PechaKucha night Saint-Etienne

SAINT-ETIENNE, NEW DESIGN CITY

WHERE IS SAINT-ETIENNE ?

With some 185 000 inhabitants, Saint-Etienne is the second largest city in the Rhône-Alpes Region, in the heart of an urban area with a population of 400 000. The metropolis of Saint-etienne gathers 43 “communes” (towns and cities).

Distance from Paris
- 500 km
- 2 h 45 mn by fast train

SAINT-ETIENNE AND THE ROOTS OF DESIGN

Economical context

Saint-Etienne, melting pot of industrial development in France since 19th century when its industrial expansion was centered around mining coal, metallurgy and the manufacture of cycles, arms, machinery and textiles (trimmings ).

Saint-Etienne’s inventiveness was also demonstrated in mail-order sales by Manufrance and its famous catalogue and by Casino’s general retail business, and many inventors, traditional know-how and forerunner trades in the field of industrial design

Economic crises in the second half of the twentieth century forced the city to develop new economic axes and new competitiveness centres (mechanical,medical, technologies and textiles, surface treatment , optics, machinery), higher education and design.

Cultural context

-1857, the Ecole des Beaux-Arts was built, to train the artists and respond to manufacturers’need for greater diversity in their products.
This school, now called Ecole supérieure d'art et design de Saint-Etienne, has local status, is an institution of higher education under the pedagogical supervision of France’s Ministry of Culture. Its five year studies in art and design have gained an international reputation.

The focus of the design department, “global design” involves a project-oriented, interdiciplinary approach. Research contracts are signed with companies for the development of both everyday and technologically innovative products.

The Ecole Supérieure d’Art et Design de Saint-Etienne also offers :
Post graduate program in design and research, created in 1989. As part of their research, students participate in production of the design magazine AZIMUTS.
And in partnership :
- Dual Design, specialized master’s program, given jointly with the Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Saint-Etienne (ENISE) and created in 2002.
- Professional master’s program, Public space: Design, Architecture, Practice’ Educational program given jointly by Université jean-monnet, the ecole d’Architecture and the ecole régionale des Beaux-Arts and created in 2004

THE GREAT STAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW DESIGN CITY

- Since 1995, the town of Saint-Etienne has been involved in a renewal of its urban patrimony treating neighbourhood projects and large-scale developments with the same close attention.

- Then in 1998 a new impulse is given to the town with the launch of the 1st INTERNATIONAL DESIGN BIENNIAL SAINT-ETIENNE conceived and brought to reality by the Saint-Etienne School of Art and Design. As a major event supported both by the Town of Saint-Etienne and the Métropolis organisation, the International Design Biennial has enjoyed increasing , thus confirming the appeal of design in all its forms.

As an international gathering this event represents a unique opportunity for meetings and discoveries, dedicated to professionals who come to spot new talents and better acquaint themselves with those emerging countries exhibiting their creations, in some cases for the first time in France.
This worldwide meeting place also represents a large exhibition space open to the general public to come and discover the sheer diversity of this sector, learning more about it by following the specially organised guided tours.

In its first edition, in 1998, the Biennale International Design Saint-Etienne immediately established itself not as a professional fair displaying the commercial successes of the moment but rather as a crossroads, an international design forum with meetings and debates that investigate the object in all its sociological resonance and all of its diverse cultural identities (50 countries in 1998, 100 countries in 2000 and 80 countries in 2002 and 2004.

Since 2006 the Cité du Design has been new leader of this event that gets a growing success

THE CITE DU DESIGN
www.citedudesign.com

Is Born of the strong design dynamic generated since 1998 by Saint-Etienne’s school of art and design and in particular by the creation of the Saint-Etienne international design biennial.

It has been set up in 2005 by the City of Saint Etienne in the form of a joint union with the Metropolis of Saint-Etienne.

It was designed to bring together all of those involved in design, in the field of the economy, culture, art, science or technology.
It is a "platform for observation, creation, education, training and research through design" for professionals and companies, focusing on a broader view of design that is tuned into the developments of companies and of new lifestyles.

It completes the economic restructuring and industrial redeployment whose Manufacture Royale d’Armes (then GIAT industries) is the symbol of 2 centuries of industrial revolution.

An international architecture competition was organized and we chose the talented architecture firm Lin (Berlin) founded by Finn Geipel and Giulia Andi. For the Cité du Design the team proposed an architecture that is intelligent and futuristic, combining technical prowess, creativity and sustainable development. Through these three fundamental elements, we were able to convey our desire to build a future that combines identity and modernity.

Since October 2005, the Cité du design has been managed by Elsa Francès (former Design Manager in Tim Thom/Thomson Multimédia).

The Cité du Design, which has officially opened its doors on 1st-4th October 2009, has a strong presence locally, nationally and internationally through its various activities (schools, training, research, the Biennial and publishing),

Saint-Etienne’s school of art and design, which has links with creative professionals all over the world, represents the heart of the Cité’s creative activities.

The Cité du Design is developing research by design with economic players developing research theme such as design and new energies, service and local design, design and the social link etc.

The Cité du Design is also a "creative centre" and an international development tool.

SAINT-ETIENNE DESIGN STRATEGY

Saint-Etienne has began a new era of its history which shows through the realisation of great architectural projects :
- Le Zenith by Fosters et Partners
- The Head office of Casino, by Architecture Studio
- La Cité du Design by LIN
- The House of Employment by Rudy Riciotti
- Le Fil by XXL agency

The amazing dynamic that is developing around design in Saint-Etienne demonstrates the spirit that must reign over this aspect of urban, cultural and economic development.
For Saint-Etienne, this new identity of New design city (rather than French capital of design which is more arrogant) is based on a natural legitimacy linked with the history of its current urban areas and with its current potential, reinforced by a political and financial backing of the Government which tries to give France attractive metropolis at the European level.

Saint-Étienne has created a wide international network from the Biennial and is going to develop its initiatives through the Cité du design.

www.citedudesign.com