After a very successful application phase, the German Design Museum Foundation has selected ten young designers and architects from Germany and Kenya for the Design Networking Hub project funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
"The overall quality level of the applications was very high, so it was not easy for us jury members to select the final ten. We are all the more happy with our decisions and are very much looking forward to working with such a well-balanced and great team of young architects and designers from a wide range of disciplines," said Julia Kostial, Managing Director of the German Design Museum Foundation.
"When selecting our architects, product and communication designers, we focused on young people who see their benefit from this project primarily in the establishment of a long-term cooperation platform. This is about thinking outside the box. Our candidates are supported by first-class mentors to build an exceptional network for future bilateral cooperation," explained Lutz Dietzold, Chairman of the Board of the German Design Museum Foundation.
As a practice-oriented information centre for the cultural and creative industries of both countries, the Design Networking Hub will provide all essential information for the implementation of German-Kenyan cooperative projects which include, for example, recorded lectures, handouts, videos, address and contact pools and examples of best practice.
In addition, the Design Networking Hub is intended to network designers, architects and creative professionals from various disciplines in the cultural and creative industries of both countries and enable them to independently initiate and implement cooperative projects for the German or Kenyan market. Bringing in different individual strengths, expertise and experience leads to mutual learning and unfolds great innovative potential.
In order to make the information offered by the Design Networking Hub as user-oriented as possible, the pilot group will now go through the entire process of a bilateral cooperative project in small teams. The aim is to create new and joint product or business ideas or develop non-profit concepts in the areas of mobility, housing and digitalisation.
During a project phase of about one year, the young designers will be supported intensively by the team of the Design Networking Hub. The course of the project will be documented in detail on the website. In this way, a large digital fund of knowledge will have been created by the end of 2022 which should motivate and enable more creative people from Kenya and Germany to successfully work together on joint projects.
A detailed overview of the selected participants can be found in the form of profiles on the Design
Networking Hub website, www.design-networking-hub.com.
German Design Museum Foundation
The German Design Museum Foundation was founded in 2011 on the initiative of the German Design Council and is based in Frankfurt am Main. Since its foundation the GDMF has firmly established itself in the German foundation landscape and established itself as a multi-voiced and non-profit institution for the overall design spectrum with nationwide funding projects. The purpose of the Foundation is to promote and communicate design to a broad public as a significant component of applied art and
everyday culture. Since its foundation and with the support of committed cooperation partners, the German Design Museum Foundation has organised numerous projects in the form of workshops, summer academies, exhibitions, publications and the development of a digital museum.
www.deutschesdesignmuseum.de/en
German Design Council
The German Design Council was founded in 1953 by the Federation of German Industries and leading companies on the initiative of the German Bundestag. More than 350 renowned companies from various industries support the German Design Council in implementing design as an economic and cultural factor. Outstanding designers as well as up-and-coming young designers are also supported. The German Design Council strengthens the general public's understanding of design beyond Germany and acts as an international interface.
www.german-design-council.de/en
Design Kenya Society
Based in Nairobi, the Design Kenya Society brings together Kenyan designers, design students and design businesses with the aim of strengthening the design and creative sector in Kenya and promoting excellence in African design.
www.designkenyasociety.co.ke
Contact:
German Design Museum Foundation
Julia Kostial
Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 49
D-60327 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Telephone +49 69 24 74 48 638
kostial@deutschesdesignmuseum.de
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Please address your enquiries to:
Katja Silbermann
Pestalozzistrasse 99
D-10625 Berlin
Germany
Telephone +49 163 499 66 33
