Expanding the Design Community

Design Library, Milan - Thursday, June 9th, 2011

The Design Library in Milan is a valuable resource for young designers who wish to feed their curious minds. Current and past issues of magazines, books and articles related to design are all available for the public to peruse here. As well, weekly lectures gather people with common interests to discuss different design topics. This venue offers so much to the design community, it's no surprise that it's current director wishes to expand this network globally.

Milan's Design Library environment

As 60% of the library's visitors are students studying abroad, there is alreayd a rich cultural network related to it. Valerio Castelli, the director of the Design Library, expressed his desire to share the wealth of design knowledge in his library with other communities around the world. 

 Shanghai's Design Library environment 

The library in Milan was founded in 2006, and only a year later in 2007, a second one was created in Shanghai. Castelli told us that it costs about €200,000 to start up a library so finding partners that are willing may be a bit difficult. Not only do they have to be ready and willing to put in a lot of time, money, and dedication into the establishment, but they have to be the right kind of partnership for Castelli.

As the Design Library was the first library to be completely dedicated to design, similar organizations have followed suit. An example Castelli mentioned to us was the Thai Design and Creative Center in Bangkok. It's facilities include not only a library, but a materials library, lounge areas and exhibition spaces.

  Thai Design and Creative Centre's environment 

These hubs for creative thinkers, designers and people who share similar interests is a perfect way of bringing design communities of different cultures together. If only there was somewhere in Ottawa that served the same purpose as Milan and Shanghai's Design Library. But who knows, perhaps in a few years, there will be!

Ruby, Xinran, Foong Ling

Keywords: Transference, Intimacy, Design Community