DESIGN BRAZIL 2000+2
PARANÁ CREATION PROJECT

In the next pages, ARC DESIGN brings you a sample of Paraná design. In contrast with the semi-industrial or handicraft design shown on previous pages – predominantly in Brazilian scenarios – here we see design that is intimately linked to industry

Winnie Bastian
An exemplary initiative that promotes the meeting between designers and industry – principally small and medium – and provides support during the whole product development process. This is the Paraná Creation Program, developed by the Paraná Design Center, under the direction of Geraldo Pougy, which began from a partnership between the Government of the State of Paraná and four institutions: the Extreme South Regional Development Bank (Banco Regional de Desenvolvimento do Extremo Sul – BRDE), Sebrae-PR, the Federation of Industries in the State of Paraná (Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Paraná – FIEP) and the Paraná Technology Institute (TECPAR). The initial object was to stimulate and support industry in developing 20 well-designed products up to the prototype stage. There were 42 prototypes developed, surpassing the established aim by 110%.
The work had consulting support from Bruce Williams, the Scottish designer in charge of designing and development of products in the Glasgow Collection, Scotland.
In 2001, the project began with the Paraná Design Center team's visits to factories that might be interested in participating in the program. From the 270 visits made throughout the State of Paraná, a hundred companies showed interest in obtaining better knowledge of the program; 43 signed up for the program. Subsequently, the Design Center team followed the whole process, assisting the companies in defining the briefing, in presenting suitable designers for the project, in suggesting places qualified to build the prototypes and in solving engineering problems.
The results of this project will be exhibited at Moinho Paranaense, in Curitiba, until October 15 (more information on the site www.centrodedesign.org.br/criacaoparana.html).