Finish citizens participated in a group brainstorming session for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 during the Ideas Forum last week, where they proposed more than two thousand ideas for better cities in the approximately one hundred sessions held in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti - an effort that will continue through the end of May.
Some of the central themes in the brainstorming were long-term and sustainable development of the cities, diverse international co-operation, and pleasant city milieus. A great many ideas concerned traffic, public transportation and better waste management. One central theme was promotion of city districts with individual character.
“All ideas from the brainstorming will be available on the project’s website. After the brainstorming period ends, we will analyze the ideas by theme, and they will be used by WDC Helsinki 2012 as a basis of programme planning,” says Sami Oinonen of Hub Helsinki, the organization that will process the ideas further.
The Ideas Forum was the first official WDC Helsinki 2012 event.
“I’m impressed with the level of citizen participation and how people felt that their participation was significant. Many types of communities take ownership in the project and think how design could be used to develop their operation,” says Pekka Timonen, who directs the WDC Helsinki 2012 project planning.
