2018 International Design Forum in Taiwan takes place today (13th) and tomorrow at the Splendor Hotel Taichung. The theme of the forum is “City Transformation – Design Future Cities” that explores design and city management, local creation, city aesthetics, and service design. Mayor, Chia-Lung Lin, and Keelung City Mayor, Youchang Lin, engaged in conversations as city mayors to talk about the relationship between design and urban development. Mayor Lin also signed Declaration of Taichung with Deputy Mayor of Cape Town in South Africa, Ian Neilson, to promote the spirit of World Flora Exposition in the hope of attracting more international visitors to the Exposition.
Today(13th) was the opening of International Design Forum. Mayor, Chia-Lung Lin signed the Declaration of Taichung with Deputy Mayor of South Africa’s Cape Town, which was the 2014 World Design Capital, to promote World Flora Exposition, let more international friends know the Exposition, and come to visit the Exposition. Mayor Lin, along with the next Board Director of World Design Organization (WDO), Srini Srinivasan, Chairman of Taiwan Design Center, Creative Director of Centre Georges-Pompidou in France, Jean Max Colard, Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, Ian Neilson, representative, Yoshiaki Hamamura, Keelung City Mayor, Youchang Lin, Hong Kong representative, Dr. Xinqi Li, and other city representatives lighted up “Design to Connect” to highlight world design capitals, hoping to gather the design energy and experience from the national and the international and have international exchange in Taichung.
The first session of International Design Forum focused on the conversation between Mayor Chia-Lung Lin and Keelung City Mayor Youchang Lin who shared their experience and results of city management and expressed the importance of design that drives urban development and industrial productivity. Mayor Lin said that Declaration of Taichung is an important document for Taichung to apply to be 2022 World Design Capital with the declaration showing the determination of incorporating design into city management and realizing green production, natural ecology, and humane life.
Mayor Lin also said that “A city is a container for culture, and culture is the soul of a city!” This year is Taichung’s “Design Year One.” 2018 Taiwan Design Expo will take place in Taichung together with World Flora Exposition in November and include city aesthetics. He emphasized that transforming Taichung matches the trend of world development. Incorporating design ideas into city management from public construction to daily life experience, Taichung City Government has already planned the guidelines for design and hopes to create a more livable city.
The next Board Director of WDO, Srini Srinivasan said that Taichung is a city rich in culture and arts. WDO hopes to promote and help Taichung with industrial design to make a better world through design.
Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, Ian Neilson, also shared the experience of Cape Town being selected as the 2014 World Design Capital. This honor has completely changed the way people see their city and the way people work, live, and think. He wanted to visit the wellness park in Taichung to know more about senior projects and hydraulic engineering to green water, which are considered Taichung’s social design pioneer projects.
Keelung City Mayor, Youchang Lin, said that Taichung is a city with great potential and great power. As the second most populated city in Taiwan, Taichung City, led by Mayor Lin, will provide Taichung residents a better future.
According to Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government, representatives from international cities that value design and incorporate design ideas into city management are invited to the forum, including Kobe and Toyama of Japan, Manila of Philippine, Cape Town of South African. Other guests including Keelung City Mayor Youchang Lin and design organizations and professionals that promote global service design and introduce design to city management are invited to discuss the new issues resulting from urban development driven by design. In the future, Taichung City Government will promote exchange and collaboration opportunities for connecting with international cities through design.
Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government also mentioned that Taiwan Design Expo and International Design Forum also present the results of Taichung City Government’s efforts on incorporating design ideas into city policies and planning in recent years. Taichung City Government has actively created the mutual exchange opportunities with international cities in recent years. It hopes that through Taiwan Design Expo and International Design Forum, Taichung will gain reputation in the field of international design.