About World Design Capital Helsinki 2012

Finnish design has a long and distinguished history and it is no exaggeration to say that design is ever-present in the Finnish lifestyle. We respect traditions and cherish the past but, above all, design represents our future. Hence Helsinki is the World Design Capital 2012 together with the neighbouring cities of Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti.

The main theme of WDC Helsinki 2012 is Open Helsinki – Embedding Design in Life. For us, openness equals transparency, curiosity, global responsibility, and innovation. The phrase “Embedding design in life” highlights the new roles of design from taking the end user into consideration in the early design development stages, to paying attention to the role and possibilities of design in the development of services and structures. Our vision extends the concept of design from goods to services and systems. It means finding solutions to people’s needs, for example in the public health care sector. The programme of the World Design Capital year entails nearly 400 different types of ventures, projects, exhibitions and events. The programme is divided into six categories: Transforming the City, Rethinking Design, Year of Events, Exhibitions, Encounters, and Communications.

The World Design Capital project entails a wide range of product and service development projects in which design has a visible role, and we want to showcase these projects. We also want to learn from others, discuss and create something new. Our first and foremost goal is to find, offer and develop methods for more efficient utilisation of design in society and business. But World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 is also more than just a series of events or projects. It is about improving our cities, embedding design in life. One of our key roles is to promote a better understanding of the role of design as a business driver, not only for major global corporations but also for local SMEs.

More than anything, WDC Helsinki 2012 wants to inspire dialogue on how design can be used to make life better, easier and more functional. These are the questions that we will strive to answer in our projects and initiatives. Design exists for people.

The World Design Capital is an initiative of Icsid, the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design, which every second year recognizes one global city for its accomplishments in utilizing design as a tool to improve social, cultural, and economic life. Icsid owns the rights to the World Design Capital trademark. The previous World Design Capitals have been Turin in Italy (2008) and Seoul in South Korea (2010). Cape Town, South Africa was chosen as the World Design Capital for 2014.