radically transparent

Most sustainable design is focused on preserving the life-support systems of our planet, but true sustainability relies on a balance between survival of people and the persistence of culture. The Magno radio is at once a consumer product made from renewable materials, while at the same time it creates a means for a people to sustain their skills and traditions. Taking advantage of local materials and craft tradition, these radios are aimed at sustaining the culture that produces them as well as the global environment. The project demonstrates the increasing importance of recognizing local resources – in terms of materials, skills and culture – as the most direct way to address the needs of consumers. From the placard at the London Design Museum:

The Magno wooden radio, a small and simple radio encased in a shell of wood, is an example of Indonesian entrepreneurship and design employing local manufacturing resources. Singgih Susilo Kartono is the creative brains behind this idea, designing the radio to help revive the economic conditions and employment prospects of Kandangan. His intention through this project was to try and change the villager’s dependency on cities and create a community that was more reliant on local services. As a result the villagers adopt a new set of craft skills, including carpentry that can be passed on. They also use locally sourced sustainable materials helping to sustain economic conditions within the area.