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World video travel guide
World Design Capital year draws to a close in Helsinki but the city stays open
The World Design Capital 2012 year has ended in Helsinki and the other host cities of Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti.
In 2012, the use of design further expanded in Finland. The World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 year brought about a greater understanding of the possibilities of design and helped Helsinki raise its profile as a design destination.
Over the course of the year, WDC Helsinki 2012 also served as a meeting place for the global design community. Overall, this major undertaking, launched in spring 2010, has reached its objectives.
The official closing ceremony for the successful year was held at the end of November in Helsinki. At the end of the year WDC Helsinki 2012 was featured, for example, in the traditional City of Helsinki New Year celebrations, which attracted a crowd of 20 000 people.
One year changes into the next, but design stays
The year 2012 brought a record number of visitors to Helsinki and the other host cities. Even with the WDC Helsinki 2012 year now over, there will still be many places to visit, such as the Kamppi Chapel and the new Helsinki University Main Library in the Kaisa House, which together attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors in 2012. The two will remain permanent fixtures and architectural attractions in Helsinki, while at the same time serving as examples of outstanding service design.
The Abattoir, a new hub for food and culture that got off to a flying start in 2012, will not only stay open but also expand in the coming years. A new public sauna, Kulttuurisauna, will open its doors in the first months of 2013 and will be bringing joy to local residents and visitors alike for the next 30 years at least. The Finnish Nature Centre Haltia will open to the public in March 2013, introducing visitors to nature destinations found across Finland – and only a short drive away from the Helsinki city centre.
Some of the summer destinations to continue beyond 2012 include Turn Table – The Urban Garden and the exercise equipment put up as part of the “Get in Form” project. The popular jogging tracks around the Töölönlahti Bay afford wonderful views of Helsinki\'s landmarks, such as Finlandia Hall, and now there\'s also a chance to get in an ab workout, for example. Helsinki residents are so taken with the outdoor fitness equipment that they have kept them in use throughout the winter season, despite a blanket of snow up to tens of centimetres deep.
Full impact of the WDC Helsinki 2012 year yet to be seen
The focus of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 was, above all, on building better cities through long-term development projects. It is still too early to evaluate the success of these development projects, but initial results suggest that the WDC Helsinki 2012 year has made Helsinki a city that is both more open and better attuned to the needs of its residents.
The first sum-up of the year\'s legacy is in the form of ten theses, which World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 published at the end of November 2012. To mention just some of the objectives achieved, the year helped city residents gain a deeper insight into the importance of design and its impact on their daily life, highlighted the user’s perspective in design, and promoted the use of design in solving problems in different environments. Design also contributed towards better well-being services, student library services, airport security checks, ways of working, work wear, new signage system for the entire Helsinki area, and more.
In 2012, Finns discussed design more than ever before, and Finnish design attracted unprecedented levels of international attention. The World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme was made up of a total of 580 projects that increased our understanding of the importance of design. Visitor numbers for the events, exhibitions and destinations as a whole were well upwards of one million, and the WDC Helsinki 2012 programme also left a mark in most residents\' lives or surroundings through the different development projects. Of the total of 2,800 events held throughout the year, 90% were open to the general public while 80% were completely free.
All eyes on Cape Town
The title of World Design Capital is a designation given biennially by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), and preparations for World Design Capital 2014 are already underway in Cape Town, South Africa. The aim of Cape Town as World Design Capital 2014 is to use design to create a more harmonious city. During the year, Cape Town will place emphasis on socially responsible design, sustainability and innovations. Updates on the WDC Cape Town 2014 project can be found on the website and on Facebook.
The World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 organisation will publish a final report and end its activities in March 2013. Thanks to the networked operational model, however, the process of change does not come to an end with the WDC Helsinki 2012 organisation. Long-term development projects will continue beyond 2012, and the supporting organisations involved in the initiative are planning further activities.
Additional information on WDC Helsinki 2012
- www.wdchelsinki2012.fi
- WDC Helsinki 2012 has had a positive effect on Helsinki tourism
- WDC Helsinki 2012 reaches its objectives
Additional information on WDC Cape Town 2014
- www.wdccapetown2014.com (official website in progress, in the meanwhile look for information here)
- Register for WDC 2014\'s newsletter and info
Additional information on World Design Capital and Icsid
- www.icsid.org
- www.worlddesigncapital.com
- Subscribe to Icsid\'s eNews
- Join Icsid\'s mailing list for World Design Capital
