FRankfurt is to become “World Design Capital” in 2026. This was decided by the World Design Organization (WDO), based in Montreal, Canada, reports the non-profit Design FRM GmbH. With the slogan “Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life” the application prevailed against the second finalist, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
The title is to be handed over and the contract as host city is to be signed at the WDO’s annual general meeting in Tokyo from October 27th. The WDO particularly praised the topic of the application, developed by the director of the Museum of Applied Arts, Matthias Wagner K. Wagner K, who was appointed managing director of the Design FRM Society by the city, presented the project in July, which aims to highlight exemplary projects in the region’s cities and communities.
Since 2008, the WDO has recognized cities or regions every two years for their effective use of design in economic, social, cultural and ecological development. In 2022 Valencia held this title, in 2024 it will be the cities of San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico).
21 million euros costs
The one-year project is expected to cost a total of 21 million euros; the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Cultural Fund has already supported the application phase with more than one million euros. If Frankfurt Rhein-Main is selected, the state of Hesse wants to contribute seven million euros, and six million euros should come from the city of Frankfurt. The region’s municipalities and districts should contribute the rest of the budget. It is hoped to raise around two and a half million euros in sponsorship money. The WDO committee was particularly impressed by the collaboration between culture, design, business and society, which “conveyed a great sense of community in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region,” said the organizers.
“We didn’t apply to adorn ourselves with the title, but what was important throughout the entire period was that the application created a movement that stood for a democratic culture of freedom,” said Wagner K. at the presentation When applying, representatives of the state government and the city were convinced of the concept and its benefits.
Drinking hall culture and cultural campus
“Together with Design for Democracy, we want to focus on the existing and new cultural places in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region that seize the opportunity to promote the common good through the inherent cultural assets that they convey with their own productions and events “To promote and spread their appeal to the world,” said Ina Hartwig (SPD), head of the Frankfurt cultural department. The title is “an additional powerful impulse for international perception and the development of our creative location,” said Stefanie Wüst (FDP), head of the economic department. The successful application is “a shining example of the power of cultural cooperation at all levels,” said the cultural fund’s managing director, Karin Wolff. The world will look to the region “as a source of creative inspiration.”
Work on the program will now be pushed forward; the aim, according to Design FRM, is to create a sustainable, participatory international center for design, design disciplines and design methods for people from all over the world in the region. Among other things, Frankfurt’s drinking hall culture is highlighted, the idea of a cable car from Offenbach to Frankfurt is to be further developed, and the Frankfurt cultural campus is also in the plans as a future-oriented major project. In total, more than 60 large and small projects are named as part of the “World Design Capital”.
Criticism of the plans and their costs came only from a few representatives of the smaller parliamentary groups in the Frankfurt city parliament during the first presentation in July.
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