mission. The Project has a key knowledge partnership with Falmouth College in the UK and its Design Department.

(Click to enter)