World Design Capital Taipei 2016 Plans Packed October for World's Design Devotees and Designers

WDC Taipei 2016 extends a warm invitation to participants and visitors from around the world to come and share their ideas and experiences, and bear witness to Taipei's transformation into a model city that incorporates design thinking into public policy.

"October will be a defining month for the World Design Capital Taipei 2016," says Pei-ni Beatrice Hsieh, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Taipei City Government. "It is an opportunity both to reflect on the progress we have already made and to ignite international dialogue with other cities; to share experience and expertise. This is a chance to define a legacy for WDC Taipei 2016 that will be felt long into the future."

The International Design House Exhibition will be held at Taipei City's historic Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, once home to a tobacco factory, from Thursday, October 13 to Monday, October 31. The Design House will bring together local and international designers, studios, and organizations to curate a series of thought-provoking exhibitions that will challenge visitors to reconsider their relationship with the urban environment and experience first-hand how design can radically change the world's cities.

An exhibition curated by Agua Zhou of Taipei-based studio Agua Design in the historical North Tobacco Factory, will showcase the results of innovative WDC Taipei 2016 projects, including the International Open Call and Designer in Residence Taipei programs, and explore the impact of Taipei City public planning and design policies.

In Warehouse One, curator Li Wei-Lang, the Creative Director of Afterain Design (Taiwan), will mount an exhibition showcasing breakthroughs and innovation in Taiwanese design, particularly in the fields of science and technology, art and craft, and sustainability. In Warehouse Two, Page Tsou, celebrated visual artist and founder of Taipei-based studio, Auspicious Design, has invited renowned illustrators and visual artists from around the world to exhibit works that reflect on their impressions of Taipei.

Warehouses Three and Four will be home to an international roster of exhibitors, with some participants hailing from cities that are past or future holders of the World Design Capital designation. The exhibition will explore the WDC Taipei 2016 theme of "Sisheng: Life Quality and Health, Ecological Sustainability, Smart Living, and Urban Regeneration." In Warehouse Five, renowned Taiwanese contemporary calligraphic artist Tong Yang-Tze will collaborate with up-and-coming Taiwanese fashion designers, and spatial and sound designers to create an interactive exhibition that will breathe new life into traditional Chinese calligraphy.

The International Design Policy Conference, which will be held on the weekend of October 15 and 16 at the Taipei International Convention Center, aims to explore how design thinking can be integrated into public policy. Policy experts, industry professionals, and academics will be invited to share their insights into and case studies on urban development through design.

The International Design Week Forum, which will be held on Monday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 18 at the Creativity Theater in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, will bring representatives from various design weeks and festivals around the world to contribute their insights into how cities can support and harness the innovation of designers. The second day will be open to the public. Participants will be able to access free entry to both the International Design Week Forum and the International Design Policy Conference in August. Follow WDC Taipei 2016 on Facebook for updates: https://www.facebook.com/taipeidesign/.

The final International Signature Event in the October series is the invitation-only Network of Cities Meeting. WDC Taipei 2016 organizers will invite mayors and city representatives from around the world to meet in Taipei, where together they will discuss WDC legacy programs, explore opportunities for collaboration, and share design-based solutions to the many civic and environmental challenges faced by cities around the globe.

High and low res images, along with caption details and supporting documents can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mnmhlvsevq72807/AABpT7Y07X7twUE4GCr4YAUza?dl=0

About WDC Taipei 2016

"Adaptive City -- Design in Motion" was Taipei City's core concept in its 2015 application to host World Design Capital 2016. How can we apply innovative "design thinking" practices to overcome the constraints that limited resources place on our city's development, pursue continual change in our urban governance, create happiness in the lives of our citizens -- providing them with a better quality of life in a more livable, forward-looking city? These are the goals for Taipei City. 2016 marks the beginning of an evolution for Taipei, where we will take advantage of the potential in change by "Engaging Communities," "Connecting Information," and "Revitalizing the City." For more information on WDC Taipei 2016, visit the official website http://wdc2016.taipei/en/, or follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/taipeidesign/.

About World Design Capital

World Design Capital® (WDC) is designated by Icsid every two years to recognize a city's innovative use of design for economic, social and cultural development and to showcase effective design-led urban revitalization strategies that other cities can benefit from. Past cities to hold the WDC title include Torino (Italy) in 2008, Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, and Cape Town (South Africa) 2014. Taipei (Taiwan) is this year's WDC, and Mexico City has just been named WDC 2018. For more information, please visit http://www.worlddesigncapital.com.

About the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) founded in 1957 that promotes the profession of industrial design. Icsid recently approved a name change, World Design Organization, to be implemented and celebrated during its 60th anniversary in 2017. Icsid advocates industrial design driven innovation that creates a better world, engaging our more than 140 member organizations in collaborative efforts and carrying out international programming -- World Design Capital®, World Design Impact Prize, World Industrial Design Day, and Interdesign. Icsid has United Nations Special Consultative Status. For more information, please visit http://www.icsid.org/.

Related Links

http://www.worlddesigncapital.com