From knowledge-sharing to co-creation: lessons from the UNESCO design network
During the UNESCO Cities of Design Meeting in Berlin and Frankfurt in early June, it became clear just how strongly design is being used today as a driver of social change. For Designregio Kortrijk, taking part in this event was first and foremost a strategic investment in our international positioning: an opportunity to draw inspiration, forge new partnerships and connect our local stakeholders with a global network. The week’s central themes – transformation, inclusion and participation – are closely aligned with our own impact objectives.
Our engagement with new design cities such as Daugavpils, Riyadh, La Spezia and Kuala Lumpur demonstrated how diverse contexts use design to formulate responses to shared challenges. This reinforces our ambition to position our city and region as a strong design hub, with international expertise feeding back into local projects. At the same time, various models of collaboration between cities inspired us to further develop our pilot projects as places where innovation and experimentation take centre stage.
An inspiring example of this was the visit to CityLAB Berlin, an urban innovation platform where the city experiments with digital solutions and participatory methods. CityLAB functions as an open testing ground where designers, technology experts, policymakers and citizens work together on concrete urban challenges, ranging from data-driven applications to inclusive urban development. The emphasis on co-creation and rapid prototyping aligns closely with our own work on testing grounds and participation. At the same time, the initiative demonstrates how a city can make structural investments in collaboration with its residents and the creative sector to accelerate innovation. For Designregio Kortrijk, this offers valuable insights into further strengthening our own experimental spaces and developing international collaborations around urban innovation.
Another key theme that emerged during the meeting was the growing shift from knowledge-sharing to co-creation: cities are increasingly collaborating on concrete projects, ranging from design challenges to joint installations. This confirms the importance of our involvement in the network as an active partner. Finally, initiatives aimed at young designers, such as international design competitions, underlined the importance of our focus on the next generation.
This participation not only strengthens our international relationships, but also provides direct leverage to further develop our region, pilot projects, co-creation practices and young designers, and to raise their international profile.
Stijn Debaillie
Coordinator
