World Design Capital

  

Cities worldwide face mounting challenges from rising populations, demands for new services and infrastructure, and needs to attract and provide for businesses to feed their economic growth.

Design is an increasingly powerful tool at all levels of society to manage challenges. For cities, design is at the core to make them more attractive, more liveable and more efficient.

The World Design Capital is a biennial designation awarded to cities based on their commitment to design as a tool for social, cultural and economic improvement. The World Design Capital project highlights the designated cities through 12-month programmes of design-related events.

The World Design Capital project is managed by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid). The World Design Capital is an initiative of the International Design Alliance (IDA), a collaboration between Icsid and the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda).

Vision

The World Design Capital project focuses on the essence of design’s impact on urban spaces, economies and citizens. The vision of the project is to promote and encourage the use of design to further the development of the world’s cities from the social, economic and cultural perspectives. The project honours cities that have used design from these perspectives to reinvent themselves.

The designation as a World Design Capital provides an opportunity for the selected city to showcase its accomplishments in attracting and promoting creative industries, as well as to demonstrate how government and industry work together with educational institutions, designers and citizens to revitalize and reinvent the urban environment.

There are many benefits for cities in becoming a World Design Capital. The list includes gaining visibility as a creative city, attracting investors and creative people, strengthening economic development, building a global image, and taking part in an international network of design.

International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid)

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is a global not-for-profit organization that promotes better design around the world. Today, Icsid has more than 170 members in 50 countries, representing an estimated 150,000 designers. Icsid members are professional associations, promotional societies, educational institutions, government bodies, corporations and institutions, which aim to contribute to the development of the profession of industrial design.

Icsid facilitates co-operation and interaction among its member societies and supports a global network through which design institutions worldwide can collaborate. Through shared interests, experiences and resources, Icsid provides an international platform for its members to be heard as a powerful voice. Icsid also holds consultative status with UNESCO, UNIDO, ISO and WIPO to support and highlight design in international forums. Icsid partners with the International Design Alliance (IDA).