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COPY TIINA LEHTINEN IMAGES PLANMECA OY
World Design Capital
Helsinki 2012
Interior of the Temple Square Church in the center Design is deep-rooted in the urban Helsinki’s World Design 17
of the Helsinki City, Finland lifestyle of Helsinki. Design is manifest Capital year 2012 will
in the everyday lives of citizens in many comprise a wide range
“Helsinki orientates strongly ways, ranging from home furniture and items of events and projects
to the future as the design capital that represent old Finnish design traditions related to design and its
and aims at making design to modern urban solutions in the city and manifestations.
an integral factor in developing contemporary interior design. In 2012 Helsinki will
the citizens’ living conditions, also celebrate the 200th
in international interaction and Helsinki takes a broad perspective in anniversary of becoming
economic progress.” design that – in city planning, architecture, the capital of Finland.
industrial design and service design – plays
The International Council of an integral role in the development of Helsinki,
Societies of Industrial Design city services and consumer products.
(ICSID) designated Helsinki as
the World Design Capital for Open Helsinki – Embedded Design
the year 2012. A total of 46 cities
from 27 countries applied for the The overriding theme of Helsinki’s World
2012 nomination. The first World Design Capital year and events is design
Design Capital was Turin (Torino) embedded in people’s lives. Helsinki
of Italy in 2008. World Design approaches design from a broad perspective,
Capital 2010 was the South Korean and design underlies all processes that
capital Seoul. bring about social, economic and cultural
www.wdc2012helsinki.fi improvement. Embedded design in Helsinki
brings together human needs, aesthetic
qualities and functionality.
Design embedded in everyday life in
Helsinki ties design to innovation from
the very beginning. Design brings the user
perspective to processes where solutions
to citizens’ needs are sought. This approach
ensures that the solutions are suited for
everyday life and appropriate for users. Thus
design helps to render new innovations,
technologies and systems sustainable.
Interior of the Planmeca Head Office, Finland
