Six international design professionals talk about the challenges that ...


The Atrium, Building 4, Dubai Design District (d3)

Six international design professionals talk about the challenges that face the design scene in their respective cities, as well as the achievements they've helped bring forward through the strategy and vision of the Design Weeks they lead.

Destination: San Francisco, Istanbul, Beijing, Mexico, Helsinki, Melbourne, and Dubai directors, discuss how a design week activates the city, how it offers design education and design awareness to everyone, and how the geography, urban fabric and context of the city affect content and objectives of each model.

Featured panelists Kari Korkman; Francisco Torres; Beatrice Leanza; Arhan Kayar; Dawn Zidonis andKristin McCourtie; moderated by Cyril Zammit

Kari Korkman
Founder, CEO, Helsinki Design Week
Kari Korkman, M.Sc. (Econ.), is the founder and director of Helsinki Design Week. He has been involved in a large number of product development projects and launches since the beginning of the 90s and has produced and curated a number of design exhibitions and events. Kari has received much recognition for his achievements in the design business and for activating city culture. Francisco Torres
Director, Abierto Mexicano De Diseño
The festival is a platform that through its democratic call for entries, allows designers, enterprises, organisations, embassies and universities to concentrate efforts and present in an integral way, the most recent production off these creative disciplines in a festive and collaborative environment.Beatrice Leanza
Creative Director, Beijing Design Week
An independent curator and critic based in Beijing since 2002, she earned an MA in Asian studies from CA’Foscari University (Venice) and acted as managing director of CAAW (China Art Archives and Warehouse),the historical alternative art space founded by artist Ai Weiwei, until 2005.
She has organized a variety of projects among which exhibitions during the Venice Art Biennale, Shanghai Biennale, Shenzhen Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism.
She was a curator of 'Across Chinese Cities' an exhibition part of the 2014 International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia.Arhan Kayar
Director, Istanbul Design Week
Arhan Kayar, a graduated of the faculty of architecture of Mimar Sinan University, is one of the world-recognized and awarded Turkish Creative industry members.
Founder and partner of dDf (Dream Design Factory in 1993, adquartes advertising agency in1997 dDf international in1999,TEC travel agency in 2004, IDF fair organising company in 2005 .
Founder of ISTAV (Istanbul art and research foundation) in 1992 . Member of ICSID.
He designed many local and international events and independent art organizations that are oriented towards both indoors and outdoors. Projects that Arhan Kayar had participated drew great attention worldwide, in cities including Istanbul, Paris, London, Rome, Helsinki, Berlin, Hanover, Tokyo, New York, Los Angles, Düsseldorf, Moscow, Baku, Amsterdam, Milano, Graz…..

Dawn Zidonis
Executive Director, San Francisco Design Week
As Executive Director of AIGA SF and San Francisco Design Week, Dawn is eager to help designers stake out their place in the entrepreneurial culture that defines the Bay Area. Her vision for San Francisco is to build on the passion people bring to the design community, create connections between members and business, foster the cross-pollination of ideas among design disciplines, and ultimately add valuable, meaningful content to the design conversation.
Dawn was recently named one of YBCA100 in 2014. The YBCA 100 is an annual compilation of the creative minds, makers, and pioneers. “Who do we believe is asking the questions and making the provocations that will shape the future of American culture?” The result of this inquiry is a diverse list of artists, entrepreneurs, activists, and creative citizens from around the world that have one thing in common…They are all generating culture that moves people.

Kristin McCourtie
Manager and Director of Design Foundation Ltd; Melbourne International Design Week
Kristin McCourtie has worked as an executive for more than 15 years - driving and managing strategic projects and stakeholder relationships with the aim of “developing the public profile, influence and business vitality of the design sector.” As the Manager and Director of Design Foundation Ltd since 2000, Kristin brings to fruition the Ideas on Design Platform, agIdeas live events and coordinates Melbourne International Design Week.
Working collaboratively with the Foundation’s Chairman Ken Cato, AO agIdeas has become one of the most respected design events in the world - featuring local and international creative leaders and attracting thousands of delegates.
Kristin works across the design spectrum with peak design organisations namely: International Design Alliance, ICOGRADA, the Design Management Institute and Alliance Graphique Internationale and more broadly - the design community, educational institutions, industry, government, sponsors and the public –building networks and facilitating beneficial outcomes for all parties.
The Design Institute of Australia recognised Kristin McCourtie as an Honorary Fellow [FDIA Hon.] for service to the design industry in 2014.