Istanbul Design Week

4 - 10 September 2007

Old Galata Bridge Istanbul

Istanbul Design Week is more than just a showcase for designers, it is a creativity platform presenting reference points for designers to draw their path. Istanbul Design Week is a connection point for creative ideas from different disciplines of design.

What differentiates Istanbul Design Week from similar design events is firstly it’s venue, the Old Galata Bridge. The century old bridge is one of Istanbul’s most important landmarks and used as the main exhibition area of Istanbul Design Week. Promising an extraordinary experience, the Old Galata Bridge has a total exhibit area of 10,000 squaremeters, a perfectly central location and a very unique atmosphere.

Istanbul Design Week, takes place 2010 Istanbul European Capital of Culture project under the name of Design 2010. With its theme of ‘meeting’, Design 2010, will make Istanbul a meeting point for Turkish designers and the international design world, by events, exhibits, panels, conferences and competitions all over the city.

Mission
Bringing together the “Producer” who wants to be the “creative brand” and the “Designer” who wants to be “unique-innovative”.
Strengthening the design-city-individual triangle.
Ensuring Istanbul’s place among international design centers.
Positioning Istanbul as one of the corporate and experimental centers of design.
Treating Istanbul as a design object itself, connecting Istanbul’s cultural layers with design and introducing the city to the world.

  





Old Galata Bridge that has been constructed by Machinebau Ausburg Nürnberg on 1912 continued to connect two sides of Haliç for 80 years as one of the symbolic structures of Istanbul. This historical bridge that could not longer be used after the fire in 1992 has returned back to life with Istanbul Design Week organized in year 2005. by protecting its historical texture old Galata Bridge had been converted into an activity area and it plays an important role in highlighting the cultural heritage of the city as well as Turkish designs. Also the bridge provides a very mystical atmosphere for participants and visitors. Also as the bridge is made up of different parts and due to its architectural structure it can create flexible areas, which is a very important aspect. The most important advantage of the bridge is that it creates a connection point between “design” and “sea”. As “Water” is used as a design element or an exhibition unit both the participants and visitors are invited to have a unique experience.