UNESCO Creative Cities Network Helsinki UNESCO City of Design Report 2014—2018 What distinguishes Executive summary Helsinki as a City of The current report has been prepared by design and utilization of design thinking in the the City of Helsinki for the UNESCO Creative development of the city. The report presents Design Cities Network as a Membership Monitoring Helsinki’s design initiatives both at local and Report to describe the activities of Helsinki international levels and Helsinki’s contribution as a City of Design, so designated by the to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as well UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2014. The as the international community at large. report describes Helsinki’s commitment to Design is said to be in the DNA of Finland as a dent in good public transport and other public nation. This is manifest most clearly in Helsinki, services. It is evident as a well-functioning Finland’s design hotspot, the World Design city: a city where people can lead rewarding Capital of 2012 and UNESCO’s designated City lives in every area, where all schools are good, Table of Contents of Design since 2014. where all areas are developed on an equal basis to create pleasant environments. 2 What distinguishes Helsinki as a City of Design Helsinki is home to the main design insti- 3 Executive summary tutions and organizations of Finland – from But design is even more in Helsinki. It is not 4 Helsinki’s contribution to the global operations of UNESCO Creative Cities Network design schools to museums to industry only what it has produced but what more it 5 Helsinki’s local activities to achieve the objectives of the UNESCO Creative Cities associations – and it is the creative hub of can produce. Design in the city is an attitude. Network as a City of Design Finland with the vast amount of the nation’s It has its own identity marked by participation 6 Major initiatives implemented by Helsinki at local level in 2014–2018 design talent concentrated in the city. The city and openness. It is manifest as great talent, 13 Major initiatives implemented by Helsinki through inter-city co-operation is the place to experience good design in the powerful doers and interaction that together 17 Helsinki’s proposed action plan for the next four years cityscape, in exhibitions, with installations and build a community capable of creating things 21 Plan for communications and awareness in special events. far bigger than themselves. 22 Annex Good design is all around us in Helsinki. It is Design in Helsinki is design for people, with evident in harmonious neighbourhoods that people, putting their needs and desires first. each have their own distinct identity. It is evi- Design in Helsinki is quintessentially humane. General Information City: Helsinki Country: Finland Creative field: Design Time of designation: November 2014 Submission of report: Report for 2014–2018 submitted 30 November 2018 Report prepared by: Office of Economic Development, City Executive Office, City of Helsinki Previous reports: The current report is the first City of Design report submitted by Helsinki. Contact: Anu Mänttäri, Development Manager Office of Economic Development, City Executive Office, City of Helsinki Phone +358 40 673 5335 E-mail: [email protected] 2 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 3 Helsinki’s contribution to Helsinki’s local activities the global operations of to achieve the objectives UNESCO Creative Cities of the UNESCO Creative Network Cities Network as a City of Design Helsinki has contributed to the UNESCO as part of Helsinki Design Week. This event Creative Cities Network (UCCN) by attending, focused on the ways that design can help organizing and hosting a number of network the public sector improve their management meetings in 2015–2018. policies and practices. The event included a panel discussion and a workshop to identify Helsinki is committed to the use design expertise in design over the past ten years. Helsinki attended the following UCCN annual systemic problems in public sector manage- in building better and sustainable society, The City has evolved from viewing design meetings: Kanazawa 2015, Östersund 2016, ment, chaired by Brenton Caffin of British convinced that design plays a crucial role in as a tool for the built environment to design Enghien Les-Bains 2017 and Krakow-Katowice innovation charity Nesta. finding optimal solutions in cities. Helsinki re- thinking, which is now incorporated into man- 2018. At all these meetings, Helsinki partici- lies on design to achieve its strategic goals in agement processes and service production. pated actively in the exhibitions, panels and Helsinki hosted DesignCommons, a major seeking to be the world’s most functional city. Service design should be an integral part of workshops organized by the hosts. summit of Design Weeks on 14 September As a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities all processes to develop services for citizens, 2017, as part of Helsinki Design Week. At the Network, Helsinki contributes to the co-crea- in order to ensure that the services fulfill true Helsinki organized its first UCCN event on 7 summit, Helsinki emphasized its new strategic tion of solutions to global urban challenges in needs of their users. Design thinking has September 2015 as part of the Helsinki Design goal to be the world’s most functional city and collaboration with other network cities. already been applied in more than 200 City Week’s official programme, with represent- how design, together with digitalization and projects. atives of other UNESCO Cities of Design dialogue, helps Helsinki to achieve the goal. Design is rooted deep in Finnish society. attending: under the titleHow Can Design After the launch in Helsinki, DesignCommons Design has played a major role in defining and Helsinki sees design as a strategic strength Change a City, the event explored how cities events would later be held at design weeks building Finnish identity and the nation. Today, and utilizes design at the strategic level in city can solve their current and future challenges worldwide. DesignCommons is produced by good design is present in the everyday lives administration. As proof, Helsinki appointed a with design. As the world’s population living Helsinki Design Week and Design Indaba of of citizens, ranging from utilitarian objects Chief Design Officer in 2016. in cities is estimated to grow from more than Africa. at home to well-designed neighbourhoods. 50% at present to 70% by 2050, cities will Design has emerged as a powerful force “The citizens of Helsinki possess both the will face challenges in transport, housing, energy Helsinki has supported the operations of in Finland’s public sector to maintain and and the ability to develop the user experience production and services. With the event, Hel- UCCN by providing the graphic design for improve services to citizens. Design is utilized of their city, to make a good city, and they take sinki underscored how the designation as a the network bulletin of 2017. Helsinki has also by Finnish businesses to boost their competi- ownership in their city. The City organization UNESCO City of Design strengthens Helsinki’s supported UCCN by participating in the eval- tiveness in the global marketplace. wants to be oriented to the users – that is, the position to help solve global urban challenges uation of network membership applications in citizens. Helsinki seeks to be constantly im- with design. 2017 (a total of 12 applications). The City of Helsinki has systematically built proving for every citizen,” says Helsinki Mayor awareness of the power of design and its own Jan Vapaavuori. Two days later, on 9 September 2015, Helsinki organized a Design Driven Society event, also 4 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 5 Major initiatives implemented by Helsinki at local level in 2014–2018 Design Driven City 1. Using empathy to bring in the humane: 2013–2015 Design brings forth the needs and view- points of citizens. Design could create joy Description: and completely new benefits to users! Design Driven City was a two-year programme 2. Increasing participatory co-design pro- to carry on the legacy of World Design Capital cesses: Design offers people easy and Helsinki 2012. The programme was managed inspiring means for co-design. Co-design by International Design Foundation, founded brings together diverse areas of exper- by the City of Helsinki. The strategic goal of the tise and experts! programme was increasing design thinking in 3. Visualizing possibilities and shared the processes of the participating cities (Hel- futures: Design helps to turn plans and Design Driven City worked as a facilitator between the planners and the users of the city. sinki, Espoo, Lahti and Kauniainen) and the visions into joint and concrete action. Finnish Government, as well as creating new Communication flows into two directions, demand for the expertise of designers in the from developers to users and back! public sector. Design Driven City’s three City 4. Developing through experiments: Design Designers played key roles in the programme helps us to proceed and to improve Outcomes and partnerships: Web publication to educate public sector actors in the use of continuously through experiments. The The Design Driven City programme, with its 3 design. Design Driven City actively advised the value of experimentation is in the lessons designated City Designers, held 60 Help and 2015–2018: Design public sector and promoted design through learnt from it, so it should never be used Inquiries counselling sessions for Helsinki Stories from Helsinki active participation in public discourse. in the development of a city as a synonym City units, guiding them in the use of design. to lack of discipline. The results should The project helped to embed design in 15 City Description: Background: always be evaluated! development projects and created a Design Design Stories from Helsinki is an online Rather than being the machinery for bureau- Agents network consisting of designers and publication launched in 2015.