Berlin: A Creative Hub Where Design Incubates Innovation and Leads the World

On January 19, 2006, Berlin was awarded the title of “Capital of Design” by UNESCO, becoming Europe’s first “Capital of Design”. “Berlin has proven itself in the field of design with its strength.” Milagro de Gaulard, then Director of UNESCO’s Cultural Industries Division, commented, “Standing at the crossroads of different backgrounds and histories, Berlin’s design tradition and contemporary creativity have influenced the functioning of the entire national and international sector. Roland Beinecke, then secretary-general of UNESCO’s German delegation, said the title would “increase Berlin’s reputation as a center of cultural diversity around the world.” Berlin Mayor Harold Wolff said: “This brings important international reputation to our city and honors all the creative workers and teachers who live here. In recent years, we have seen the rapid development of creative technologies as an economic element that cannot be underestimated.

Located in the heart of the European continent, Berlin is a city where artists and the industrialized world are perfectly integrated, a gathering place for avant-garde art and independent designers, and the center of rock and punk throughout Europe. Berlin, at the intersection of different origins and histories, is renowned worldwide for its tradition and contemporary innovation in the field of design.

The roof of the Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, Germany

Berlin where more than 1,500 creative activities take place every day

“The whole of Berlin is like a white cloud”. Artistic imagination, white clouds unpredictable. From the State Opera to the abandoned metro station, young people find a stage where they can design their talents and experiment with new ideas in Berlin. There are about 32,000 companies in Berlin, including 8,000 design companies, about 180,000 people are engaged in design-related work, and many freelancers are mainly design-oriented, and design has become a pillar industry in Berlin.

Source: WDW World Design Week City Network WeChat public account

The capital of creativity, the mecca of artists, the city of landscapes, the city of fashion, the city of design, the city of music, etc. are all labels of Berlin. “Design May”, “Berlin AGI Conference”, “DMY International Design Festival” and other top cultural exchange events; With high-end platforms for cultural creativity and exhibition, such as the Bauhaus Museum, the Vitra Design Museum, and the 206 shopping center, as well as 180 museums, more than 1,500 creative events take place every day in Berlin, from street graffiti to small art exhibitions, design launches, fashion shows…… In addition, Berlin is home to numerous art schools and institutions, providing numerous educational opportunities in the design direction for many students. Take Berlin Design Week, for example, which was initiated by the DESIGN e.V. Association and brings together various industries and design disciplines. Alexandra Klatt, co-founder and concept manager and project manager of Berlin Design Week, said: “A good design should give people a sense of security and trust, and it should also find a balance between conforming to trends and maintaining tradition.

Alexandra Klatt
Source: WDW World Design Week City Network WeChat public account

Hands-on experience from Berlin

In the process of building the design capital, Berlin also formed a unique development “experience”. Germany is the world’s largest manufacturing power and the main birthplace of industrial design in the world, and Berlin is the city with the highest concentration of creative design in Germany. After the German Industry 4.0 revolution, especially after entering the intelligent and digital era, some traditional industries have been rapidly eliminated, and the vitality of emerging industries has grown rapidly. From the design of LYCRA cameras to fashion fairs that attract guests from all over the world, the Berlin design scene is characterized by interdisciplinary work that complements each other. Among them, the Chukonft project in Berlin has played a key role in promoting the development of the creative economy. The project formulates a strategy for the development of the art center, builds a platform for cultural exchange, initiates various networks to promote the development of the digital and creative economy, develops new means of communication, and carries out innovative projects. In addition, close cooperation with institutions around the world has laid a good foundation for exchange programs and international cooperation in Berlin.

Today, Berlin is expanding its potential to become the next generation of creative digital industries and innovation capitals. Aristra Kleiter said that Berlin is discussing “what conditions are needed to build a smart city”, and in her view, Berlin has an innovation lab cluster, “where people can feel all the new things, it is an open space where they can imagine what kind of life they want to live in the future.”

Berlin is “never perfect” because of many major changes in its history, but it is full of “glorious vitality”. Berlin has so many trends that it is always one step ahead and at the same time makes life more comfortable, which is unmatched anywhere in the world.

Brandenburg Gate

Source: International Center for Creativity and Sustainability
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