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This really should become a far bigger campaign, with longer legs and running for much longer. It is one of the most important challenges facing the city.

Montreal (Canada) – Following deliberations on 9 June 2011, the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) has the pleasure to announce on behalf of the members of the World Design Capital® (WDC) Selection Committee that the cities of Bilbao (Spain), Cape Town (South Africa) and Dublin (Ireland) have been selected as the three shortlisted cities that will move on to the next round of evaluation in the bid to becoming the World Design Capital in 2014.

In 2014 selection of World Design Capital will be the fourth appointment by Icsid of this biennial designation to a city, in recognition of its accomplishments in using design as a catalyst for development and reinvention, as well as for improving its social, cultural and economic environments.

After a comprehensive review of all bids submitted, the cities of Bilbao, Cape Town and Dublin distinguished themselves not only by demonstrating their individual approaches towards design in their cities, but also managed to convey the impact of these on the various aspects of social, cultural and economic life, as well as provided three very unique visions for how design will continue to reinvent their urban landscape. Furthermore, these cities demonstrated that they possessed the expertise, infrastructure and financial capabilities to successfully develop and implement an inspiring yearlong programme of international design related events, promoting design, as well as their city, on an international stage; and finally, illustrated how their citizens have and will continue to benefit from their cityʼs achievements in design.

“It was a difficult decision, but the WDC Selection Committee has shortlisted three incredibly well thought-out and all-together remarkable bids that have created unique competitive advantages for their cities through design,” expressed Martin Darbyshire, WDC Organising Committee member and Icsid Executive Board Member. “These proposals have conveyed very workable and deliverable plans to use design as a means to reinvigorate their cityʼs social, cultural and economic development.”

“The Bilbao City Hall, the Provincial Government of Bizkaia and the Basque Government would like to express their great enthusiasm on being shortlisted to be the World Design Capital in 2014,” stated Iñaki Azkuna, Mayor of Bilbao. “Design innovation has become an essential tool to improve the competitiveness and quality of life in cities, and is necessary to enhance collaborative public-private environments with direct participation from the administrations, universities and different economic and professional agents. This is the direction Bilbao has followed to achieve its transformation over the past 25 years, and this designation will help continue the rejuvenation of our great city.”

“Cape Townʼs bid to be the World Design Capital of the year in 2014 shows how far we have come as a city. More importantly, it shows how far we want to take this city,” declared Patricia De Lille, Executive Mayor of Cape Town. “The creative industries make up an extremely important part of our local economy. The value of an event such as World Design Capital not only exposes our creative design talents to the world, but in turn develops our local industry into an asset for decades to come.”

Lord Mayor of Dublin Gerry Breen echoed the enthusiasm shown by the two accompanying shortlisted cities, stating, “Dublin is honoured to be one of three cities shortlisted for World Design Capital 2014. On behalf of Dublin City Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin County Councils, I welcome the opportunities the World Design Capital project will give us. The project will be beneficial in economic, environmental, social and political terms. These are difficult times and this bid will challenge us to adapt, recover and grow.”

The next step in the process leading up to the final selection of the 2014 WDC designation is the city visits that will be conducted in July 2011 by members of the WDC Organising Committee. These site inspections will enable further information to be gathered in an attempt to provide the WDC Selection Committee with a more thorough understanding of the proposed programmes by each of the shortlisted cities prior to the final selection in August 2011.

The official announcement of the 2014 World Design Capital designated city will be on 26 October during the 2011 International Design Alliance (IDA) Congress in Taipei, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei).

For more information, please visit www.worlddesigncapital.com, or contact:

Dilki de Silva
Icsid Secretary General
t: +1 514 448 4949 ext. 227
f: +1 514 448 4948
e: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Claudia Sighomnou
World Design Capital Programme Coordinator
t: +1 514 448 4949 ext. 228
f: +1 514 448 4948
e: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Links

• WDC 2014 Selection Committee
• 2011 IDA Congress

About the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid)
The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is a non-profit organisation that protects and promotes the interests of the profession of industrial design. Founded in 1957, Icsid serves as a unified voice of over 50 nations through which members can express their views and be heard on an international platform. Since its inception, Icsid has continued to develop its wide-reaching network of students and professionals devoted to the recognition, success and growth of the industrial design community. Together, professional associations, promotional societies, educational institutions, government bodies and corporations create a comprehensive and diverse system on the forefront of industrial design education and progress.
www.icsid.org

About the World Design Capital
While there are many awards that recognise individual accomplishments in design, the World Design Capital (WDC) designation is unique as it aims to focus on the broader essence of designʼs impact on urban spaces, economies and citizens. The designation provides a distinctive opportunity for cities to feature their accomplishments in attracting and promoting innovative design, as well as highlight their successes in urban revitalisation strategies.

The World Design Capital is an initiative of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), who manages the daily operation of the project in a major step for the global design community.
www.worlddesigncapital.com

With the help of a feisty police inspector in the SAPS, he races across the Peninsula to unravel a deadly terrorist plot. But he wouldn’t be Bond if he didn’t take the time to stay in a luxurious hotel such as the Cape Grace, drink Zulu beer and the finest wines Franschhoek and surrounds has to offer, eat Bobotie and listen to singer Thandiswa Mazwai in the Bo-kaap. The Mother City features in more than half of the book and next time you walk through the streets of Cape Town, you may just look at it through different eyes.

Grant says, “It’s important to view the 9.3% overall vacancy level of the Cape Town CBD in light of the fact that the total office area across all grades in the Central City is three times higher than that of Century City and Pinelands.”

The V&A Waterfront sits at a not-surprising low of 1.4% because of its unique location. However, its office node is still relatively small in comparison to the other nodes.

Grant points out that a more accurate reflection of the individual grades reveals a number of interesting facts about office rentals in the Cape Town Central City.

A-grade property in the Central City was faring well against other nodes. Says Grant: “One must remember that there is materially more A-grade office space in the CBD than in most other areas of Cape Town. Despite this, vacancies across premium space in the CBD are at a very low 1.9%, and remained steady throughout the course of 2010. Compare this to Century City, which had an 18.9% vacancy in premium grade space.”

Grant notes that vacancies in B grade space in the Cape Town Central City are high by comparison to other nodes, at an 11.8% vacancy rate. This represents an opportunity for businesses seeking to be based in the CBD. Bellville, the second biggest node for B grade space, has a vacancy of 8.7%.

Cape Town Partnership CEO Andrew Boraine points out that the phasing in of the IRT public transport network – the MyCiTi bus service between Table View and the CBD is set to start running on Monday 09 May 2011 – will alleviate the necessity to access the Central City by car and will encourage greater footfall into the city. Grant supports this view:

“The CBD is the most easily reached destination for most of the work force from all corners of the Cape Metropole, and this is important for rapidly growing sectors such as the outsourcing/call centre sector. For example, Growthpoint’s 11 Adderley Street is a shining example to all of us in the office sector: they have successfully refurbished an older city property to provide big footplates and top quality space designed for call centre use and subsequently secured key larger tenants such as Teleperformance, providing long-term jobs and investment in the process.”

Other B-grade space options include:

• student housing
• cost-effective residential either for sale or lease (as seen in the Johannesburg CBD).
• sectionalising, upgrading and selling of older office complexes, providing a workable ownership option to the high number of smaller companies, such as those in the creative industries and IT (significant interest in this regard is already occurring in the area known as the Fringe: Cape Town’s Innovation Hub, currently being explored by numerous public and private partners in the old East City area)

The Central City is also home to a growing number of educational operations. Notes Grant: “A number of deals have recently been done with either public or private bodies requiring space for education-type facilities. Even in a recession, these types of facilities continue to be required and the CBD once again meets the needs of being a location of choice; easily accessible for both staff and students.

Says Central City Improvement District COO Tasso Evangelinos: “We are seeing a rise in the number of educational facilities basing themselves in the Central City and I believe this trend will continue, especially given the current availability of B-grade space in the CBD, offering excellent value. The Central City is an ideal student hub because it’s safe, central, pedestrian-friendly and offers easy access to cultural attractions, restaurants, public spaces, shopping, services and amenities.”

While vacancies continue to be a challenge (as elsewhere in South Africa and indeed the world), developers and investors have nonetheless continued to buy major blocks of CBD property.

Says Grant: “This underlines a sustained confidence in the Central City that no one else can demonstrate. These acquisitions have largely been triggered by a tenant moving or a lease becoming shorter, but this type of challenge invariably is seen as an opportunity by someone else who either has a requirement in hand or a vision for the future which they are prepared to back with cash.”

Rob Kane, Chairperson of the Central City Improvement District, says, “The City Centre’s property outlook remains positive due to constant improvements to the urban landscape and the ongoing investment and development interest in the city that boosts its reputation as an appealing residential, retail and business hub.”