Rado and Design Rado teams up with World Design Capital® Taipei 2016
Rado is pleased to announce that it will once again be an official World Design Partner® for the prestigious World Design Capital® programme, the latest venture in the Swiss watchmaker’s long-running commitment to design.
Held every two years, World Design Capital 2016 will take place in Taipei, the fifth city after Cape Town, Helsinki, Seoul and Turin to be designated World Design Capital by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid). A strong proponent of social design, World Design Capital is dedicated to using design as a tool for social, cultural and economic development in the cities where it is held.
Rado has long been known for its engagement with the world of design: as a supporter of design initiatives, a promoter of young talent through its Rado Star Prize competitions, and as a winner of over 30 international design awards. The upcoming partnership with World Design Capital Taipei 2016 follows on the heels of the brand's successful inaugural partnership with World Design Capital Cape Town in 2014.
Dedication to design
Operating under the motto “Adaptive City – Design in Motion”, World Design Capital Taipei 2016 will host an engaging array of signature events over the course of the year. Rado will be an integral part of the design programme, with plans to organise the first ever Rado Star Prize Taiwan to promote young local design talents.
Speaking about the partnership, Rado CEO Matthias Breschan said: “As a brand with a strong design heritage, Rado is thrilled to be able to continue working with World Design Capital. We hope to follow up our successful partnership in Cape Town with an even more exciting design-packed programme in Taipei.”
Icsid President, Prof. Mugendi M’Rithaa, welcomed the return of Rado as World Design Partner: “We are privileged to work with a purpose-driven company who believes in our mission of ‘design for a better world’ and look forward to our continued collaboration.”
About the World Design Capital® (WDC)
With more than half the world’s population now living in cities, design has become an increasingly fundamental tool for making cities more competitive, attractive, livable and efficient. The World Design Capital® (WDC) is designated by Icsid every two years to recognize a city’s innovative use of design for economic, social and cultural development and to showcase effective design-led revitalization strategies and projects that other cities can benefit from. Past cities to hold the WDC title include Torino (Italy) in 2008, Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, and Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014. Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) will hold the title in 2016. Mexico City has been named WDC 2018.