The panel, consisting of internationally recognized design and architecture professionals, will take the World Design Capital 2012 Helsinki theme of Open Helsinki - Embedding Design in Life as a starting point. The Urban Design SCENARIOS panel will present various ways in which the cities of today incorporate design in their planning.

Also aspects of sustainability, architecture and urban landscape, and the local variations of these will be discussed by the distinctive panelists:

- Rick Bell, Executive Director of AIA New York Chapter

- Justin W. Cook, Sustainable Development Lead at Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund and Helsinki Design Lab's expert on issues relating to climate change and the built environment

- Hannu Kähönen, Founder and CEO of the internationally awarded industrial design consultancy Creadesign Oy

- David Resnick, AIA, Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Design and Construction

Moderated by Peter MacKeith, Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Architecture, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis