World Design Capital Update*

Any chance you'll be ringing in the new year in Helsinki, Finland? Why? Well, it turns out that the World Design Capital festivities will be launched during the traditional New Year's celebration at Helsinki City Senate Square.

Highlights will include: music performances, fireworks, light and video art, and a Resolution Bar, where people will be able to drink hot cocoa and make new year resolutions (I say don't make resolutions, just take actions).

Can't make it to Helsinki? You can still take part in the celebration via YLE TV1 beginning at 22:55. In addition, the events can also be followed on the Internet through Yle Areena (areena.yle.fi).

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Messaging

People have been studying design here since 1887

Senate Square preparations 

p.s. In case you missed it, the future design capital for WDC will be hosted by Cape Town in South Africa.

World Design Capital 2012

Every two years the World Design Capital takes place. Last year, the city of Seoul hosted the event.

The WDC designation is unique as it aims to focus on the broader essence of design´s impact on urban spaces, economies and citizens.

In Finland, the international design foundation was established in 2010 to manage, coordinate and execute the World Design Capital Project. For the year 2012, Helsinki will be hosting the event.

¨For us openness equals transparency, global responsibility and innovation. Usability, sustainability and desirability. That is what we are looking for. We design for better life.¨ - Open House Helsinki 

What does it mean to be open for Helsinki?

The concept is inspiring, and I wish more cities would adopt this belief: to be a city where information, ideas, thoughts and people can move freely without unnecessary creativity-hampering obstacles. Cities belong to their inhabitants.

Powerful!

The WDC Selection Committee has three finalists for hosting the 2014 event: 1) Bilbao (Spain) 2) Cape Town (South Africa) 3) Dublin (Ireland) ... let´s see which city will be selected!

P.S. Last week was pretty hectic which evidently resulted in no new posts! But I did experiment a bit with html coding for the blog, thus a change in the aesthetics.