Department of Cultural Affairs

By Cherice Chen

The Helsinki Design Week in Finland concluded Sunday after ten days of exhibitions, workshops and markets. Taipei, which set up a booth there promoting the beauty of the city to the international world, has been taking steps in the bid for the 2016 World Design Capital through participating in this event, a representative of the city government said.

"This was the first time Taipei appeared in an international (design) event since we started our preparation for the next World Design Capital," said Liu Wei-gong, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government. "It was the first step in many that we will be taking over the next few years."

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) designated Helsinki as the World Design Capital for the year 2012. This biennial title recognizes a city's accomplishments in using design as a tool for social, cultural and economic development. Taipei, having successfully held several design exhibitions, is planning to implement a series of design programs in high hopes of winning the next World Design Capital title.

As part of the campaign the city government will hold the "Taipei Design City Expo Project" yearly as an official platform for designers. The government will soon start inviting design proposals from businesses and individuals that aim to better citizens' life. "Some may feel that we are facing a lot of problems in society, such as the economic downturn and aging population," Liu said. "Social designs are created to solve problems in real life, which is the thesis of a World Design Capital."

With an abundance of respected design talent, Taipei is well qualified as a role model in the worldwide design industries, Liu said. "There are many non-governmental groups contributing to Taipei's design power," he said, "but we are not just holding a big event, we want to create a 'discourse' that mobilizes citizens to communally improve the quality of life in Taipei."

24 hours+ Taipei

Helsinki Design Week was dedicated to bringing ordinary people closer to design. The theme, "Embedding Design in Life", was manifested in the Co-Creating Cable Factory where "24 hours+ Taipei" was exhibited. "24 hours+ Taipei" presented a microcosm of the vibrant life in Taipei to international visitors. Offered a cup of tea as a gesture of hospitality, viewers experienced 3 distinctive features of Taipei ― culture, creativity and co-creation. "24 hours+ Taipei" showcased more than 40 designs, from high end designer furniture and tea-ware to everyday memo pads, bringing together 24 hours in Taipei filled with rich culture, easily-accessible designs and advanced technologies.