World Industrial Design Day

World Industrial Design Day, an initiative of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), is observed annually on 29 June in recognition of the profession of industrial design.

World Industrial Design Day was established to promote awareness of the profession of industrial design, highlight the contribution designers and academics have made to the discipline and facilitate collaborations that help improve economic, social, cultural and environmental quality of life throughout the world.

World Industrial Design Day 2013
“Industrial design is open” has been announced as the 2013 World Industrial Design Day theme. To celebrate, Icsid invites participants to explore ways in which industrial design is open and accessible to all.

There are many ways to celebrate World Industrial Design Day; events such as sustainability workshops, exhibitions, international symposiums on socially responsible design, webcasts, free admission to museums to name but a few. Share your plans for World Industrial Design Day with Icsid on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #widd

illusive forms and letters (typography-calligraphy-graffiti)

Stroke Urban Art Fair – Berlin, 13 – 16 September 2012.

The Stroke Urban Art Fair Berlin, now in its third year will take place once again at the Postbahnhof Berlin. Within the last two years, more than 60,000 visitors came to see artists and galleries from all over the world including Poland, Brazil, Austria, USA, Italy, France, Chile, Spain, Switzerland or the UK. The organisers tell us “In fact the huge variety of subcultural dynamics of the last 30 years in this melting pot is self-replicating”.

One of the exhibitors at this year’s Stroke Urban Art Fair – Blaqk is a collaboration between 2 designers from Athens Greece, Greg Papagrigoriou and Simeκ – creating a mix of illusive forms and letters (typography-calligraphy-graffiti).

Global Design Forum … one day to set the global agenda for design

The organisers are calling it “A creative platform for presenting and debating important and controversial ideas, both on and off the stage” Tuesday 18th September 2012 is the date of the inaugural Global Design Forum, taking place at the spectacular Central Saint Martin’s campus in King’s Cross, London.

The Forum “will be the design calendar’s most enlightening and intensive one-day conference” according to organisers, bringing together the brightest industry leaders, thinkers and makers from around the world. The event is being curated and delivered by the London Design Festival team.

The purpose of the Forum is to demonstrate design’s role in creating a more sustainable and prosperous future. The forum will bring together an alliance of organisations and talents – “from the most dynamic start-ups to the world’s most successful brands”; from key public sector figures to the most innovative design studios; from social entrepreneurs to cultural pacesetters – “to not just exchange ideas but to set the agenda for design’s impact on our world”.

The Global Design Forum takes place during London Design Festival 2012 “We stay ahead by being different and more relevant each year” says Ben Evans, the festival’s director.

Cities proclaim 29 June World Industrial Design Day

world industrial design day logoThe International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) has announced that four cities will proclaim 29 June, World Industrial Design Day – as the Mayors of Dublin (Ireland), Graz (Austria), Helsinki (Finland) and Torino (Italy) have already signed proclamations. Pledges to sign the declaration before the official day of observance have also been received from Kauniainen (Finland), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and New York City (USA) have been made . These cities are joining Montreal (Canada), the first city to sign a proclamation in 2010, in commemorating this important day for industrial design.

The acknowledgment, through the signed proclamations from eight cities declaring World Industrial Design Day, affirms the importance of industrial design to a city’s social and economic development and reinforces the relevance of programming championed by Icsid within the international design community.

“World Industrial Design Day is an excellent way to highlight the societal dimension of design,” said Mr. Jussi Pajunen, Mayor of Helsinki. “Design has become a key driver for smart and sustainable cities all over the world. As World Design Capital 2012, one of the largest expeditions into design ever undertaken, we are committed to being a global forerunner in using design as tool to improve the quality of life of our citizens.”

This year, to mark World Industrial Design Day, organisations from around the world are hosting events to celebrate their industrial designers and the fruits of their labour. Design Schools such as the Scuola Italiana Design (Italy) and Universidad Catolica Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion (Paraguay) are creating a montage of video interviews on design and hosting local poster competitions, respectively, in order to spread awareness throughout and beyond their design community. Two organisations in India, Tata Elxsi and Rana Chaitable Trust are holding nation-wide design contests to commemorate the day.

In addition to events in Belgium, Canada, the Philippines and Venezuela, Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille and Icsid President Soon-in Lee will participate in the signing ceremony of the Host-City Agreement for World Design Capital 2014. The City of Cape Town was designated World Design Capital 2014 by Icsid at the 2011 IDA Congress in Taipei [Taiwan, (Chinese Taipei)]. The Signing Ceremony marks the first signature event for Cape Town as it officially assumes the title of World Design Capital 2014 and reveals its colour rendition of the WDC logo.

London Design Festival -15 to 23 September 2012

 

Over ten days in September, the London Design Festival will feature hundreds of events that take place across London, showcasing the city’s pivotal role in global design.

First staged in 2003, the London Design Festival is one of the world’s most important annual design events. The Festival programme is made up of over 300 events and exhibitions staged by hundreds of partner organisations across the design spectrum and from around the world.

The Festival is both a cultural and a commercial event. The programme ranges from major international exhibitions to trade events, installations to talks and seminars, from product launches to receptions, private views and parties. The majority of events are free of charge – enabling visitors to participate, listen, learn, commission and make purchases.

The Festival is funded through a combination of public and private sources. The Mayor Of London’s office provides grant funding for the Festival; Arts Council England have been long term supporters of the Festival. Private funding (approx 60%) is raised through sponsorship of Festival projects alongside a small range of London Design Festival products and services delivered throughout the year.

Almost 350,000 direct visitors attended events listed as part of the Festival in 2011 and the Festival attracted substantial press coverage, with 1,811 articles about the Festival appearing worldwide.

Open Manifesto Issue 6 (Myth) launched


Open Manifesto began as a humble idea in Ireland in the mid 90s, but it took a further eight years to develop into a fully fledged publication. The first issue was published in 2004 in Sydney, Australia, where founder Kevin Finn was then based.

In early 2010, Finn Creative relocated to Brisbane, Australia, where Open Manifesto is now produced.

Open Manifesto is an independent, self-funded and self published journal of critical writing on graphic design culture. It is the first, and currently the only, journal of its kind based in Australia and was founded in 2003 by award-winning graphic designer, Kevin Finn. It is printed in one colour.

Open Manifesto sits at the intersection between visual communications, media, politics, culture, economics and social issues. Each issue of Open Manifesto is devoted to a specific theme and seeks to explore the wider relationship graphic design has with society; how design influences society and how society influences design.

Open Manifesto is an egalitarian publication and avoids singling out individual contributors to feature on the journal cover, preferring to list all contributors together—and in alphabetical order—regardless of fame or notoriety. Open Manifesto also includes opinions from students, professionals and academics alike, and encourages contributions from outside the field of graphic design.

Open Manifesto is produced in between regular studio work and each issue takes approximately eight to 12 months to complete.

Open Manifesto is also founded on one of Finn’s beliefs: there is wisdom in learning.

At 295 pages, it has taken almost 18-months to research, curate, compile and produce Open Manifesto issue #6, but the results are sensational.

Here is a quick overview of this issue’s content:
Among others, investigative journalist and author Tom Zoellner explores the role of the myth in society, focusing on how DeBeers’ advertising and marketing infiltrated Japanese culture and seduced the world with diamonds. The legendary George Lois talks about his politics, discusses his unique relationship with Esquire editor Harold Hayes, reveals how Paul Rand influenced Bill Bernbach and debunks the Mad Men TV series. Dean Poole shares his experiences transitioning from artist to internationally acclaimed designer, discusses the business of design and the influence design has on culture. Warren Berger presents an in-depth exploration of the power of Design Thinking, while Helen Walters questions the potency of the Design Thinking trend.&n bsp;Allan Savory dissects the myths around fossil fuels and climate change, arguing that agriculture has just as much impact on the environment—if not more, ridicules the notion of sustainable projects, shares his views on vertical farming and offers a solution that could possibly save the planet.

Purchase your limited edition copy of issue #6 (Myth) here.

‘What happens when designers take responsibility for their own ideas and the messages that they are delivering to the marketplace? What happens when the people delivering the goods begin to unwrap the packages and take a look at what’s inside? What happens when the people with the power to shape public imagination begin to understand just how powerful they are in defining our reality? What happens when one of those designers gives voice and space to that important discourse? Open Manifesto happens. That’s what happens.’
World-renowned designer, Bruce Mau, Massive Change Network

THNK, the Amsterdam School of Creative Leadership announces additions to its foundation board

THNK, the Amsterdam School of Creative Leadership has announced that Renny Ramakers, THNK board member-at-large and co-founder and director of design company Droog, has recently stepped in to chair the Foundation Board of THNK, taking over this position from Bas Verhart, the previous chair. Ole Bouman, director of the National Architecture Institute has joined THNK as a member of the board. Board members Bas Verhart and Menno van Dijk, both co-founders of THNK, will dedicate more time to the day-to-day business at THNK.

Renny Ramakers
Renny Ramakers is one of the most successful and respected creative entrepreneurs, not only in the Netherlands but on a global scale. Recently she was named one of the 150 Women Who Shake the World by Newsweek Magazine. Ramakers initiates projects, curates design exhibitions, and lectures worldwide. She is a judging panelist on various design boards and has advised on governmental advisory boards, amongst others she was a member of the Dutch Council of Culture (1995-2001). A critic, she has contributed to international magazines, books and catalogues, and has authored several books.

Ole Bouman
Ole Bouman is the director of the Netherlands Architecture Institute, globally the largest institute of its kind. Prior to this appointment he was the editor-in- chief of Volume. Volume is a project by Archis Foundation, think tank AMO and the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation of Columbia University. He also was the director of Archis Foundation, active in publishing, consultancy and, as NGO, establishing connections between local design communities in need of expertise and the Archis global knowledge network. He has lectured at various schools worldwide. His most recent position was lecturer at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

THNK was founded as an international educational foundation, launched in March 2012. Its creative leadership program is designed to accelerate the development of creative leaders, turn global challenges and crises into opportunities, and create a more meaningful and sustainable way of life. THNK provides an 18-month, part-time, post-graduate program for a carefully selected group of international top talent. THNK is funded by the City of Amsterdam, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce, City Region Amsterdam and the Province of North-Holland.

IxDA – Interaction12, International Conference, Dublin, Ireland

Interaction12 is a four-day event in Dublin from February 1st to 4th, 2012, where keynotes and speakers from around the world will represent all connections to Interaction Design. This is the fifth annual conference hosted by the Interaction Design Association (IxDA). Each year, IxDA aims to gather the interaction design community to connect, educate, and inspire each other.

IxDA
IxDA is a global network dedicated to the professional practice of Interaction Design. IxDA membership has grown to more than 20,000 members since 2004. The IxDA network provides an online forum for the discussion of interaction design issues and other opportunities and platforms for people who are passionate about interaction design to gather and advance the discipline. Of fundamental importance to the organisation is its International Conference which has, until now, always taken place in the US. This year Dublin is the venue.

What is Interaction Design?
Interaction Design (IxD) defines the structure and behaviour of interactive systems. Interaction Designers strive to create meaningful relationships between people and the products and services that they use, from computers to mobile devices to appliances and beyond.

Wednesday 1st February at Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT)

Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT) is this year’s conference host and early arrivals to Interaction12 will participate in hands-on workshops on the IADT Campus. Workshops will include “What You Missed When You Skipped Design School” with Dave Malouf & Matt Nish-Lapidus, “Design with Intent – Understanding users and influencing behaviour” with Dan Lockton and “The Quest for Emotional Engagement” with Stephen Anderson and many more.

Keynotes and Presentations, Thursday 2nd to Saturday 4th Feb
The conference continues with three days in The Convention Centre Dublin where the Keynotes and presentation talks take place including: “From Solid to Liquid to Air – Interaction Design and the Future of the Interface” by Amber Case and “Hack to the Future” by Fabian Hemmert.

Interaction Awards & Activities
This year’s conference also plays host to the inaugural presentation of IxDA’s Interaction Awards, the first awards program recognizing excellence across the diverse practice of interaction design. Taking place in the historic Round Room at the Lord Mayor of Dublin’s residence, check out the award winners, toast the finalists, and celebrate the accomplishments of IxDA (Friday 3rd February 2012, 7.30pm).

Big Event – Big Effort
Interaction12 is a very big event and it takes place in Dublin thanks to the efforts of Séamus Byrne, Ben Arent and IxDA Dublin. The international IxDA Board of Directors selected Dublin as the location for the Interaction 12 Conference – honouring Dublin with the designation of first European IxDA host city. The Dublin presentation team beat off rival bids from Berlin, Delft, Helsinki and Paris. Seamus Byrne comments: “Our local IxDA group is a vibrant and thriving community that has helped Interaction Design take centre-stage as an important and relevant discipline here in Dublin. It is clear our industry will play a vital role in Dublin’s current evolution from capital city of a knowledge economy to a global hub for research, design and development.”

Book your ticket
Time is running out, several events are fully booked out – register here … http://interaction12.ixda.org/register

World Design Capital (WDC) 2014 winner to be announced on the final day of International Design Alliance (IDA) Congress in Taipei

A little more than one week from now the activists behind two city bids will be distraught while those of the winning city on the shortlist – Cape Town, Dublin or Bilbao will be dancing in the streets. Who is it to be … Capetonians, Dubliners or Bilbaínos?

Those attending the official announcement of the winning city, taking place in Taipei on the final day of the International Design Alliance (IDA) Congress on Wednesday 26 October, 2011 include:
An eleven person group from Cape Town led by Patricia de Lille, Executive Mayor of Cape Town; Cllr Grant Pascoe; Fritz Marx – Mayor’s Protocol and Events Manager; Conrad Sidego – Mayor of Stellenbosch; Andrew Boraine, Bulelwa Ngewana and Alan Cameron representing – Cape Town Partnership; Luyanda Mpahlwa – Design Space Africa; Skye Grove – Cape Town Tourism; Michael Wolf – Formula D Interactive Design; Jo-Ann Johnston – Provincial Government of WC

Andoni Aldekoa – Delegate Councillor of Bilbao City Hall; Marcos Muro – Coordinator of the Candidacy Bilbao WDC 2014 and Juan Luis Diego – Director General of BEAZ- Innovation Agency of Biscay will represent Bilbao

Dublin’s representatives are led by Dublin Lord Mayor Andrew Montegue, accompanied by Ali Grehan DCA (bid director), Owen O’Doherty DDCA (bid co-ordination) Bob Gray (bid identity) and Barry Sheehan (DIT / IDI).

If you want to see what the competition was like for this hugely important designation check out:

Cape Town:
Bid Theme – LIVE DESIGN. TRANSFORM LIFE.
Web: www.capetown2014.co.za (extracts from the Cape Town World Design Capital 2014 Bid Book, designed and produced by Infestation, here http://www.capetown2014.co.za/gallery/ )

Bilbao:
Bid Theme – DESIGN OF CITIES
Web: http://www.bilbaointernational.com/en/bilbao-selected-as-finalist-to-become-the-world-design-capital-in-2014/ where you can check out their ‘Design of Cities’ clip

Dublin Bid:
Bid Theme – TURN DESIGN INSIDE OUT
Web: http://www.pivotdublin.com/

Helsinki Bid: – Helsinki is designated WDC 2012
Bid Theme – EMBEDDING DESIGN IN LIFE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0vu0-ogrIA

Seoul, the South Korean Capital (The Seoul of Design) was World Design Capital 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAztWvlEmaY&feature=related

World Design Capital (WDC) 2014 – Shortlist Fever

Anyone who has worked on the management side of awards and competitions knows that the process revolves around a series of dates – launch dates, call for entry dates, assessment dates, judging dates, announcement dates – after which there may be a short break before the process begins again. The level of tension and stress experienced by those who manage and administer awards competitions relates to getting the job done well, getting it done on time, getting it done fairly and transparently, and continuing to grow a strong, credible, respected brand. This is the side of the awards and competitions equation where having control over events is a major stress-reducing factor.

The other side of ‘awards and competitions’ is also all about dates but on this side, once the submission has been made, all control is handed over – and the stress and tension is fuelled by the process of powerlessly wanting and waiting. There will only be one winner.

The decision about which city will be designated World Design Capital 2014 will be reached in August at the final selection meeting in Montreal, Canada. The winning city will be announced at the International Design Alliance (IDA) Congress in Taiwan on 24 – 26 October 2011.

There is an earlier date that is ‘stressing’ the organisers of the bids – the announcement of which cities are shortlisted. That decision will be made this week and the organisers of the bids from the shortlisted cities will hear the good news in the next few weeks. It is nail-biting time for bidding cities – powerless to do other than wait and hope that the lifeline is cast in their direction, their bid has been shortlisted and their city is still in the race.

Each shortlisted city will be visited for two days during July and each will (naturally) try to convince their guests that their city should be designated World Design Capital 2014. If Dublin’s bid is shortlisted there will be much to do in advance (and during) the visit. In competitions of this type it is usual that there is relative equality between the quality and persuasiveness of shortlisted bids – otherwise why have a shortlist at all if there is already a clear winner. Success or failure can be based on experiences during the city visits.

Dublin’s bid faces competition from Beijing, Cape Town and (possibly) Bilbao and Istanbul whose bids are, to a greater of lesser degree, in the public domain. The WDC organisers have disclosed only that more than 50 cities have expressed their interest but have not yet said how many of those that expressed interest went on to submit bids and actively compete.