246 > out the message that design has the power to change the world for the better.”
Africa makes a debut Africa was represented by two countries at the World Design Cities Summit in Seoul in February. The summit featured mayors from over 20 global cities discussing how cities can advance and grow through focussed design intervention. The SABS Design Institute hosted an Icsid board meeting in Cape Town in early 2009 and this gave Viljoen the opportunity to approach Cape Town to bid for the WDC 2014. This led to a Cape Town delegation attending the Cities Summit. Viljoen also suggested that the Icsid board approach other African cities to participate. The result was that the mayor of Nairobi, Kenya also participated in the Seoul event. Both cities made presentations at the summit and signed a Cities Design Declaration.
Targeting the youth Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park designed by Zaha Hadid.
Zaha Hadid and Mayor Oh Se-hoon at the ground breaking ceremony of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park on 28 April 2009.
One of the aspects of Seoul’s approach that Viljoen found most impressive was the emphasis on the youth – with programmes specifically aimed at the 15 to 25 age group. Through a rich combination of rediscovery of the old and a view towards the new, the Seoul Design Assets Exhibition at the Seoul History Museum presented 600 years’ of design history as it combines with advanced IT technologies such as 3D holograms, multimedia, and audiovisual presentations. The exhibition enabled viewers to re-evaluate the traditions and values of Seoul design and offered an opportunity to promote the identity and superiority of Seoul design going forward. Additionally, July will see an interdesign workshop for domestic and internationally emerging designers. On