Citizens participated eagerly in brainstorming for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 (WDC Helsinki 2012) during the Ideas Forum on May 22. Altogether, they proposed more than two thousand ideas for better cities in the approximately one hundred sessions held in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti. Some of the ideas can already be viewed on the project’s website. Brainstorming will continue on the site until the end of May.

 

Some of the central themes in the brainstorming were long-term and sustainable development of the cities, diverse international co-operation, and pleasant city milieus. A great many ideas concerned traffic, public transportation and better waste management. One central theme was promotion of city districts with individual character.

 

“All ideas from the brainstorming will be available on the project’s website. After the brainstorming period ends, we will analyze the ideas by theme, and they will be used by WDC Helsinki 2012 as a basis of programme planning,” says Sami Oinonen of Hub Helsinki, the organization that will process the ideas further.

 

The Ideas Forum was the first official WDC Helsinki 2012 event. The eager participation in the brainstorming shows that the citizens are aware of the project and keen to contribute.

 

People were often waiting for the WDC Helsinki 2012 teams that toured in the five cities, and even accidental interviewees wanted to share their ideas. Four hundred ideas cards were fulfilled in Lahti alone.

 

“I’m impressed with the level of citizen participation and how people felt that their participation was significant. Many types of communities take ownership in the project and think how design could be used to develop their operation,” says Pekka Timonen, who directs the WDC Helsinki 2012 project planning.