Helsinki Welcomes the New Year as World Design Capital

Helsinki World Design Capital 2012 began with magnificent New Year's Eve celebrations. WDC 2012 will offer a unique programme that explores ways in which design is embedded in life.

One of the New Year Eve's highlights was the large-scale architectural video work projected on the Cathedral on Senate Square titled Ylistys Helsingille (In Praise of Helsinki). The video projection by Mural Media, the Finnish production company that specialises on architectural projections, consisted of illustrations by top Finnish designers highlighting the central theme of the year: design is everywhere. The next signature event will be the WDC Design Gala at the Sibelius Hall in Lahti on 2 February 2012. The year-long WDC 2012 programme consists of around 300 events, projects and initiatives that explore the benefits and value of design, showcasing the various ways it can improve our daily lives.

The World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 is jointly hosted by the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti. The theme of the year is Open Helsinki - Embedding Design In Life. The World Design Capital is an initiative of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (lcsid). The WDC designation is a biennial city promotion project that celebrates the accomplishments of cities that have used design as a tool to reinvent themselves and improve social, cultural and economic life.

For more information: http://wdchelsinki2012.fi/en