UNESCO 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 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. It describes how cratic local government, the City of Helsinki 500 City employees. design can change the world. It presents best is today a platform for service creation. This “Cities are for users. Cities need practices and illustrates the impact of co-cre- platform is built on the same principles as design in order to function. Design ation in the development of public services underlie the success of traditional Finnish “Youth homelessness isn’t solved through projects implemented in Helsinki us- design: usability that improves people’s every- creates better services for residents. by focusing on buildings and walls, ing design thinking to create new solutions for day lives, functionality, affordability and high A functional city is a good city.” but through design experiments a better city. The objective of the publication ecological standards – without compromising – 4 of the 10 theses of Design is to raise awareness of the power of design high aesthetic qualities. and finding possibilities within com- Driven City thinking. Many of the projects presented as munities.” – The Design Driven City case studies were initiated during the Design Design complements the City’s diverse project A Home That Fits Driven City programme and developed with expertise. The Design Driven City programme the help of the programme’s City Designers. analysed the added value provided by design as follows:

6 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 7 “In Finland, design has always belon- service that can revolutionize public Helsinki Design Path for Helsinki Design Path for Schools walks the ged to everyone. These stories are transport. Using Helsinki as a develop- users through the various stages of design ment platform, Kutsuplus has evolved into Schools 2016 thinking, explaining what each stage means about how design can also be a key new transport concepts in other cities. and suggesting what concrete action to take. method in building a better city.” • The Future of Trams is an information de- Description: sign project that explains to the general Design thinking in Helsinki is not only a tool for 1. Challenge: A design process starts with Selected case studies illustrating the power of public in plain language and with clear the public and private sectors to improve their a challenge to solve. Illustrate the chal- design thinking (please see the publication for visuals what the upcoming complicated operations, services and products. Design lenge, make lists of causes, shortages, more case studies): changes in the Helsinki tram system are thinking is also a method for educating our expertise needed, who is affected and and how to use the system. children. It helps schools to meet their goals targets of action! • Helsinki used the methods of design in • Helsinki Central Library Oodi, a major in developing transversal skills (21st century 2. Observation: What attempts have there the public bid for a new City Bike bike- new public library in the Helsinki city skills), such as learning to learn and partici- been to solve the challenge before? Visu- share programme to select bikes that centre, was developed with active partici- pation. In essence, design thinking is a tool for alize the challenge, interview key people, would best meet the needs and desires pation of customers to design service problem solving to build a sustainable future. research, put yourself in the place of the of users. concepts for a contemporary library and user! • Ohjaamo is a new type of youth guidance library of the future. Finland adopted a new national curriculum for 3. Ideation: This is the brainstorming stage. service that has put all service desks and comprehensive schools in 2016, emphasizing Record, document and illustrate ideas! application processes into one place. Outcomes and partnerships: active involvement of students, meaningful- Share ideas and gather feedback! Ohjaamo was designed in collaboration Design Stories from Helsinki encourages oth- ness and joy of learning, and school cultures 4. Experimentation: Ideas should be tested with young people, to make sure that it er players in Helsinki and in other cities world- promoting interaction between students and so that they can be refined. Collect ex- best serves its users. wide to use design thinking as a creative force teachers. At that time, the City of Helsinki periences, ask for critique, produce and • The new Kalasatama area of Helsinki is in cities. By disseminating best practices, the Education Department and Finnish design or- test prototypes, and study similar ideas developed as a smart city district with publication seeks to strengthen sustainable ganizations produced a tool to be used in the and how they worked! the help of agile pilot projects with local urban development. development of schoolwork, Helsinki Design 5. Plan: An idea can’t be realized without residents and businesses to test new Path for Schools. This is a hands-on guide for a plan. Prepare models, drawings and urban living and business concepts. Design Stories from Helsinki: https://www. applying the methods of design in schools. The definitions! • Kutsuplus was an on-demand bus-ride muotoilutarinat.fi/en/ guide is an instrument for solving everyday 6. Implementation: What steps to take? challenges and for developing instruction and What outside help do we need? Make learning environments. lists of resources!

The success of the Helsinki metropolitan City Bikes bike-share programme has exceeded expectations. On average, each Helsinki Design Path for Schools was co-designed together with teachers and key experts in education and design. bike is used for 9 journeys per day in Helsinki; the international average is 4 journeys.

8 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 9 7. Evaluation: A vital part of any design activities to develop City services with design process is evaluation. How did we do? and the people behind the design processes. What could have been done differently? The exhibition underscored how Helsinki in- Discuss, compare, document, measure, tegrates design, digitalization and continuous publish! dialogue with citizens. International Discus- sion on How to Increase Participation was Outcomes and partnerships: arranged in conjunction with the exhibition to Helsinki Design Path for Schools brought to- the fellow . gether key experts in education and design to co-create new applications of design thinking. “The players of Helsinki Participation By taking design thinking to schools and chil- Game are City staff but the winners dren, they expanded the relevance of creative approaches in society. are citizens.”

Helsinki Design Path for Schools: https:// Outcomes and partnerships: www.hel.fi/static/liitteet/kanslia/Design_Path_ Helsinki Participation Game helps the Helsinki for_Schools.pdf City staff to understand what public participa- tion can be and how to apply citizen engage- ment methods in their work. Wide interna- Helsinki Participation Model tional interest in the game helps to increase and Participation Game 2017 awareness of the importance of open dialogue with citizens and how design can be used Description: holistically to produce a public participation The Helsinki City Strategy states that Helsinki model. Helsinki has published Helsinki Partic- strengthens its position as an international ipation Game and related materials under the forerunner in inclusion and transparency. To Creative Commons Licence and shared them achieve this strategic objective, Helsinki has with several UCCN cities. Helsinki Participa- built a model for public participation, which tion Game is also available as a digital version, taps into the knowhow and skills of citizens which can be used to realize the goals of and local communities. By integrating those participatory budgeting in Helsinki. with the capabilities of the City organization, Helsinki Participation Game: https://www.hel. as well as by enabling citizen activity and The City of Helsinki Participation Game helps City employees consider how operations and services could be developed in fi/helsinki/en/administration/participate/chan- by ensuring equal opportunities for all to better co-operation with residents. participate, Helsinki can build a better society, nels/participation-model/participation-game/ counteracting polarization and social exclu- sion of citizens. Helsinki Lab 2017–2018 Helsinki Lab: how to make the area an open, inclusive and engaging urban space for citizens, The Helsinki City administration has co-de- Description: • Promotes design thinking in city devel- stakeholders and the staff. signed a board game for City employees, According to the Helsinki City Strategy, a good opment • Social and public health care services: entitled Helsinki Participation Game. The user experience of the city to its citizens is • Provides a Help Desk for City of Helsinki The service design project creates a new game board presents elements of public par- created through a combination of design, dig- units in the procurement of professional model for designing spaces for the needs ticipation in the daily work of City employees, italization and dialogue. This strategic goal is design services of City social and health care services and the playing cards contain elements for pursued with the help of Helsinki Lab. The lab • Serves as a platform for knowledge ensuring customer orientation and the engaging citizens. By playing the game, players is both a developer community and an open sharing and learning best possible user experience. gain better understanding of citizen engage- city laboratory where various city develop- • Combines design, digitalization and • Education: The co-design project pro- ment in the development of City services, and ment projects meet. The lab seeks to ensure dialogue in order to create a better user duces a manual of phenomenon-based they can test different engagement methods. the utilization of design and user orientation experience of the city learning through cooperation among stu- The development and active use of the game in development projects. The lab is a window dents, teachers and parents. The project by diverse City units illustrate how the City to the use of design in the City organization Helsinki Lab spearhead projects: analyses good practices and compiles utilizes design in a systemic change process. and enables external partners to join City experiences with phenomenon-based units for co-creation. Helsinki Lab has had an • City Hall lobby: The co-design project learning. An exhibition on display at the Helsinki City operational base in the lobby, creates a new concept for the area of en- • Education: The service design project Hall during Helsinki Design Week 2018, which has been an open working environment trance to the City Government building; has produced a digital path to enter The City Shaped by People, highlighted the for the partners and citizens.

10 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 11 school afternoon activities. The digital providers are to produce a better user experi- path is a prototype that can be used as a ence of City services, to produce increasingly model to design digital services in other functional and user-oriented public spaces, Major initiatives education services. to improve City processes, and to support the City’s organizational change. “Helsinki combines design, digitaliza- implemented by Helsinki tion and dialogue to create a good Outcomes and partnerships: Helsinki Lab offers counselling to City units on user experience of the city to its how to use design for the best impact. The lab citizens.” – Helsinki City Strategy has selected design service providers for use through inter-city by all City units. It promotes the use of design The City of Helsinki applies a Service Design by advocating the added value produced by Partnership Agreement 2018–2022 in the design, and it collaborates with universities. co-operation procurement of professional design services Helsinki has exchanged benchmark informa- that enable City units to respond to citizen tion related to Helsinki Lab with several UCCN needs under the pressures of our fast-moving cities. world. The goals with the use of service design Helsinki at Design Week 2015: • Helsinki – A Design Driven City, Laura Aalto and Anu Mänttäri, Senior Special- Case study Helsinki: How to ist and Coordinator of UNESCO City of make better cities Design at the City of Helsinki Office of Economic Development Description: • Design in the City of Helsinki, Pablo Ri- Helsinki Lab is both a developer community and an open city laboratory where various city development projects meet. Bilbao became a member of the UNESCO quelme, a City Designer for Design Driv- Creative Cities Network and a UNESCO City of en City, International Design Foundation Design together with Helsinki in 2014. Bilbao • Building the Future – Architecture and hosts an annual design week entitled Bilbao Design Education to Children, Pihla Bizkaia D Week, which focuses on creative Meskanen, Director, Arkki School of industries at large. Helsinki attended the first Architecture for Children and Youth edition of the design week in 2015, invited to • Helsinki Design Week – Demonstrating the week as a guest of honour to present De- the Change, Kari Korkman, CEO and sign Stories from Helsinki – the role of design Founder, Helsinki Design Week in making better cities. Helsinki contributed • Designing the New Central Library of to Bilbao Bizkaia D Week 2015 by organizing Helsinki, Pirjo Lipasti, City of Helsinki a professional seminar, Cities & Design 2015, under the theme Design Stories from Helsinki, Helsinki Cultural Dinner, the Helsinki food as well as a Helsinki food event. event at Bilbao Bizkaia D Week 2015, was held at a pop-up restaurant at the Azkuna “Helsinki is changing and design is the key Zentroa cultural centre as part of the design driver for the change,” said Laura Aalto, week’s Urban Cities programme. The event Director of Communications for International was organized by Cultural Kitchen of Finland. Design Foundation’s Design Driven City pro- It presented Finnish creative talent ranging gramme, in her address to the Cities & Design from culinary arts to interior design to music. 2015 seminar. She shared with the audience The dinner gathered together opinion leaders Helsinki’s experiences in the powerful role of representing design and urban culture. design in urban development and presented the Helsinki region’s service design projects. The menu was created by Finnish Master Chef Sami Tallberg known for his creative use of Cities & Design 2015 seminar contributions wild herbs, and the audience was entertained from Helsinki: by singer-songwriter Iisa. The design partners

12 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 13 were highly visible at the event. The dining ex- According to the organizers of the Designing perience was enhanced by design items from Future Cities seminar, “New ways of using Lokal, unique LED lights by Marjukka Takala, design have become a topic in public sector Diina shot glasses by Markku Salo, and Finlay- development. Fully embracing the creative son textiles used to create a costume for Iisa, and transformative power of design requires napkins and goodie bags. the courage to do things differently, includ- ing using trial and error. Harnessing design Outcomes and international collaboration: methods and thinking has a great potential The event highlighted the variety of Helsinki’s in developing cities and public services. The creative sectors. They joined forces with local ultimate goal is to create a better life.” creators and, for instance, the food served at Helsinki Cultural Dinner was prepared by local Helsinki and focused in their chefs. Master Chef Tallberg also held a Fusion seminar presentations on the role of design in Gastronomic Master Class for the students of the evolution of their cities. Helsinki pre- the culinary schools in Bizkaia. sented case studies highlighting the ways in which Helsinki has systematically used Helsinki at Singapore Week of Innovation and design to transform the city. The DesignSin- Technology 2017: gapore Council presented the new vision for Singapore, laid out in the DesignSingapore Council’s Design 2025 master plan, and the Designing better life: Helsinki role of design in the plan. events focusing on solutions Outcomes and international collaboration: Description: Helsinki’s presentation at SWITCH raised Helsinki joined the Singapore Week of Innova- awareness of the varied creative solutions tion and Technology SWITCH of 2017, present- available to cities in preparing themselves for ing Helsinki’s strengths in Smart & Clean, the the future. Helsinki and Singapore strength- maritime technology, the health technology, ened their mutual relations through the collab- The City of Helsinki seeks to integrate design 2015. The Arabia Comprehensive School is a education and design in a four-day series oration of the DesignSingapore Council and education into the comprehensive school partner school of Design Museum of Finland; of B2B events themed Helsinki – Designing Aalto University. curriculum. The City school administration for example, the school joined the production Better Life, 18–21 September 2017. The events emphasizes that design thinking increases of the museum exhibition Century of the Child were joined by close to 100 Finnish enterpris- students’ problem solving abilities and de- (2015–2016). es, half of them startups, which presented Design education in Helsinki: velops creativity. Design thinking helps to im- themselves at Slush Singapore, an extension Equipping children for the prove learning environments, teaching and the Helsinki Design Week 2015 took designers to of the Slush mega event for startups and content of subject studies. So design helps schools in an effort to promote design edu- investors held annually in Helsinki. The Hel- future schools to provide students with the skills that cation for 3–6 graders, and Design Museum sinki events consisted of discussion forums, they will need in the future’s workplace and offered schools free-of-charge programme Description: workshops and seminars, which brought society. during the week. Helsinki Design Week 2015 In addition to Helsinki schools, a number of together leaders and experts from Helsinki reached tens of comprehensive schools and Finnish design-related organizations have and Singapore. Design education in Helsinki comprehensive hundreds of students. advanced various design education initiatives schools is not limited to visual art studies in Helsinki during 2014–2018. These organiza- Helsinki presented its strengths in design but permeates all areas of schoolwork. For Over years, Helsinki Design Week has system- tions include the City of Helsinki’s Annantalo together with Singapore, both UNESCO Cities example, a Helsinki school class used design atically stepped up its offering for children and Cultural Centre for Children and Young Peo- of Design, at a SWITCH seminar entitled methods to produce a plan and symbol for the young people. The 2018 design week expanded ple, Arkki School of Architecture for Children Designing Future Cities: Service Design and school’s sports day. the offering into a full Children’s Design Week, and Young People, The Finnish Association Design Thinking for a Better Life. The half-day which included creative content for children, of Design Learning Suomu, Design Museum, seminar on 20 September 2017 was organized The Arabia Comprehensive School of Helsinki raised their awareness of the built environ- Museum of Finnish Architecture and The by the Executive Education Academy of Aalto has a special emphasis on design. The school ment and promoted design education. Events Finnish Association of Designers Ornamo. Hel- University of Finland, the City of Helsinki and organizes design-focused afternoon activities were organized throughout the city including sinki Design Week organizes a major design the DesignSingapore Council. It was aimed at for 3–6 graders, “Children’s Academy of De- the City Hall. education programme annually in connection producing concrete ideas and sharing solu- sign”. Among its many projects, the academy with the festival. tions for building a better future in cities with held an ideation session on the design of Phenomenon-based learning is a key learning the help of design. hospital clothing for New Children’s Hospi- concept in Helsinki comprehensive schools. tal in Helsinki at the Habitare design fair of (This is learning in which students study

14 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 15 a theme in a holistic manner rather than presents its education policies, practices and through a subject-based approach.) The successes on the global arena, such as in Executive Director of the City of Helsinki connection with SWITCH 2017 in Singapore. Helsinki’s proposed Education Division, Liisa Pohjolainen, was To disseminate best practices in education, presented with the highly esteemed Helsinki Helsinki launched Helsinki Education Week in Design Award in 2017 for promoting phenom- November 2018 in partnership with HundrED, action plan for the next enon-based learning in Helsinki. Helsinki is an organization that advances excellence in currently producing a manual of phenom- education. By integrating design education enon-based learning through a co-design into its school curriculum and by taking its process. best practices around the world, Helsinki four years helps to make design part of the toolkit that Outcomes and international collaboration: equips the children of the world for the future. Helsinki attracts global interest as one of the leaders in education. Helsinki actively Design is embedded in the Helsinki City the winning entry to an open international Strategy 2017–2021: competition that received 544 proposals.

Helsinki’s vision is to be the world’s most In addition to producing an architecturally out- functional city. In pursuing this vision, Helsinki standing public library, the library project has seeks to create the best conditions possible focused on producing an inclusive, user-ori- for urban life. A functional city means concrete ented urban space and new types of library actions and choices that make everyday life services. The library functions and services smoother. are outcomes of a long design process, which was based on design thinking and incorporat- Comprehensive understanding of design and ed service design. its possibilities is among the key qualities that The Children’s Urban Research Lab used the City Hall lobby as a classroom during Helsinki Design Week 2018. The lab explored the surrounding urban environment as designers do in order to mold behaviour, movement and actions. create conditions both for a stimulating every- Representatives of a broad range of commu- day life in Helsinki and for finding solutions to nities from education to digitalization as well major global challenges. as opinion leaders gathered together in work- shops to brainstorm for library contents. The Design is a significant distinguishing factor feedback and ideas were analysed and utilized that makes Helsinki stand out internationally. to draw up the library project plan. Helsinki strengthens its international profile as a design metropolis. A good user expe- Helsinki City Library invited citizens to share rience of the city to its citizens is created their wishes for library services, for example, through a combination of design, digitalization by posting them on a Tree of Dreams in 2012. and dialogue. In the same year, Helsinki City Library tested participatory budgeting, in which residents could decide which pilot test could receive 100,000 euros in funding. Citizens were Local initiatives with invited to propose a name for the library, and international dimensions the proposal Oodi was selected. Friends of the Central Library was a participatory pilot Helsinki Central Library Oodi: project for community development, in which 28 user developers offered their inputs for the Library Oodi is a major new public library lo- library’s design from the user perspective. cated in the heart of Helsinki. The library is the flagship of the Helsinki City Library function. To finalize the library concept, service design Oodi will both serve as a traditional library and professionals produced spatial solutions and foster digital culture. Many services rely on plans to bundle services. Service design was robotics and artificial intelligence. The library used in the design of the signs and the furni- building is an architectural landmark designed ture, as well as the placement of the library’s by ALA Architects of Helsinki. The design was materials.

16 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 17 Helsinki Biennale: future, as presented in The UN Sustainable Development Goals. Helsinki has established an international maritime biennale for contemporary art, to By collecting case studies and by organizing be held on Helsinki seafronts and islands. a “teachers and educators” meeting in the The first edition of Helsinki Biennale will be spring 2019, the cities can initiate new design held in 2020. The location will be , a education “city experiments” with schools in recreational island in Helsinki. Helsinki Bien- Creative Cities. The experiments will be a pow- nale is curated by HAM. erful way of sharing experiences and exper- “Helsinki Biennale will strengthen Helsinki as tise within Creative Cities. These experiments, a versatile and international cultural city,” says which could also be called urban laboratories, HAM Director Maija Tanninen-Mattila. will give rise to a new way of thinking about the possibilities offered by design to education The biennale will invite artists to create tem- systems, as well as highlighting the potential porary artworks. The maritime biennale dis- of urban areas used as learning environments. plays will be complemented by a programme For instance, the whole city is viewed as one produced by several other organizations and big classroom in Helsinki, and design thinking implemented throughout the city. is a tool for and an essential part of phenome- non-based learning. Initiatives at international “The basic idea of design and level design-driven education is that Citizens’ dreams helped build the new library long before the building construction started. UNESCO Cities of Design – International students and teachers participate collaboration in design education together in the planning, implementa- tion and evaluation of learning proje- Background: cts. It emphasizes the comprehensi- “I began experiencing ownership of the Finnish architectural and design heritage, Recent years have witnessed a growing ve, phenomena-based and creative the city, and for the first time in my through education, and by promoting the pow- interest in design as a promising pedagogical er of architecture and design to affect change. nature of learning and recognises life I felt I was truly a Helsinkian.” framework to meet the requirements of 21st century learning (Heikkilä, Vuopala & that ICT can enhance these kinds of – A Friend of the Central Library Helsinki Design Week: Leinonen, 2017; Vartiainen, 2014). Current learning processes.” research (Vartiainen 2014; Griffin – Source: Heikkilä, A-S., Vuopala, E., Museum of architecture and design: Helsinki Design Week is an annual design et. al. 2012) suggests that learning should be festival, which presents design on a broad more active, evidence-based and confront & Leinonen, T. 2017 A major new architecture and design museum basis – architecture, fashion, industrial design, real-life situations and problems. complex is expected to go under development service design and urban design. The design The project will be presented to all Creative in Helsinki. The new museum would be the fo- week comprises more than 250 events and The Cities of Helsinki and of have Cities as an example of new ways of using cal point of presenting Finland’s achievements attracts a total audience of up to 170,000. The initiated international collaboration aiming to creativity to build a more sustainable future. in architecture and design. It would replace programme is produced by Helsinki Design “create more creative and sustainable cities The case studies and lessons learned will be the current Museum of Finnish Architecture Week in cooperation with other design organ- by nurturing and utilizing the design mindsets published in 2019 at https://www.designcities. and Design Museum. The new museum is izations, educational institutions, businesses, of children”. The development of the collabora- net/. proposed to be located in a new building. designers and the City of Helsinki. Apart from tion started in Krakow in 2018 and will contin- the festival, Helsinki Design Week organizes ue throughout 2019. The partners have begun Estimated budget to The objectives of the new museum should be domestic and international events, and it the collaboration by collecting case studies in to attract and to speak to wide audiences; to publishes Helsinki Design Weekly, which is order to share information on design educa- implement proposed act as a databank for architecture and design; an international online publication. Helsinki tion and learning with participating cities. The action plan to act as a learning environment; to be a new Design Week promotes international exchange focus is on children and youth. The cities are visitor attraction in Helsinki; and to inspire and supports the role of Helsinki as a global requested to share experiences and lessons The City of Helsinki budgeting is done one dialogue. The museum would benefit all of Fin- forerunner in design. learned from each other. The case studies year at the time according to the resources land and the global community by preserving will also underscore that design education is allocated to the City. The use of design, and a means to work towards a more sustainable

18 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 19 thus the UNESCO City of Design operations, • Helsinki Design Week: City of Helsinki are embedded within the development pro- annual support EUR 80,000 jects done by the different disciplines of the • International Collaboration (including Plan for communications City organization. The development by using topics such as Design Education): EUR design, digitalization and dialogue as tools are 30,000 supported by the services of Helsinki Lab. The • Design projects including Helsinki Lab: and awareness proposed action plan highlights some of the EUR 500,000 functions and creative development related to design. The annual approximate budgets are to be confirmed: Design and architecture have always been key The City of Helsinki produces several print themes in the City of Helsinki communications publications that include design content: and public affairs. In recent years, service design and design thinking have been increas- • Helsinki-info (to be named Helsinki-leh- ingly brought up in the City communication ti as of 1 January 2019) is a quarterly channels, which include the following: newspaper distributed to all Helsinki households free of charge. • www.hel.fi: The City of Helsinki website • Helsingin Henki is the City’s employee covers comprehensively all affairs of the magazine. City and includes an active newsroom • Helsinki News is an international news covering current affairs and the latest bulletin. Key highlights of Helsinki’s journey as a design city. news from the City. The main site is pub- • Helsinki Marketing produces various lished in three languages (Finnish, Swed- publications for international audiences. ish and English), and there is content for immigrants and travellers in close to ten The City of Helsinki conducts international other languages. media relations campaigns and hires media • www.hel.fi/designhelsinki: The Design agents for selected international markets. Helsinki pages compile all design-relat- Design and architecture, as well as other ed aspects of Helsinki into a compact creative sectors of Helsinki, are constant and presentation. important themes in the media relations work. • www.myhelsinki.fi: The website is main- tained by the City of Helsinki marketing Many design partners of the City of Helsinki company Helsinki Marketing. It provides have their own online communication chan- information on Helsinki to visitors and in- nels: ternational audiences. Design is featured prominently on the site. • designdistrict.fi: Design District is a dis- • www.muotoilutarinat.fi: Design Stories trict of Helsinki with a high concentration from Helsinki is a web publication that of design. describes through case studies and • www.helsinkidesignweek.com: The web- with articles how design can change the site of Helsinki Design Week is also home world. to Helsinki Design Weekly, an online international design publication. The City of Helsinki social media channels are • www.ornamo.fi: This is a website of used extensively to publish design-related The Finnish Association of Designers content: Ornamo. • www.designcities.net: Helsinki as a City • Twitter:twitter.com/helviestinta and of Design is featured on the website of twitter.com/elohelsinki the Cities of Design Network. • Facebook: City of Helsinki

20 — City of Helsinki www.designcities.net/city/helsinki — 21 Annex

Creative City Helsinki The Finnish Association of Designers Ornamo states that the use of design is expanding to Statistical highlights all sectors of the economy, which is manifest as growth in intangible design and as growth Helsinki is a city that belongs to citizens. It is a in strategic design in service industries. unique mixture of urban life and nature: Growth areas making efficient use of design include digital content and game development. • 40% of land area is publicly accessible Service design, a concept that has emerged to green areas general awareness in the 2000s, emphasizes • 123 km of shoreline, almost all of it pub- the use of design thinking in service pro- licly accessible duction. Helsinki has been a pioneer among cities in the use of service design in the public Helsinki serves its population of 643,000 and sector. 1,181,000 international visitors per year with Finland’s highest concentration of culture: The following numeric data from 2016 on the Finnish design sector are from a survey by • 3 national museums Ornamo: • 70 other museums • 69 listed theaters The total sales of Finnish design enterprises • 9 multi-use cultural centres were EUR 10.7 billion in 2016. The trend is • Over 200 annual cultural festivals and clear: services show growth, manufacture events shows a decline. • 40 publicly funded libraries • 7,114,000 library loans every year Segments of Finnish design sector from biggest to smallest measured by total sales Helsinki as the creative hub of Finland in 2016:

Depending on the criteria used in the defini- • Digital design, total sales EUR 6.65 billion tion, Helsinki is home to 27% of enterprises, (up by 82.5% from the previous year) 30% of personnel and 33% of sales (2016) in • Architecture and landscape manage- the Finnish creative sector. The fields most ment, total sales EUR 635 million (up by heavily focused in Helsinki are film, television, 18.3%) radio, graphic design and industrial design. • Design services providers, total sales The definition of creative industries in Finland EUR 233 million (up by 38.2%) differs highly from the definitions used in • Art, total sales EUR 75 million (up by other countries, so reliable comparative data 16.4%) is not available. • Design products manufacture, total sales EUR 3.1 million (down by 3%, the Design sector in Finland only segment of the design sector that showed a decline) Finland’s latest national design programme of 2013 does not provide a definition of design Finnish design enterprises are small in size. but states that the concept of design has 71% of the enterprises employed less than expanded from traditional design, that is, 2 persons on average in 2016. 8% of the product and industrial design, to services and enterprises employed 10 people or more. other areas included in intangible property All industries included in the Finnish design rights. sector employed a total of 55,000 people, Photo credits: Page 1 Joel Pallaskorpi, p. 2 Tuomas Uusheimo, according to Statistics Finland. This was 2.3% p. 7 Kalle Kataila, p. 8 City of Helsinki Materials Bank, p. 9 Susa of the total workforce. Junnola, p. 12 Anu Mänttäri, p. 15 https://www.un.org/sustain- abledevelopment/news/communications-material/, p. 16 Marja 22 — City of Helsinki Väänänen, p. 18 ALAwww.designcities.net/city/helsinki Architects, p. 23 Lauri Rotko — 23 City of Helsinki City Executive Office Office of Economic Development