Humanitarian, by design?

Description

What are the objects that accompany humanitarian action, and what do they reveal about the lives of those who depend on it? First aid kits, tents, prostheses, maps, makeshift shelters... Humanitarian, by Design? Design at the heart of humanitarian work explores the vital role of design – whether improvised, institutional, or reconfigured – in crisis, displacement, or extreme precariousness contexts. From diverted plastics to waiting architectures, from personal stories to images of crisis, the exhibition highlights fragile and often invisible practices, designed to survive, resist, or simply keep hope alive. Born from a collaboration between the Institute of International and Development Studies, HEAD – Geneva, the University of Copenhagen, the EPFL’s EssentialTech Centre, and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, this exhibition invites us to rethink humanitarian design from the perspective of those who experience it – and to reflect on how humanitarian action concerns us all, here and now.

Highlights

• Temporary exhibition from October 8, 2026, to August 29, 2027
• Explores the role of design in humanitarian work
• Collaboration with several academic institutions

General Information

The 'Humanitarian, by design?' exhibition is held at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva. It examines how design influences humanitarian action through various objects and stories, inviting reflection on contemporary humanitarian issues.

Location

Avenue de la Paix 17, 1202 Genf, Switzerland

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