A whole weekend of design
world design capital helsinki / Maarit mustonen The World Design Capital Year presents an invitation to build a better, happier environment as well as to see, participate and to influence. There are 180 different events to enjoy.The Design Capital Weekend will take place between 3 – 5 February simultaneously in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti. The aim is, in as many ways as possible, to bring about fun, affecting encounters around the theme of design.
— The Design Capital Weekend is like a window onto the whole year’s programme, an opportunity to get to know the designers’ work and how design is utilized in cities. We wanted to create an easy, approachable way of getting to know the design capital. There are lots of different development projects in our programme that would not otherwise have this sort of event-related dimension, explains World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 Programme Director Kaarina Gould.
It’s everywhere you look
During these three days design will be brought close to the city inhabitants because it will be everywhere: from jobs to schools and from clubs to the workplace. An inspiring number of organizers have all joined in to arrange events.
— The idea of setting up the weekend has been extremely enthusiastically received. It involves players engaged in implementing the design capital year’s programme but also a totally new group of players such as design studios, designers, artisans, companies, museums, galleries and learning institutes, adds Gould.
— We believe tens of thousands of people will take part in the various events over the weekend. We’re publicizing it extensively and many of those organizing events are themselves inviting participants. It is our hope that people on their way to work on the Friday, or shopping on the Saturday or at least on Sunday on their way to vote in the second round of the presidential elections will come across one or more Design Capital Weekend event.
A peek behind the scenes
There is no shortage of things to see. As well as design in some surprising forms and places, there will be bread and circus acts, performances, clubs, audience training, lectures, debates, workshops and brainstorming.
— There will be individual design studios, for example, taking part who will open their doors and invite people to see what a designer gets up to on a daily basis. Over the weekend people will be able to peek behind the scenes, for example, in museums or the head offices of companies, enthuses Gould.
— Among our corporate partners, Fortum for example will open up its art collection for the public to view, while Nokia will invite people to talk with its designers.
In Helsinki, one of the main attractions of the weekend will be seen on Senate Square where the kick off for the Design Capital Year was held on New Year’s Eve.
— At the Frozen Lights event to be held on the Saturday, everyone is invited to bring their own ice lantern. The idea behind it is to spur individual citizens to consider their own daily water consumption and their water footprint.
www.wdchelsinki2012.fi
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