Landmarks archivos — Fundació del Disseny

With the premise of starting a process and not just organizing an event, this documentary shows and highlights everything that being named World Design Capital in 2022 meant for the city of Valencia.
The film, directed by Andreu Signes, features the participation of prominent design figures such as Tachy Mora, Jaime Hayon, Marisa Gallén, Óscar Guayabero, Carmen Baselga, Juli Capella, Ramón Úbeda, Xavier Giner, Vicent Martínez, Anatxu Zabalbeascoa and Marisa Santamaría.

The Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia and Filmin, the reference platform for films and series on demand, have reached an agreement to include the documentary in their catalogue, which includes more than 15,000 titles. The audiovisual piece, which was part of the València Design Fest program in 2023, organized by the Design Foundation, will be available from February 19 on the platform.

«The ecosystem and maturity of Valencian design led the World Design Organization to designate Valencia as World Design Capital 2022 in a global project that was not only an agenda of events but the beginning of a change, an initiative that went beyond the local to become a project of national dimension and international projection that positioned the Valencian Community, and by extension the Spanish design ecosystem, as the World Capital of creative talent. Being able to reach all Filmin subscribers to show them what this ambitious project entailed is a great source of pride for us.» – Xavi Calvo, director of the Design Foundation.

In its 60 minutes of duration, the film highlights some of the activities that were part of the capital’s program, taking over the city’s cultural offering in fifty spaces and has the support of the World Design Organization, the Valencia City Council, the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE International) and the Provincial Council of Valencia. Likewise, it includes interviews with prominent design figures such as Tachy Mora, Jaime Hayon, Marisa Gallén, Óscar Guayabero, Carmen Baselga, Juli Capella, Ramón Úbeda, Xavier Giner, Vicent Martínez, Anatxu Zabalbeascoa or Marisa Santamaría.

The documentary is signed by Andreu Signes, producer and director of audiovisual projects about creative processes. His works include Sordonora, El Betlem de la Pigà, Tornar al teatre, or “I’m Burning”, a documentary about the process of creating an experimental falla that won 13 international awards.

«It is a choral story of professional voices from different fields of design that gives a transversal perspective on the function, values and future prospects in this creative sector. Professionals such as Philippe Starck, Jaime Hayon, Tachy Mora, Ramón Úbeda, Marisa Gallén, Juli Capella… They bring us closer to their areas of creation, research and work in an informative and experiential way. The documentary shows us the parallel construction of the ceramic pavilion raised in the epicenter of the city, icon of the World Design Capital 2022. A highlight of Valencian design, from its origins to the current heterogeneous fabric.» – Andreu Signes, director of the documentary.

LINK TO THE DOCUMENTARY FILM ON FILMIN

And suddenly, December. As an intrinsic task at this time of the year, the time has also come for the Fundació del Disseny to take stock. And perhaps in this case with special sense and conviction, remembering that 2023 has been our first year of activity at the executive and more pragmatic level. Today, the fact of summarizing, evaluating and supporting the milestones achieved becomes a more than necessary exercise.

In the last twelve months we have wanted to understand Valencian design from a transversal perspective: graphic, social, industrial, fashion, architecture, contemporary crafts or urbanism… All of them are disciplines that jointly motivate everyday life and the reason for being of our entity, whether through professionals, companies, public and private institutions or society in general. But, above all, with the help of all those agents who have ensured the good work and the projection of an heterogeneous professional ecosystem.

At the beginning of the year we used with conviction five key words: disseminate, position, celebrate, connect and promote. Five objectives to which each of the projects we have carried out have responded: the beginning of the Consell del Disseny together with the Valencia City Council, the launch of the book “Design is good for health”, the integration of the “Designing the air” exhibition at the G20 summit in India, the launch of the digital museum Icons of Valencian Design together with the Arxiu Valencià del Disseny. We launched the first València Design Fest, which framed the self-produced exhibition “Time and Matter”, combining contemporary craftsmanship and design. We presented the documentary “València 22. City of Design”, a true lesson in design that we will release at the beginning of next year. We celebrated the “Paradís” festival, a meeting point for professionals highly anticipated. We launched the 2nd edition of the international sustainable fashion summit “Future of Fashion”, in which national and international names from the sector gathered, endorsed by representatives of Industry and Culture of the Valencian administration. And finally we were able to celebrate the designation of Valencia by UNESCO as a City of Design, becoming part of its Network of Creative Cities. Definitely, the design has already become part of the new story of the entire Valencian territory, an internationally recognized milestone.

To all this, in addition, has been added a constant collaboration with tourist, cultural or economic projection entities of the Valencian administration, as well as professional organizations at the local, national and international level. Consolidated and highly recognized entities that, thanks to the positioning work throughout 2022, understood the value of design as an asset capable of projecting their image, as well as that of our territory as a whole. And the fact is that design and local creativity have been key in the promotion and international recognition of Valencia as the main interests when visiting the city.

The attractiveness of the Valencian Community has allowed us to weave networks with various international delegations, interested in the positioning strategy developed in recent years. It has also allowed to be a national speaker for projects linked to creativity, open the discipline to a general public eager for cultural programming or as well as give continuity to the collaboration agreements of those schools that have managed to elevate Valencian design in the educational panorama, among other actions.

Referring to the most tangible: the number of people reached thanks to the media impacts achieved has exceeded 615 million users. At the same time, these different appearances in the press—both local, national and international—translate into an editorial value of €799,539.

In total, 20 collaboration agreements have been signed with different entities such as professional associations and colleges, design schools, technological institutes, trade fair events affiliated to the sector or organizations for the conservation and preservation of creative heritage.

Hiring of professionals with direct links to the design sector has reached a total of 62: 10 international, 52 national, and 36 from the Valencian Community. Among them you can find speakers, publishing labels, independent professionals and creative studios, curatorial figures and communication agencies.

At the same time, thank every contribution made in the form of content or trust in economic terms. To the support of public institutions such as the Valencia City Council, the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) of the Generalitat Valenciana, the València Activa Foundation, Feria Valencia and Visit València, as well as the General Directorate of Cultural Industries of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda. From the private sphere, we have received financial support from Andreu World, APE Grupo, Padima, JISO Iluminación, LZF Lamps, Punt, Readymag and Simon.

We thus say goodbye to a memorable 2023 where, between milestones, recognitions and projects, we experienced how the Valencian design scene has expanded to accommodate a true emergence of promoters and new collaborators.

From the Fundació del Disseny, as an entity for the promotion and promotion of design, we will continue with the mission of encouraging institutions, industry and companies to incorporate this discipline into their strategies through our action plan for 2024. Likewise, we commit to continue working with our network of collaborating entities and other aligned organizations, with the desire to continue building, adding and disseminating the culture of design to our society.

The Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia was born and develops its activity as a legacy of World Design Capital Valencia 2022. A year of celebration and positioning of local talent that was possible thanks to the previous designation by the World Design Organization (WDO).

With the aim of continuing to strengthen ties, recognition and to continue promoting the use of design to achieve a better world, today the collaboration with the WDO is extended and takes on a new form: making the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia a new member of the international network of entities adhered to the organisation.

With more than 180 companies and institutions from all over the world, the various members of the WDO represent a global network that collaborates to support the profession of industrial design and promote its contribution to economic, social, cultural and environmental development.

Our country’s links with the World Design Organization (WDO) extend to other highly recognised entities such as the furniture brand Andreu World, Barcelona centre de Disseny (BCD) cluster, CEU Cardenal Herrera University and Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV).

On an international scale, the best universities in the field of design and creativity, as well as associations, foundations and institutions ensure the ethics and promotion of the discipline for a more prosperous, sustainable and diverse world. They are all part of WDO’s network of members across five continents. You can find them at wdo.org/community/members.

In each edition of “nude”, design experts are responsible for guaranteeing a quality and innovative product, as well as for selecting the designers, studios and publishing firms that will participate.

On this occasion, Xavi Calvo—director of the Fundació—will sit on the jury alongside renowned professionals from the sector: the design journalist Teresa Herrero, the designer and founder of Venture Experience, Alberto Martínez, and Jacobo Ventura, interior designer and creative director at the furniture firm Alexandra. All of them will meet at Feria València and be coordinated by the founder and curator of the “nude” show, María Fontes.

Registration for “nude 2023” is open until 22 June. You can view the rules and all the details regarding registration on the competition’s website: nudegeneration.com.

The next edition of “nude” will take place from 19 to 22 September 2023 at Feria Hábitat Valencia.

A few years ago, become the World Design Capital was simply an unimaginable milestone.

And today, five key words stand out in a special way on our horizon: promote, disseminate, connect, celebrate and position. These are not just trivial actions in our near future, but fundamental pillars to continue building from the momentum that 2022 has given us, the experience we have amassed over the last few decades and the expertise of Mediterranean skills and centuries-old traditions.

We cannot forget the reasons that have brought us this far and that have shaken up the present at an international level: the drive and vision of design companies and professionals, the will and the backbone of entities such as the Marina de València, the Arxiu Valencià del Disseny, schools and universities, technological institutes, museums, cultural centres and all the institutions that have supported us.

The future will be marked by the interests of the territory that defines us: we will continue to seek a better world and a better quality of life from a circular, sustainable and inclusive perspective.

We can only hope that the generosity and entrepreneurial strength of all the people who have made Valencian design a shared project will continue.

Let us understand this new stage as one more link in the chain: we will not tire in our quest to become a consolidated benchmark for international design.

Let’s begin.

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Vicent Martínez
Chairman of the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana