Whenever there is public debate about state funding for art, a bout of collective hand-wringing is never far away. Indeed, many consider access to art to be no less than a right in a civilised society. Broadly speaking, that’s probably a good thing; artistic endeavours serve an important social function and deserve strident advocacy.

But what about design, art’s ‘private’ alter ego? Does our philosophical anxiety extend to this less romantic end of the artistic spectrum?

In short: not so much.

Because it lacks the glamour and nobility of its purer relation, the field of design has traditionally been relegated to the sidelines of serious social debate. It just doesn’t offer the same rewards as ‘real’ art. Enlightenment and transcendence and all that.

But perceptions, and facts, are changing. Design is growing in relevance in various quarters. Increasingly, it matters to business, the broader community and – without wanting to be too hyperbolic about it – the future of us all.

Why? Because design, in various guises, plays an integral and decidedly functional role in the home, in the corporate sector, and in an environmental context. Open-plan living, smart houses, improved urban planning, eco-friendly architecture – these are all examples of a discipline being channelled in new(ish) and important ways.

So the contemporary truth about design would probably have artists from the classical era turning in their graves: art (albeit specifically applied) has great utilitarian value.

Accordingly, designers have evolved from the poor cousins of the art family to valued practitioners who combine practicality with ethical and environmental sensibilities.

Take, for example, the eco-architect/designer William McDonough. Time magazine has described him as being responsible for ‘changing the design of the world’. It’s a big rap, but not a baseless one.

Neither idealist nor mercenary, McDonough certainly represents a challenge to the view that art’s value is limited to the abstract. One of his current projects involves planning the infrastructure (including transport and the integration of green spaces) for six entirely new city districts in China. Sounds quite a lot like real work, you have to admit. Real, important work. Even, dare we say, ‘value-adding’ work.

So the evolution of design would appear to be an established trend in a world increasingly cognisant of sustainability imperatives. As a model for aligning real-world goals with broader responsibilities, does it represent the ideal for business in the 21st century?

Ryan Wallman is Senior Writer at WellmarkPerspexa, specialising in ‘designer’ marketing communications for the B2B, corporate and healthcare sectors.

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