Founded by Walter Paepcke and Egbert Jacobson in 1951, the International Design Conference at Aspen (IDCA) brought together many of the era’s most respected designers, artists, architects, and business leaders to discuss and exchange ideas about the synergy between design and business.
Contents
1970 IDCA
By 1970 the IDCA had become an integral part of the design community as an institution and key event for designers on an international scale. At the 1970 conference, Students represented a larger portion than ever before, making up at least 175 of the 625 registered conferees. Given the social and political climate of the time, student attendees were dissatisfied with the uni-directional format of the conference, rejecting the passive role as seated audience members amongst individual speakers, especially when campuses across the country were experimenting with revolutionary educational tactics. Additionally, the theme of the 1970 IDCA, titled "Environment by Design," resulted in a collision of thought between the students and board members: While the board members conception of "environment" centered around the man-made, the students and environmentalists adversely called for a need to protect earth's natural resources. The opposing idealogical views and difficult communication led to an ultimate schism between the IDCA board members and students.
1970 IDCA Aftermath
The 1971 conference embraced the issues prevalent in the 1970 conference and adjusted its format accordingly with fewer presentations, less formal papers, and more sessions. The impact of the 1970 conference could be felt from then on, making for a more extensive understanding of design at future conferences.