Original, deep stories and essays about the influence of creative ideas in everyday life were published in Works That Work. Peter Biľak, the magazine's editor, described it as 'a magazine of unexpected creativity' and described it as a vehicle for challenging the widely held view that design is about only making things look nice and more expensive. Thus, the magazine centered on the relevance of design to the wider public and the ways in which good design contributes to improved lives for all, showcasing examples from places as far-flung as the northernmost tip of Alaska, Middle Eastern villages, as well as urban centers throughout the world.
During its run, Works That Work received awards and enthusiastic press coverage, but it also broadened the discussion of design. By including both designers and non-designers in the discussion, its readers learned things they didn't know, and frequently didn't realize they didn't know.
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