The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) held its second World Design Talks in Shanghai, China on Saturday 22 October 2016 to address the issue of transportation in megacities and specifically the problem of mobility in Shanghai.
Supported by Tongji University and the Shanghai Industrial Design Association, and hosted by Icsid board member Yongqi Lou, Professor and Dean of the College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University, the day-long World Design Talks was held at Bridge 8, a creative co-working space in Shanghai, and featured guest speakers Jingfeng Shao, Design Director of SAIC Group, Feng Shen, Vice-President of Research & Development of Volvo, YunSheng Su, Innovation Director of Bauhinia Valley Investments, Guang Yang, Senior Director of Alibaba Group, Ma Jun, Professor of the School of Automotive Studies at Tongji University, and Gilles Rougon, Icsid Board Member.
52 participants—including local academics, industrial designers, designers, consultants, and design students—explored concrete problems related to the design and manufacturing of autonomous driving cars, and the adoption of systems thinking to improve the efficiency of Shanghai’s transportation network. They highlighted the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to improve the integration of transportation solutions from a multi-stakeholder perspective. At the heart of this discussion was the consensus that the proliferation of digital data and new technologies are challenging conventional notions about telecommuting and work. The knowledge gathered from the World Design Talks will be shared online to further build upon and strengthen the design-led initiatives identified during the World Design Talks.
Luisa Bocchietto, Icsid president-elect, who also participated in the World Design Talks along with other Icsid board members representing six different regions of the world, said, “Building on the World Design Talks in Istanbul, it’s clear that there’s an important role for industrial designers to play in terms of helping solve the challenges faced by today’s megacities. Designing for the future requires a human centred approach, and that approach must also be collaborative and multi-disciplinary.”
Created by the Icsid Board to address member priorities, World Design Talks are held in regions around the world to address local challenges, with global relevance, from a design perspective. These initiatives help to define our common ground and ultimately inform our global design agenda as the world body for industrial design. The next World Design Talks is scheduled for Toluca, Mexico in February 2017.
About the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design
The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) founded in 1957 that promotes the profession of industrial design. Icsid recently approved a name change, World Design Organization, to be implemented and celebrated during its 60th anniversary in 2017. Icsid advocates industrial design driven innovation that creates a better world, engaging our more than 140 member organizations in collaborative efforts and carrying out international programming—World Design Capital®, World Design Talks, World Design Impact Prize, World Industrial Design Day, and Interdesign. Icsid has United Nations Special Consultative Status.
For more information, please contact:
Gemma Peralta
Special Events Officer
t: 1 514 448 4949 ext 223
e: gperalta@icsid.org
Or
Augie Van Biljouw
Director of Communications
t: 1 514 448 4949 ext 238
e: avanbiljouw@icsid.org
