WDC 2024: Design comes to Town(s)!

S1: You sent me a message that the psycho mobile is just arriving in this moment. And I just heard a bus.

S2: A couple of weeks ago. Natalie made her way to downtown Tijuana. She was there to visit a couple of unusual care providers Psycho Mobile and Baby Blues. While Psycho Mobile provides psychotherapy , baby provides medical attention for infants , both on wheels.

S1: At the front. Hola.

S3: Como estas ? No. Is it so ? No , no. Nunca. Como esta dentro ? Ya know.

S2: They are both initiatives of centro status. A sister organization of Families Belong Together , an American nonprofit dedicated to reuniting immigrant families separated by border policies and assisting them with an array of different services during their journey.

S1: Imagine one of those sprinter vans , but with its cargo area split from the driver and front passenger seat with a wall in the back side. Two red comfy sofa seats spread apart , facing each other at an angle and in front of the chairs , a mural of a cherry blossom on the outside of the van. Hopeful messages like building resiliency and families belong together a red along the sides. Orale. Estamos dentro del movil donde se ? This is the movie. This is the movie.

S2: Of the vans Park at different points of need throughout the city of Tijuana , like near shelters for migrants or in marginalized. Neighborhoods.

S1: Neighborhoods. Porque aqui al menos Tijuana.

S4: Solo a nivel privado algo asi y mas para esta population. No. Okay. Qué es lo siento. Como esta pensado. Todo tiene un porque estar aqui.

S1: That's Griselda Flores along with Leah Castillo. Together they manage and coordinate the operations of Psycho Mobile and Baby Bus since its inception in 2020. We spoke inside of the van , sitting just right across from each other.

S2: Griselda mentioned that this sort of delivery care is solely available to the private sector. The whole point of these two projects is to make medical and psychological attention well , accessible.

S1: And as cozy and welcoming as if you were having a therapy session in a more traditional setting.

S4: Esto Sergio Reyes de Como centro hacer algunos anos de la necesidad de Los espacios de principalmente Los alvarez de la ciudad de un espacio adecuado para recibir a las personas y las en sus salud mental.

S2: The remarkable thing about sickle mobile and Baby blues is that they're rare. They are the only and First on wheels non-emergency care provider installation in Tijuana , one that specifically serves vulnerable communities who don't have the means to get care at traditional facilities and innovative , outside the box , human centered solution to a pressing problem , which is what this whole new season is about. Wow.

S5: Wow. Anyway , it's coming together real good , man. I think we're off to a good start. Thanks.

S6: Thanks. Thanks. So , when do we. Hey.

S7: Hey , man.

S5: It's gone , it's gone. Not much. Just reviewing , uh , you know , some of the stuff we had going out for this new season.

S2: Oh , yeah ? How's it coming.

S5: Along ? Good , good. Just walking up here thinking that , hey.

S7:

S1:

S7:

S2: To start a new season ? Hey , I heard your bonus episode. I was very moved. Hey.

S1: Thank you , thank you , thank you man. It was a wonderful experience to work with Rebecca. Anyway , yeah , super excited to start this new season.

S2: I mean , you've been there on some of them.

S1: Yeah , man , I know I've been there , but I have to play the audience and to move the story along. You know , I have to pretend I don't know.

S2: Julio , why don't we just jump into the story ? I think we already use this intro.

S1: Yeah , man. Why ? Why do you have to do this all the time ? And the audience.

S5: She goes , it's just a transition. Just something to move the plot along. Come on. Yeah.

S1: Yeah. Meet Aubrey.

S2: You know too much , dude. It's always us walking in , chatting , pretending like we don't know what's going on. When we were there with you , taping , interviewing , recording.

S5: Yeah , man.

S1:

S5: That's what the trailers for.

S2:

S5: Trust the process.

S2: All right , Adrian , just punch it.

S1: Last week , our producer , Julio and Allan were at the Cook Tijuana's cultural center for a special launch party.

S5: It's a launch party. It's quite a quite. Scene.

S8: Scene. I think we're blocking miracles.

S9: A las dos todos tanto mundo mucho alcohol. Yeah.

S10: Everybody's drinking. Uh.

S8: But we're not. Because we're.

S9: We're not. We're working , we're working. We're.

S8: We're.

S9: Working this wine.

S8: This little bottle in our hand. Oh , no. No bottle. Nobody's drinking. Guys , we're just having refreshments.

S1: We aren't sure if you are aware , but there is something pretty exciting happening in the region.

S2: Both Tijuana and San Diego are hosting one of the most , if not the most significant design event in the world.

S1: The world design capital is in town , and with a lot of exciting events happening in both cities and in between. Oh , Natalie , you ask , why should I care ? Well , let me tell you this it is a prestigious recognition given to a city for their effective use of design to drive economic , social , cultural and environmental development. Pacific nations have included cities like Lilly , France.

S2: Helsinki , Finland.

S1: Cape Town , South Africa. Valencia.

S2: Valencia.

S7: Spain , Seoul.

S1: South Korea , among others. So just in case you didn't get it , it's a big deal.

S2: It's the first time a binational region has ever been chosen for this honor.

S1: This recognition involves hosting a whole year's worth of events , events that will showcase some of the most exciting minds involved in architecture , education , design , urbanism , art and culture.

S2: In that spirit , with this episode , we're kicking off a season filled with fascinating stories and guests who think outside the box , who come up with innovative solutions to common problems and make groundbreaking contributions in their fields. This season is all about visionaries shaping the future of the border region with their creative ideas.

S1: So sit back , relax , put your feet up , and join us on this new season of Port of Entry Shapers and visionaries of the Borderlands.

S2: From Kpbs , this is Port of Entry.

S1: Where we tell cross-border stories that connect us.

S2: I'm Alan Lilienthal.

S1: And I'm Natalie Gonzalez.

S8: I don't wanna. That's a good.

S5: And anybody who's anybody in architectural.

S8: Design is here. I mean , this is true. Uh , except for new faces we'll work with in the past.

S9: This time the spirit is very merry and jolly. People are happy that , uh , Sandy wanted to have a spotlight on them this year. I think there's a lot of excitement in the air about all the events coming up this year.

S8: Not as bad as I am.

S9:

S1: At the party. The who's who of the region's design world were there folks ? From architecture to fashion to art. We got to speak with the staff member and.

S2: Good friend of the podcast , who is.

S1: Helping coordinate this event and others. She also contributes to the art scene herself.

S2: Community program manager Diana Saavedra.

S4: My name is Diana Saavedra.

S11: I'm the community program manager with World Design Capital. Cool.

S9: Cool.

S11: It's like the kickoff event for all the projects that were accepted into the official program for our local partners and just for the community in Tijuana and on both sides of. Celebrate.

S9: Celebrate. Okay.

S11: Um , so crossing the border all the time. I'm involved in this work outside of the designation. So I really wanted to be in the room to represent the community and represent the folks that live and breathe what it means to navigate two cities as a region. Beautiful.

S9: Beautiful.

S11: Organize and connect all of the community initiatives that were accepted from both San Diego and Tijuana. So it's been beautiful to kind of see this organic synergy being created with people either wanting to connect with each other , whether it's on topics like water resilience or trans border youth. Or food systems , and it's been beautiful to connect people that maybe would have never connected outside of this program , and to be able to be that conduit for them.

S9: That's amazing. Yeah , because obviously San Diego are the most cross border in the West. There's already a lot of community and collaboration. You do you do think that the fact that we got the the world design capital designation is even increasing , that like there is more more communication than there was before. Yeah.

S11: Yeah. I mean , I think it's definitely a good excuse to do something that I think happens organically , but I think I don't want to say more intentional , because I think there's a lot of folks that do that work very intentionally and with like the best practices of like going above and beyond to connect despite borders. But I think it's just kind of like an excuse and like a kind of even this party. Right ? It's like an excuse to be in the in the room with a bunch of people even , like seeing you. It's like I met you because of this. Really ? Yeah. Yeah , yeah , yeah. Um , so I think it's just kind of like a really good excuse. And then with the right people to kind of push that intention further. Cool.

S2: Then it was time for the speakers to take the stage. One by one , they took to the podium and shared the reflections. The mayor of Tijuana , Montserrat Caballero , a representative of San Diego's mayor Todd Gloria , and other bigwigs took the stage.

S1: Then Thomas Garvey , president of the World Design Organization , took the podium and shared some interesting words.

S12: Thank you for welcoming me to participate in this important with us. As has been mentioned , the designation of San Diego Tijuana as World Design Capital marks an historic milestone for WTO. It is the first time that two cities have joined even named World Design Capital for their shared commitment to transforming the future of their citizens. For many around the world , borders are regions characterized by separation , by division , and by exclusion , with the rule of design , capital , and tone. We aspire to the opposite. This is a region built on cross-border cooperation. There is an independence of economy and a culture that is able design to prosper as a tool for regional transformation.

S2: In his speech , he highlighted some of Tijuana and San Diego's greatest binational accomplishments like Friendship Park , the Cross Border Express , the proposal to renovate the Tijuana San Diego River basin , among other projects.

S1: What stood out to us were his closing words about design.

S12: Design is a universal language. It speaks to the heart of human experience. It is inherently optimistic , always seeking to improve , to enhance and to solve. Design allows us to see the. Not as it is now , but as it should be. Remember , every idea we consider together , every project we develop together contributes to a larger narrative. It's a narrative of hope , of progress , of a future built by all of us , for all of us. So whatever your connection to the world Design Community Capital 2024 this year belongs to the San Diego Tijuana community. There's so much look forward to.

S1: As the event was winding down and our two heroes kept indulging in refreshments.

S2: Yeah , sure. Refreshments.

S1: Our producer , Julio , recognized an old face who turns out had something to do with including Tijuana as part of the world's design capital designation with San Diego.

S2: Enter Jorge Francisco Sanchez , aka.

S13: G Plaza porque encontrar con Catalina al Viernes. Catalina.

S2: He agreed to meet us along with Catalina Silva.

S1: The coordinator for the Tijuana side of the proposal.

S2: The following week to talk about how it came to be that Tijuana was chosen for this biennial designation.

S1:

S2: Just a few.

S1: Right , right , right. Anyway , port of entry. We'll be back after a brief refreshment up. Sorry. Break.

S13: Catalina shooting that.

S2: Julio met with both Catalina and Hoarfrost at Catalina's marketing and design agency , Enigma , in downtown Tijuana.

S14: Catalina Silva transferred to aqui en la Ciudad de Tijuana y tengo mas de cinco anos.

S1: Diseno Catalina is a transporter graphic designer with over 25 years of experience. She is passionate about building communities focused on the creative industry and design. She's been involved in other projects including public art and community development.

S2: We asked her about how the proposal to apply for the 2024 World Design Capital came about.

S14: My invitation to a reunion is estaba estaba. Participar para para hacer capital Mundial del Diseno.

S2: In 2020 , she was collaborating on a project with San Diego Design Week , which is a community driven yearly program that emphasizes design in the local sphere. When she got the invitation to join the team that would work on the binational proposal.

S14: Es importante relevant aqui imaginar Como estaba el mundo y Como estabamos en la frontera en la ciudad a porque estamos en Covid y todavia no habia vacuna entonces todos.

S2: She mentions that given that it was December 2020 when she received the invitation , everyone was confined to their home. The deadline to submit was for March 2021 , practically around the corner. So as captain of the Tijuana team , she made some phone calls and assembled the Tijuana side of the team.

S14: Yo estaba leader de Taiwan y en el equipo de Tijuana Como era muchisimo information. Invita a gente de la ciudad or or expertos por them. Por ejemplo , en el caso de educacion invited invita.

S2: She reached out to different experts in different fields.

S1: Education , architecture , art , culture.

S2: And delegated that portion of the proposal to them. And in turn they reached out to colleagues in their own field.

S14: Is the author information alien mas specializing in questions , cultural ASI and Cada.

S1: Once the team was set , they got to work compiling the information and creating the portfolio. With the San Diego side of the team.

S2: Their strongest selling point human centered design and humanity centered design.

S14:

S2: Many of the elements exhibited in the proposals stood out because of their human and humanity centered designs. Examples like Friendship Park that created an exemption space for separated families to be together , or the cross-border express that understood the need for quick access for travelers from San Diego to the Tijuana International Airport. These examples were highlighted for the unique response to human needs , the need to move , and the need to connect.

S1: And that approach is something that plays a proposal on par with design powerhouses like Milan , Barcelona , New York and San Francisco. Ultimately , they beat cities like Frankfurt and Moscow in the final sprint to secure the designation.

S14: Porque somos la primera vez una region binational as Capital Mundial de Diseno.

S2: But how does human centered design and humanity centered design differ specifically from traditional design ? Jofra is the coordinator of the city's University Center of Excellence in Human and Social Development. He curated it and contributed to the proposal with Catalina and other experts.

S13: Entonces cuando el centro no es Como hacer el mundo de Los objetos mas accessible para la persona encontrar in Los espacios de la vida quotidiano en Los espacio.

S1: According to traditional design , focuses solely on users or consumers without considering their context.

S2: Or the broader impact of a product beyond its immediate use or consumption.

S13: E el centro en el humano al usuario es digamos , alguien consumo un producto a un persona un humano K requiere un diseno okay , create a un diseno okay.

S2: Human centered design involves the community impacted by the problem to meet their needs based on their social context and address the problems , root causes , and not just the symptoms. But according to Koftas , it's still limited in scope. Enter Humanity Centre design. El.

S15: El.

S13: Centro de la en la humanidad de mas alla es una perspectiva critica. Esta el nuevo libro de Don Norman Dialoga con.

S2: Humanity center design goes a step further. It examines not just the immediate effects of a product or service on its user , but also its broader impact on humanity and the environment. And like human centered design , it considers the social context and the expertise of not just the traditional designers , but those in the community as well.

S13: Mas amigas para Los ecosystems humanos , por ejemplo , esta la pluma Vic no esta es un tiene varias décadas. No. Entonces Como la pluma. No en el medio ambiente Como podemos esta.

S1: The key is to acknowledge the impact that the production of say a simple pen.

S2: He said as he pulled out a pen from his front pocket.

S1: Might have on the environment. How will the production of this simple pen affect everything else ? According to Jefferies , this approach that.

S2: Is humanity centered.

S1: Design originated from San Diego team member and founder of the UCSD Design Lab , Don Norman.

S16: That's where we can come in and help. So we call that community driven design , which is a subset of human centered design , which is , far as I am concerned , is really about designing for humanity. So human centered design is a subset of humanity driven design , humanity centered design , because we're trying to save , well , the planet.

S1: According to Norman , if a design is humanity centered , then by default it's human centered.

S2: Inspired by this approach , this rock star team of San Diego Tijuana experts work to put together the portfolio. March comes around and they submitted something that both Catalina and Joe Frasier was rewarding on its own.

S13: ESO ya ya satisfaction a muchos entonces ya recuerdo con Catalina. Bueno ya quedo Eibar. Vamos con Frankfurt. Vamos contra Moscow. Plus vamos a ver pasa.

S2: Next thing you know , it's July and they find out they are semifinalists. Along with Frankfurt and Moscow. They felt confident about the proposal.

S13: La Primera persona dijo no , yo creo tenemos una posibilidad de esta propuesta.

S2: Some months later , in October 2021 , Bertrand Durham , the managing director of the World Design Organization , visited Tijuana and San Diego region for a tour put together for the board of judges. Carlos Christiani , executive director of Designer Forward Alliance and project manager of the Tijuana San Diego candidacy , explained that Covid and visa complications limited the travel that the judges could do , so Jerome was there representing the board of judges for the 2024 designation.

S1: Perez recalls their own visit.

S13: Recuerdo también la visita de Bertrand de Rome and El Senor Hassan. Qué es Como Como un espacio para presentar el movimiento cultural de Tijuana y esto es un arena.

S1: Jerome was here with the rest of the judges to visit different landmarks highlighted in the proposal. The pit was crossing Friendship Park in place , the Tijuana Escuela Libre de Arquitectura.

S2: The Free School of Architecture.

S1: School and the culinary Art school.

S2: One of the stops , though Hope remembers , might have tipped the scales in their favor.

S13: Espacio entonces bueno es el lugar tenia digamos esa caracteristica es un lugar se incendio no tiene techo in October El dia visto esta en pessoa yo Wisner. Entonces muchas personas estar en. ESA realidad alguna suggestion no este. Pero nosotros habiamos esto es una rendition de la look.

S2: No a presentation about the cultural life of Tijuana took place at Abu Hassan.

S1: A burned down movie theater in downtown Tijuana that now functions as the city's surprise amphitheater.

S2: It's one of my favorite venues in Tijuana , and it hosts events throughout the year. The day Darren was there , it started sprinkling , while some got nervous , who saw it as a blessing from. Tlaloc.

S15: Tlaloc.

S1: The Aztec deity of rain and fertility.

S2: Converging with Kazan's open air magic.

S13: Cuando Los colegas de San Diego , la entrada de la noche , el dia hace fueron al hotel para para las actividades. El siguiente dia Bertram de sido quedarse digamos en Los paises del cinema , Hasan a seguir con viviendo entonces.

S1: Once the presentation concluded that day and everyone went back to their hotel room to rest for the next day , Drumm stayed back at the venue to keep talking to the presenters , Jeffries included.

S2: That's when it sunk in that the interest was genuine and he got a hunch.

S13: I mean , medio de digamos es una pista de un genuine estaba su yo recuerdo.

S1: And that hunch was very much on point. In December of 2021 , the Tijuana San Diego team got the news that their series would be named the world the Sine capital of 2024.

S2: We asked Catalina how she felt when she got the great news.

S14: La verdad. Super satisfactory so far. Como un destino sobre todo porque creo. Muchas veces puede haber esta perception de. Look. No estas grandes capitals or ciudades en el mundo.

S1: Catalina says it was a burst of excitement and joy , principally because it could mean a boatload of opportunities for the region like grants , scholarships and tourism to San Diego , Tijuana , not to mention bringing the border region to the global stage. It meant that the region can stand toe to toe with other design hubs from different parts of the world.

S14: Esto es una gran oportunidad para todos aprovechar mas a demostrar hemos hecho. Qué es lo estamos haciendo Y Como pensamos abordar el futuro. No.

S2: Before we took off , we asked us about an example in the city of human or humanity centered design in Tijuana. He mentioned one in the social sphere.

S13: That clinicas moviles bebé was easy.

S1: Como will remember Leah and Griselda from the beginning. Si.

S4: Si. Bueno , si. No hay un un espacio hijo , pues podemos llevar asi Como solo food trucks. No estos espacios a veces ofrecen servicios a moviles pueden estar por la ciudad. Entonces decimos adapter lo con con un finance ambiente. The Jews love y the families belong together. Happened. Mira esta del este por dentro del vivos. I aqui esta.

S13: Pero si lo vamos a activa a la ciudadania a Los designators tan trabajando en campo. Las universidades compartir information y expanding information para mas personas a lo utilizan. Entonces la tenemos la posibilidad de construir elementos pequenas de un Damian pueden construir un espacio para la humanidad.

S1: Hoover's emphasized that by fostering civic engagement and collaborating with designers and experts from all backgrounds , people can create products , services , and spaces that prioritize humanity.

S2: Just like webOS and Sycamore will.

S1: This episode of Port of Entry was written and produced by Julio Cesar Ortiz Franco.

S2: Adrian Villalobos. Technical producer and sound designer Lima Gonzalez Lima Brandao is our editor.

S1: And Lisa J. Morrissette is director of audio programming and operations.

S2: This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting , a private corporation funded by the American people.

S1: This project was also made possible with support from California Humanities , a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit Calamar. Org.

S2: Soy Allan. Lilienthal.

S1: Yo soy Natalie Gonzalez. Nos vemos. Pronto.