Over 700 design and business professionals from 42 countries around the world are converging in Singapore for the 26th Icsid World Design Congress themed “Design Difference: Designing Our World 2050”.

At this global bi-annual event, the delegates will get a rare chance to work with 15 leading creative thinkers to imagine a better-designed future – collaborating on ideas that could be a reality in the next 40 years.

While the challenges facing governments and business now and in the near future seem daunting, these challenges present unprecedented opportunities to develop new products, policies and solutions that can be fundamental to building a new sustainable economy.

Nine of the 15 presenters have been commissioned by DesignSingapore Council to lead what have been called “Design2050 Studios”.  Each Studio is a mini-symposia that has developed innovative design solutions to address some of these pressing challenges.

A wide range of topics are covered, from how urban living will be experienced in 40 year’s time; to the way a future healthcare system can be built on maintaining a balanced lifestyle as opposed to responding to illness.

The Congress will be the first time that the Studio Leaders – all preeminent in their specialist field of design - share their visionary thinking with a public audience.

The unique format of the Congress will go beyond the conventional “one-to-many” speaker approach.  Each day of the three-day event will include plenary presentations, interactive parallel sessions, and plenary panel discussions.  The ten parallel sessions will encourage interaction and collaboration between presenters and delegates.  This will offer a great opportunity for delegates to be part of these thought-provoking propositions as they are unveiled.

Accompanying the main event will be the Congress Exhibition, where a number of well known design companies, associations and institutions will showcase their ideas and innovations.  The Icsid Design Education Conference on 22 November, to be opened by Prof.  Satoshi Nakagawa, CEO and founder of Tripod Design, will address some of the paradigm shifts in various areas such as the global economy and the advancement of technology that will affect the future of design education.

For more information, go to //www.icsidcongress09.com/.

About Icsid
The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is an international non-governmental organisation for professional industrial design. Founded in 1957, Icsid facilitates co-operation and interaction among professional associations, promotional societies, educational institutions, government bodies, corporations and institutions with the aim of contributing to the development of the profession of industrial design. Through shared interests, experiences, and resources, Icsid provides an international platform for its members to be heard as a powerful voice.

Icsid also holds consultative status with UNESCO, UNIDO, ISO and WIPO to support and highlight design in international forums.

For more information, go to //www.icsid.org.