First virtual industrial design museum to open

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The new project announced on Nov 29 at a press conference held in Istanbul. Museum representative said the project aims to create new policies and methods for design.

The Industrial Designers Society of Turkey (ETMK) announced the Virtual Industrial Design Museum will open June 12, 2012 in a Nov. 29 press conference.

The organization said the museum will bring together industrial designers from the same platform. The museum aims to present information on industrial design and design products.

The museum will also provide workshops for youth and children, and plans to open an industrial design exhibition at Beyoğlu are underway.

The project is sponsored by the Istanbul Development Agency, a creative industries development program.

Beyoğlu municipality President Ahmet Misbah Demrican, Industrial Designers’ Association President Bülent Zorlu and Virtual Museum Manager Burçak Madran announced the details of the project. Turkish design will be presented to the public at the museum opening with the support of Industrial Design Promotional Agency (ETTA).

The museum aims to create a collective memory for Turkish design. The museum will present design products from Turkish artists and aims to create awareness on Turkish industrial design.

Museum representative also said the project aims to create new policies and methods to develop a new platform for industrial design.

Speaking during the press conference, Bülent Zorlu, president of Industrial Designers Society of Turkey, said, “Our main, goal once we open, is to support industrial designers. We aim to develop Turkish industrial design globally.”

Currently the Industrial Designers’ Association, the only association to support industrial design in Turkey, has 400 members, Zorlu said. “With this new museum project we aim to increase awareness in terms of Turkish industrial design in Istanbul.”

Zorlu also said the membership application to International Council of Societies of Industrial Design has also been accepted. “This will increase the potential to represent Istanbul in the industrial design arena.”

The virtual museum is only a preview of the museum that is planned to open in Istanbul. The virtual museum will be open to visitors online.

Istanbul Development Agency Secretary Abdülmecit Karataş said raising awareness of industrial design will also contribute to Turkey’s exports. He said the agency was honored to support the project, which will contribute the presentation of Turkey.

“Ninety percent financial support of the project has already been granted,” Karataş said.

Project coordinator Gamze Güven said the museum will help Turkish designers be introduced to the world market. “The first part of the project gathered different industrial designers and arranged meetings. As a result of the project, we believe that the export rates will increase and the industrial design will open to the world market.”