World Design Capital 2012 Helsinki brings design to life
Helsinki has been elected the World Design Capital of the year for 2012 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) at its recent world congress in Singapore.
Helsinki won the bid with the theme of Open Helsinki – Embedding Design in Life which will form the platform for an ambitious programme of design for 2012.
The World Design Capital is a city promotion project that celebrates the merits of design. Held biennially, it highlights the accomplishments of cities that are leveraging design as a tool to improve the social, cultural and economic life of cities, throughout a year long programme of design-related events.
Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen, who accepted the designation in Singapore, said Finland and Helsinki had grand and internationally renowned design traditions, and this new recognition demonstrated that Finnish people were pioneers in design and in concepts for high-quality urban life.
For 2012 design would be viewed from a broad perspective. “Our goal is to build a better city and to improve our quality of life. Among other things, design-oriented thinking can be used to reform public services. The basic values of good design include user-friendliness, sustainable development and enjoyment,” says Mayor Pajunen.
The Helsinki bid involved collaboration with the adjacent cities of Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti, which will participate in the planning and execution of the design year’s programme.
Helsinki’s programme planning and preparations have already begun. All citizens, enterprises and organizations in Helsinki, as well as visiting design professionals and enthusiasts, will be invited to participate in the preparations and the events. “This is a major challenge for us to use design in Helsinki and in the other participating cities to further the development of our cities from the social, economic and cultural perspectives, as the World Design Capital project states in its designation criteria,” says Mayor Pajunen.
“The work begins now. The effort will extend well beyond one year and one city. The World Design Capital 2012 project will support the long-ranging development of the entire region. The project will also strengthen our role in the international community.”
Helsinki will be the third World Design Capital, following Turin in 2008 and Seoul in 2010.
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