The World Design Organization (WDO) has today announced that Bengaluru (India) and Valencia (Spain) have been shortlisted to become the 2022 World Design Capital (WDC). The shortlist was established by the WDC Selection Committee comprising international experts in design or cities economic and social development.
"Both these cities, have very different design histories and urban challenges yet both are inspiring cases that reflect the impact of design on the wellbeing of their communities," stated Luisa Bocchietto, WDO President and member of the WDC Selection Committee. "For WDO, the merit of the WDC programme is that it aims to leverage a city's particular design narrative, as well as promotes the diversity of design practices worldwide."
As shared in their respective bids, Bengaluru, once known as Bangalore, is an emerging city that is driven by urgent needs to address a variety of local challenges through design, whilst Valencia is poised to demonstrate a rich and vibrant history of design effective initiatives.