Stanford University has chosen William McDonough as its first living archive, which will include digital and hard copy artifacts from his life to give current and future generations an insight into the sustainability design leader’s mind.
The archive will use digital methods to include real-time and universal access to McDonough’s historical collections spanning more than 40 years of his life so far and will continue to grow in tandem with his work as it progresses, the announcement says. The record will constantly be updated to keep track of the living donor’s activities, appearances, projects, writings and even Tweets.
“We see the possibility to capture not just the writings and artifacts but the activities and conversations of a designer and thought leader — and the many influential individuals he works with — as they happen. It’s a real-time archive,” said Roberto Trujillo, head of the Stanford Libraries’ Special Collections.
Stanford and McDonough have agreed to collaborate on a comprehensive approach to archiving the McDonough collections, which include paper and born-digital material, according to the announcement.
The libraries will use the digital components to create a set of open-source archival technologies allowing creators, archivists and selected contributors to actively participate in the project.
Stanford announced the acquisition last November at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (CCPII) gala honoring McDonough in San Francisco. McDonough has a long-standing relationship with the university, having served as a Consulting Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department for nearly a decade.
McDonough is a prominent green architect, advisor to business and government leaders and co-author of Cradle to Cradle, a green design manifesto calling for the transformation of human industry through ecologically intelligent design.
In related news, CCPII is currently accepting entrants for its Product Innovation Challenge, which is aimed at driving innovation in safe, healthy building materials. Funded by the Dutch Postcode Lottery and the Schmidt Family Foundation’s 11th Hour Project, three winners will share a cash prize of $250,000. Deadline for submissions is June 30, 2013.
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Founder, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Mar 21, 2013 11pm EDT / 8pm PDT / 3am GMT / 4am CET