The City of Rovaniemi has signed a collaboration agreement with International Design Foundation, the management organization of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project.
According to the new agreement, Rovaniemi will participate in the creation of contents and the production of programme components for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012.
Rovaniemi’s contribution will bring an Arctic perspective to the Design Capital Year’s programme.
“We value the City of Rovaniemi’s interest in participating in our Design Capital Year,” says Pekka Timonen, Director of International Design Foundation, pointing out, “Rovaniemi and the University of Lapland feature prominently on the design map of Finland.”
Arctic realities present enticing challenges to design from the perspectives of housing, construction, transport, wellbeing and tourism. The Arctic viewpoint to the Design Capital Year will be provided by the approximately 100 creative enterprises in Rovaniemi, the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland, and the University’s Faculty of Art and Design.
“Service design at the University of Lapland will make a special contribution to the Design Capital Year through the interaction of art and sciences,” says Mauri Ylä-Kotola, University of Lapland Rector. He explains, “The research conducted at our university can benefit industrial products and service concepts in all walks of life including tourism, welfare services, education, the cultural and service sectors, and the planning of accessible and safe environments.”
Juha Seppälä, CEO of the Rovaniemi development company Rovaniemen Kehitys Oy, expects the collaboration to raise the image of all Rovaniemi and awareness of the city as one of the design concentrations of Finland.
Seppälä says, “The Design Capital Year will open new national and international channels that we can use to attract new business in the creative industries to the city. We can use the year to activate enterprises and the public sector to utilize the know-how of design.”
More information:
World Design Capital Helsinki 2012:
www.wdchelsinki2012.fi
International Council of Societies of Industrial Design:
www.icsid.org
Pekka Timonen, Director of International Design Foundation
Tel. +358 50 337 4386, e-mail pekka.timonen (at) wdchelsinki2012.fi
Juha Seppälä, CEO, Rovaniemi development company Rovaniemen Kehitys Oy
Tel. +358 400 377 595, e-mail: juha.seppala (at) rovaniemi.fi
Mauri Ylä-Kotola, Rector, University of Lapland
Tel. +358 400 276 288
Preparation of WDC 2012 co-operation:
Päivi Tahkokallio, Tahkokallio Design+ Oy
Tel. +358 50 324 3517, e-mail: paivi (at) tahkokallio.fi