Closing Symposium
Images by Xavier Cuevas for the Detroit Month of Design.
Design Moves the Future Symposium hosted by Design Core Detroit and Cranbrook Academy of Art brought multiple speakers to Detroit to explore how design can move cities forward.
Hosted at the iconic Detroit Public Library, this event brought together design leaders to examine how creative practices are shaping Detroit's future through the lens of the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals, entrepreneurship, production, studio practice, and cross-sector collaboration.
The event featured three presenters sharing how their work advances design across industries and disciplines, from independent studio practice to large-scale corporate collaborations. The presentations were followed by a moderated panel discussion with funders, industry leaders, and local practitioners, discussing the challenges and opportunities of building a design practice in Detroit.
Presenters:
Ed Be and Jared Blake, founders of LICHEN
Kim Colin, co-founder of Industrial Facility and newly appointed creative director of MillerKnoll
Ayako Aratani, furniture designer and sculptor based in Pontiac, Michigan, originally from Japan
Moderator: Leon Ransmeier, Head of Industrial Design at Cranbrook Academy of Art
Panelists:
Sina Sohrab, Industrial designer, editor and writer raised in the Detroit area, currently based in Madrid
Stefan Novakovic, Toronto-based writer and editor, co-founder of EXPO Magazine
Sebastian Bauer, General Motors Executive Director of Design, Human Interface
