Once an industrial centre facing economic upheaval, Lille aims to engage its 2.1 million inhabitants (including companies, local authorities, research and training centres, cultural destinations and civic spaces) in collaborative design-driven projects and places design at the heart of its economic, societal and environmental transformation.
"Lille Metropole’s strategic location in the heart of Europe will allow the entire region to benefit from the human-centred design projects to build more sustainable cities and communities" - WDO President Luisa Bocchietto
The 2020 Selection Committee was comprised of Stephanie Allard, Associate Vice-President, Sales & Convention Services, Tourisme Montréal; Emilio Cabrero, Co-founder, C Cúbica Arquitectos and Design Week Mexico; Zach Caceres, Executive Director, Startup Cities Institute; Mugendi K. M’Rithaa, 2013-2015 WDO President-Elect, Professor at Cape Peninsula University of Technology; and Andrew Tuck, Founding Editor, Monocle.
During the 30th General Assembly in Torino (Italy), Lille Metropole was announced as World Design Capital 2020. WDO President, Mugendi K. M’Rithaa, congratulated the Lille delegation made up by Damien Castelain, Lille Metropole’s President, Frederique Seels, Vice-President of Lille Metropole, Caroline Naphegyi, Director for Lille Design, Martine Aubry, Mayor of Lille.
