Montreal (Canada) – The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is proud to announce that seven cities will proclaim 29 June, World Industrial Design Day. Mayors of the great design cities of Dublin (Ireland), Graz (Austria), Helsinki (Finland) and Torino (Italy) have already signed proclamations, while pledges from Kauniainen (Finland), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and New York City (USA) have been made to sign the declaration before the official day of observance. These cities are joining Montreal (Canada), the first city to sign a proclamation in 2010, in commemorating this important day for industrial design.
This year, 29 June also commemorates 55 years since the founding of Icsid. The acknowledgment, through the signed proclamations 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.”
Industrial Design Celebrated Around the World
Celebrated by designers and non-designers alike, World Industrial Design Day is held internationally on 29 June with the aim of encouraging inter-disciplinary collaborations, spreading an understanding of the design industry and exploring ways in which responsible design can improve quality of life.
This year, to mark the occasion, 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. Along the same lines, 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.
“What is industrial design?” YouTube Challenge
This year, the theme anchoring World Industrial Design Day is, “What is industrial design?” It was selected by the Icsid Board to encourage reflection on how the profession is changing and expanding.
In order to tap into present-day thoughts on industrial design around the globe, Icsid put forward a video challenge calling for definitions of industrial design in 10 seconds or less. The challenge was accepted by industrial design students, professors and professionals who posted creative responses. Many of the international clips will be woven into a montage video to be shared via Icsid’s YouTube channel days prior to World Industrial Design Day.
“We are pleased to see industrial designers, students and enthusiasts responding to this year’s theme so creatively. World Industrial Design Day’s fifth anniversary will be marked these initiatives and by the important proclamations recognising the importance of industrial design in the social and economic development of a city,” said Prof. Soon-in Lee, Icsid President. “The international participation online and at hosted events this year are proof that industrial design is thriving and receiving the attention and support it deserves.”
