Industrialists and Industrial Designers Come Together to Shape the Future Through Industrial Design

Organized by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry Industrial Design and Prototyping Center (ISO ETP), the “Design Summit for Industry: Shaping the Future” at ITU Taşkışla brought together designers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, and researchers of world-renowned products. The “Design Summit for Industry,” which attracted great interest from participants, hosted simultaneous panel sessions as well as keynote speeches by invited speakers who have made a worldwide impact in the field of industrial design. In addition, entrepreneurs who want to develop their innovative business ideas with the power of industrial design had the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with stakeholders throughout the day.

Organized in partnership with the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO), Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Industrial Designers Professional Organization (ETMK), and Istanbul Development Agency (ISTKA), the “Design for Industry Summit” discussed the latest developments in the field of industrial design, which shapes the future of the industry. The opening speeches of the “Design for Industry Summit” were delivered by ITU Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu and ISO Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan. In their opening speeches, ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Koyuncu and ISO Chairman Bahçıvan emphasized the importance of qualified industrial design for our industry to be competitive in global markets.

“Industrial Design for Sustainability”

Korkut Avcı, Senior Director of BEKO Global, took the stage in the morning session that started after the opening speeches and shared his predictions for the future of innovative and sustainable designs that are making waves around the world. He particularly discussed the latest developments in innovative designs that will comply with the United Nations' decarbonization target by 2050. Following Korkut Avcı, Sertaç Ersayın, European Regional Advisor of the World Design Organization, delivered a speech on the contribution of industrial design to sustainable growth and competitiveness.

“Industrial Design for Value Creation”

After the speeches of Korkut Avcı and Sertaç Ersayın, the parallel sessions began. In the “Value Creation with Industrial Design” panel, moderated by Prof. Dr. Aydın Öztoprak in ITU Taşkışla Hall A, Şişecam Glass Products Design Manager Değer Demircan Acılıoğlu, BEKO Global User Experience and Interface Design Director Özgür Mutlu Öz, and Otokar Military Vehicles Industrial Design and Trim Manager Orhun Baysal took the stage. The panel emphasized the importance of user experience in product development across different sectors. In the “Successful Practices in Design Development” panel, held simultaneously in ITU Taşkışla Hall B and moderated by Dr. Aysun Ateş Akdeniz, Ege Argüden, Founder of Argüden Design, Kuntay Aktaş, Founder of TrabTech, and Ümit Altun, Co-Founder of Designum, came together and discussed examples of successful user-oriented design trends from various sectors.

“Industrial Design for More Human-Oriented, More Environmentally Friendly Products”

Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Kaya, Head of ITU Department of Industrial Design, took the stage in the first session of the Summit titled “Planet Centered Design” and provided information about innovative design and interface ideas for changing trends in the product-environment relationship based on sustainability goals, as well as new product usage scenarios developed to be more resistant to environmental factors. Following Prof. Dr. Kaya, Benjamin Völksen from iF Design Germany Head Office shared the findings of the 2024 iF Design Trends Report. According to the report, the integration of artificial intelligence into digital technologies is making interface designs more user-oriented and cognitive-sensitive, while product design companies prioritize designs that are more sensitive to local cultures and the environment.

After Völksen's presentation, the second panel sessions began. ITU Lecturer Çağrı Gizem Varlı, Can Yalman, Founder of Can Yalman Design, and Mert Sezer, Founder of Formeta Design, participated in the “Earth-Focused Design” panel moderated by Prof. Dr. Gülname Turan, Lecturer at ITU Industrial Design Department. Simultaneously, a panel discussing the contribution of designs that are more sensitive to the environment and ecosystem to sustainability was held, with the participation of Atakan Akçay, Co-Founder and CEO of Redon Technology, Engin Akbaba, Karaca Design Manager, and Hatica Armağan, Arman Design Director, moderated by 700DCC Co-Founder Sinem Kocayaş.

“ISO ETP Will Continue to Contribute to the Competitiveness of Our Industry”

In his evaluation at the end of the summit, Bilal Çinici, General Manager of ISO ETP, emphasized the critical role of industrial design in shaping the future of the industry. “Industrial design is not only about aesthetics and functionality, but also about sustainability and competitiveness. Today, we came together as industrialists, designers, and entrepreneurs to discuss the latest industrial design trends of the future and listen to innovative ideas. Such events enable the development of qualified and innovative designs that will increase the competitiveness of our country in global markets. I would like to thank all the contributing participants and IDEA4ISTANBUL Project stakeholders and wish for these collaborations to continue.”