ICoD Regional Meeting (Latin America 2017) Recap

17.05.2017 ICoD news

(All photo credits to ico-D.)

The was conducted in Santiago, Chile on 19-20 January 2017 as a way to actively engage with the Latin American design community. ico-D Member Duoc UC hosted. 

President of ico-D, David Grossman explains:

“The Santiago ico-D Regional Meeting, hosted by ico-D member Duoc UC with the support of the Bienal de Diseño de Chile (Chilean Design Biennale), was an important opportunity for the ico-D Executive Board to listen closely and learn about the issues facing our Members and the larger Latin American design community. Professional design organisations and representatives of universities reported on their activities and the difficulties they face. The meeting was presented with a report on the development of the National Design Policy slated to be adopted by Chile in June of this year, an initiative of the Minister of Culture and Arts in collaboration with the local design association, Chile Diseño. We learned a great deal, and in the coming months the ico-D Board will consider how to continue the dialogue established in Santiago.”

Present at the Meeting were representatives of the following Member organisations:

01   (Chile)
02  Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (Colombia)
03   (Colombia)
04  Universidad De Monterrey (UDEM) (Mexico)
05   (Perú)
06  ArtCenter College of Design (USA)

A preliminary discussion focused on the post-colonial context in Latin America and how this has created some challenges for design in this region. Some common challenges brought to the table included:

—  countering the idea that design is aesthetic, elitist 
or superficial
—  valuing, promoting and encouraging local talent
—  working together rather than competing
—  language as a barrier to the rest of the world
—  colonial context as it a affects relationships between 
the entities and to ico-D and the international 
design community
—  finding a place for design in society through 
policy-building
— resource partners for design research and
collaboration 


To address the challenges faced by the region, four topics were discussed in detail among participants during the Meeting sessions and presentations on the following:

— design and indigenous craft: understanding their interrelationships
— national design policy
— international exchange opportunities with latin america and within latin america
 — curriculum development and professional accreditation

ico-D President David Grossman closed the session by expressing confidence in the potential for working together across regions. He outlined in a 6-part plan for the continuation of these effort in future.

RM Latin America was held at the Estación Mapocho, a former train station located on the south bank of the Mapocho River near the central market of Santiago, Chile. Its current design is aimed at hosting local Chilean concerts and art exhibitions as well as events of international scope, including this year’s Chilean Design Biennale.

Important Note: Member participants, discussions and outcomes for action on the four topics will be released in the forthcoming ico-D Regional Meeting (RM Latin America 2017) Report.

Links

Event page: 
Member Profile Duoc UC (Chile)
Member Profile  (Colombia)
Member Profile Asociación Colombiana Red Académica 
de Diseño (RAD) (Colombia)
Member Profile  (Mexico)
Member Profile Universidad de Ciencias y Artes 
de América Latina (Perú)
Member Profile  (USA)
Chile Diseño
Estación Mapocho
6th Chilean Design Biennale