Glimmer

Can great design transform people's lives? For a new generation of designers, such as Bruce Mau and Yves Behar, the answer is, 'Yes, it can.' To them, design is more than just a question of fashion or taste; it's a way of asking fundamental questions in order to solve complex problems. In Glimmer, award-winning journalist Warren Berger shows how these visionary thinkers are taking design principles out of the studio and applying them to the tough issues of today, from making medicines safer to counteracting the threats of global warming. By approaching seemingly intractable problems with thought-processes that often seem counter-intuitive - 'ask stupid questions', 'embrace constraint' - designers are creating 'glimmer moments' - the point when a life-changing idea crystallises in the mind - and coming up with breathtakingly innovative solutions, from a wheelchair that can climb stairs to a $150 laptop for the developing world, from a revolutionary anti-smoking campaign to a bank without queues and a company that gives shoes away for free yet makes money.