The first Istanbul Design Biennial, to be held in 2012, will be co-sponsored jointly by four leading companies of the creative sector, two of which are Eren Holding and VitrA. Until 2012, symposiums, workshops, exhibitions, and similar preliminary events will be organised during the preparation stage. The first event within this framework, the International Istanbul Design Symposium, was held successfully at Kadir Has University on December 2 and 3.

The International Istanbul Design Symposium, titled “Why Design, Why Biennial?”, hosted 29 speakers, 7 of which were from abroad. They had all become prominent in the design world through their creative identities as academicians, directors of professional associations, architects, designers, and museum directors. 300 people attended the symposium, including students, scholars, company owners who are active in the field of design, members of related organizations and institutions, and representatives of both the national and international press. It was evident that a positive meeting environment had been fostered.

source: http://tasarimbienali.iksv.org/en/biennial/history