mexico city and curitiba shortlisted for world design capital 2018
(left) image © robert france
(right) image © marcio cabral de moura      

 

 

 

in 2008, the ICSID (international council of societies of industrial design) created the label world design capital. since then, every two years it has been recognizing a city struggling to incorporate design into its urban landscape, ‘… to improve economic, social and cultural life’. mexico city and curitiba have been shortlisted to become the 2018 world design capital.

 

more than half of the world’s population are inhabitants of cities. when facing the challenges due to a sustainable grow of their populations, the great municipalities endure an infinite process of re-adaptation as they try to offer to their citizens the best chances for making a living. the final decision for this designation is reserved to the WDC selection committee, composed of international experts in the fields of design, urban planning, economic and social development. curitiba (brazil) and mexico city (mexico) have distinguished themselves by illustrating the ways in which their citizens have benefited, and continue to, from the achievements their metropolises have made through design applications.

fernando_romero_free_plaza_carso121
carso plaza in mexico city
image courtesy of FR-EE 

 

 

 

this recognition emphasizes the achievements of those cities which have really used design as a medium to improve the sociocultural and economic conditions. in doing so, a whole year program related to design is launched. this initiative by ICSID, an NGO which protects and promotes the professional industrial design, is a unique opportunity for the chosen cities, so that they can present their design resources. it also exposes their local industry at an international level.

 

for mexico city, the honor would see it establish itself as a bridge for promoting international exchanges on design and urban planning between latin america and the rest of the world. emilio cabrero, director of design week mexico, said to designboom español: ‘we are very proud because design week mexico presented this submission, with the support of the mayor of mexico city, dr. miguel ángel mancera. this has been a long journey, seven years of hard work to get recognition from mexico city’s population. this is an opportunity to talk about our capacity to transform and reinvent ourselves in this city. as a world capital, it is a dynamic urban space and it should be a hub for the whole latin america‘.

 

mexico city is a flourishing ground for designers, since it is only through design that we can achieve real change,’ continued cabrero. ‘we envision… making design permeate across all aspects of our megalopolis to offer a wide perspective; as well as aesthetic and cultural exchanges, which determine the development and purpose of design… to make a better future.’
México y Curitiba, finalistas para ser la Capital Mundial de Diseño 2018
cuadra san cristóbal, de luis barragán, méxico    

 

 

 

meanwhile, curitiba aims to build its legacy in design and urban planning, developing multidisciplinary and innovative projects that continue to effect positive change. ‘for fifty years, curitiba has implanted a number of projects regarding urban planning, mobility and design, as well as environmental conservation, sustainability and life quality‘, explained gustavo fruet, mayor of curitiba. ‘we want to consolidate ourselves as a pole for design and connect the different segments related with it, we want to reward those ground-breaking projects that improve the quality of the urban environment and the life quality of our citizens‘.

México y Curitiba, finalistas para ser la Capital Mundial de Diseño 2018
oscar niemeyer museum, curitiba    

 

 

 

the WDC designation showcases design’s inextricable role in the solutions economy,’ explained mugendi m’rithaa, president of ICSID and member of the WDC selection committee. ‘both curitiba and mexico city have demonstrated innovative, design-led city development plans to address urban challenges and create a better world for their citizens.’
México y Curitiba, finalistas para ser la Capital Mundial de Diseño 2018

botanical garden in curitiba     

 

 

 

taipei is the 2016 world design capital. previous world design capitals have included: turin (italy) in 2008, seoul (south korea) in 2010, helsinki (finland) in 2012 and cape town (south africa) in 2014. the 2018 world design capital is being announced during the general assembly of ICSID in gwangju, south korea, on october 18.

 


click here to see the original story on designboom español, designboom’s spanish speaking sister site.