BODW 2015

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM BUSINESS OF DESIGN WEEK

2015


Content Foreword

Message from Dr. Edmund Lee

Speakers

Imran Amed David Butler Jeanne Gang Thomas Heatherick Ross Lovegrove Benedetta Tagliabue

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Design in pole position Organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre

deployed strategically, creates endearing user

(HKDC), the annual Hong Kong Business of

experience and meaning. Importantly, BODW

Design Week (BODW), provides a platform to

provided an ideal environment for dialogue and

exchange ideas and highlight the latest trends

the exchange of ideas, encouraging people

by showcasing local talent and bringing top

from all walks of life to go beyond the standard

talent from the global design world to Hong

scope of the everyday business of design, and

Kong.

to look at fundamental issues and concerns, both within the industry and that the world as

Now in its 14th

year, BODW 2015 brought

a whole is facing. Moreover, BODW highlighted

together the broad theme of “Design. Cities.

some of the truly unique opportunities that can

Future.�.

More than 75 presenters, many of

be applied in Hong Kong and the way design,

them the forward-thinking innovators in their

when deployed strategically, has the potential

area of specialisation from all round the world

to be an innovative influence in developing a

to inspire us on how good design creates

new way to live, work and play.

value and well-being and helps to make cities of the future. The week-long series of events including a stellar line-up of world-class speakers, exhibitions, award ceremonies and concurrent programmes, provided a plethora of examples of how design bridges big ideas and innovations and helps to create empathy with people, meaningfulness and new possibilities for

ventures,

enterprises

and

societies.

Throughout the week we were challenged and inspired to think again how we look at the world; the way we approach life, to break through creative blocks, enjoy the journey of creative risk-taking and learn that within all ideas are seeds of brilliance. Recognised for its creativity and rich artistic heritage, and development towards communities that are driven by smart design, Barcelona was chosen as the inaugural BODW partner city, which was a winning success. Architects, designers and artists from Barcelona provided compelling and thought-provoking concepts and enlightened us on how design, when

/ Foreword

Yours sincerely, Dr. Edmund Lee Executive Director Hong Kong Design Centre


IMRAN AMED Founder & CEO, The Business of Fashion, UK


The Business of Fashion website is changing the way the industry sees itself Asia is becoming a focal point for fashion as

including batik in Indonesia, embroidery in

the industry searches further afield for talent,

India, and textiles in Japan. When these

says

Canadian-British

are combined with modern design, it’s very

founder and editor-in-chief of online journal

Imran

Amed,

the

powerful,” says Amed. He feels that there is an

Business of Fashion (BoF). Eight years after the

exciting creative resurgence in fashion design

former McKinsey and Company management

in China, too. “One of my favourite designers

consultant launched BoF, website postings

is Uma Wang, who uses in-depth fabric

have over 2.5 million followers from more than

development to create really beautiful, unique

200 countries.

garments,” says Amed, a Harvard Business School graduate who dreamed of working in

BoF started as a blog, but grew into the

an industry that combined commerce with

industry’s leading digital source of information

creativity.

for designers, fashion houses, and fashionistas. “We are providing a unique, global, analytical

During his BODW presentation at the Fashion

perspective in a time of great change for

Ecosystem Forum at PMQ, Amed spoke

the fashion industry,” says Amed, a keynote

about the way consumer behaviour and the

presenter at the 2015 Hong Kong Business of

fashion industry have been reshaped by digital

Design Week (BODW) last November.

forces. For instance, last year BoF launched a subscription-based global job market platform,

“In Asia, we can find amazing craftsmanship,

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called The Business of Fashion Careers, where

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talent and fashion companies can connect.

sector, helps students to make informed

Within a week of launching, 150 fashion

choices about pursuing higher education in

companies from 15 countries had signed up.

fashion, and acts as a platform for colleges to

Prior to the launch of the online recruitment

explain their education programmes.

channel, a survey indicated that few fashionrelated businesses use social forums to recruit

The research tool also helps the industry to

talent.

discuss fashion education. According to BoF, finding and retaining talent is one of the biggest

Amed says the fashion industry is not as

challenges facing luxury and fashion firms

easy to disrupt as the music industry, whose

today. “BoF has carved out a unique position

business model has been fundamentally

in the crowded fashion media landscape,” says

changed by digital streaming and piracy,

Amed.

because fashion is about physical products. The areas where technology has disrupted the

China’s role in the global fashion industry

fashion world are limited to the communications

is evolving fast, notes Amed: “Over the past

and transactional side of the industry: the way

decade, China has been the engine of the

consumers discover and discuss fashion, the

fashion and luxury goods industry. Now,

way they learn about brands, and the way

as dramatic market forces create a more

they make purchases.

challenging business reality, the country has

Instagram has been

especially important in sparking conversations

found a new creative confidence.”

about images. During the BoF sponsored ‘Fashioning China’s According to industry insiders, everyone

Future’ event at BODW, Amed announced the

from the big brands to emerging designers

launch of a new project called Voices. This

is prioritising social media as a way to

will bring together thinkers, entrepreneurs,

communicate with customers. That goes

and creatives from inside and outside of the

for up-and-coming designers as well as

fashion business to discuss global topics

established luxury brands. Tweets, Facebook

and solve real-world challenges. Amed says

posts, and Instagram posts have become an

Voices will be a unique fashion event. “We

integral part of the brand-building process.

will explore new frontiers, and challenge the received wisdom about this ever-changing

In August last year, BoF launched a global

business through a programme of rousing

ranking of fashion schools to act as a research

talks, interactive discussions and immersive

tool for fashion students. This assesses the

experiences designed to transform the way

value of the expanding fashion education

you think and work,” he claims.

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DAVID BUTLER Vice President, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The Coca-Cola Company, US

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Asian entrepreneurs can make a global impact Coca-Cola designer and brand strategist

Post during the 2015 Business of Design

David Butler believes Asian entrepreneurs

Week (BODW), presented by the Hong Kong

and start-up founders are ideally positioned

Design Centre last November, Butler explained

to make a global impact with their business

how the goal is to help start-up founders grow

ideas.

their business while solving problems for the beverage company.

“Asia has a huge opportunity to build fastgrowing start-up eco-systems represented

“We don’t accept applications. We hand pick

by companies that can make a difference

every potential business partner by going

in the global marketplace,” says Butler, the

deep into the start-up community to search for

US-based Vice President, innovation and

the right fit,” explained Butler, who is looking for

entrepreneurship at Coca-Cola. Butler has

enterprise founders with solutions that can be

over 25 years of experience helping startups

scaled-up to solve global business problems.

scale-up, and global companies grow.

Butler said “last mile distribution”, the process of ensuring products reach the shelves of

Butler leads a seed-stage venturing platform

retailers, is a good example of the areas to be

called

looked at, as is stock management.

Coca-Cola

Founders,

which

is

designed to create high-growth start-ups by connecting repeat founders with Coca-Cola’s

Once the start-up’s business model is proven,

biggest challenges. Speaking to Education

Coca-Cola becomes a minority shareholder.

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“We collaborate from the very start to create

pharmacy owners to distribute his beverage to

more speed, more scale, and more impact,”

customers via soda fountains.

said Butler, who added that partnering with Coca-Cola makes the difficult process of

“They built their businesses by helping us

building a sustainable business easier.

to grow ours,” Butler said. “The Founders platform offers the same value proposition;

Butler said he believes the new wave of

we are continuing to provide opportunities to

innovation will involve big companies working

entrepreneurs in a way that only Coca-Cola

with entrepreneurs to solve their problems.

can.”

“Protecting what they have created is a challenge for large organisations. However,

Given that these start-ups are selected

because of the way large companies are

because their big ideas could help Coca-

structured, it can be a challenge to change

Cola’s business, entering the arrangement

quickly and drive innovation,” said Butler.

gives them the potential to land their first big customer. This structure creates an inside

As one of the most recognised brand names

connection to Coca-Cola, while allowing them

in the world, Butler said entrepreneurship is

to maintain the flexibility and speed required to

part of Coca-Cola’s DNA. Atlanta pharmacist

build a start-up enterprise.

Dr John Pemberton, who invented Coca-Cola in 1886, knew he couldn’t build an entirely

During his career, Butler has been an art

new industry alone, so he partnered with

director, designer, creative director, adjunct

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professor, director, brand strategist, business

has a market cap of about US$179 billion. It

consultant, and the founder of a few start-ups.

sells products in more than 200 countries,

He still considers himself to be designer, he

interacts with more than 24 million customer

says. He was once named Master of Design

outlets around the world, and has partnerships

by Fast Company magazine, and Forbes

with the biggest regional and global retailers.

picked him as a member of its Executive

The company has more trucks on the road

Dream Team. “I think like a designer and solve

than the big three delivery services combined.

problems like a designer,” he says. Coca-Cola is involved in business activities Butler was fired from his first job as an art

that range from marketing to agriculture to

director for an advertising agency, when the

trademark law. Butler said that building a

agency lost the account he was assigned

leaner, more agile culture used to be nothing

to. Butler says the experience taught him

more than a nice thought, but it’s now become

a lot about how to stay in business. Before

critical, due to the challenges of disruptive

joining Coca-Cola in 2012, Butler co-founded

innovation. But, he noted, large established

a start-up called Process1234.com, helped

non-tech companies are generally not adept

Gucci, United and Caterpillar become digital

at creating disruptive innovation themselves.

companies, and designed systems for UPS,

“In today’s world, game-changing products,

Delta, and CNN. He is also the co-author of

technologies, and business models tend to

Design to Grow: How Coca-Cola Learned to

come from start-ups or tech companies,” said

Combine Scale and Agility (and How You Can

Butler.

Too). When asked the inevitable question about his During his BODW keynote presentation, Butler

favourite type of Coca-Cola he replied “Coke

said that Coca-Cola, which is 130 years old,

Zero”, without any hesitation.

Live Report David Butler, Vice President Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The Coca-Cola Company, US

December 2, 2015 10:30

Tasked with creating the systems, process and relationships necessary for the company to produce as much value as possible through start-up innovations, David Butler, The Coca-Cola Company Vice President, Innovation and Entrepreneurship talks to Education Post about the way one of the most recognised brand names on the planet seeks out partnership collaboration and opportunities in Asia.

Read on to find out more about David Butler in our blog coverage

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JEANNE GANG

Founder & Principal, Studio Gang Architects, US


Architect believes that tall buildings benefit from social spaces Chicago-based

architect

Jeanne

Gang

believes that, as cities become more densely

of Studio Gang Architects, and a MacArthur Fellow.

populated, the need to incorporate social spaces into the design of tall buildings

In Chicago, known as the birthplace of the

is crucial. Gang, who is internationally

skyscraper, much attention has been given

recognised for her innovative use of materials,

to the fact that Aqua, an 859-foot, 87-storey

along with her environmentally sensitive

apartment tower designed by Gang’s studio

approach, uses terms like as “exo-spatial

and completed in 2010, was at that time the

design”, “solar carving”, and “bridging” to

tallest building in the world designed by a

describe strategies for creating more socially

woman.

connected tall buildings. Due for completion in 2020, Vista Tower, The architect, who visited Hong Kong last

a new 1,100-foot skyscraper development

November to deliver a keynote presentation

project Studio Gang is designing in Chicago

at the Business of Design Week (BODW), an

for China’s Dalian Wanda and The Magellan

event organised by the Hong Kong Design

Development Group, is also believed by some

Centre, says these tools and concepts

to be the world’s tallest building designed by

can address concerns about tall building

a female.

typology, and can help architects design the cities people want to live in. “Finding ways

Gender-related accolades, of course, aren’t

to make something as ordinary as a balcony

on Gang’s list of priorities. Her aim is to focus

become something more social makes a big

on being creative and inspirational in a way

difference,” says Gang, the founding principal

that benefits communities and social projects.

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Photo by Hedrich Blessing

In a male-dominated profession, Gang’s

with its natural features, and tend not to sprawl

studio bucks the trend by employing more

over them. That makes for an interesting city.”

females than males. “It’s just the way it is,”

Gang believes Hong Kong’s culture lends itself

says Gang. “It’s nothing to do with gender, it’s

well to people living close together. “People of

about working with the best people.”

all ages desire social interaction, as it’s part of being human. So tall buildings need to

Speaking to Education Post after her BODW

respond to these desires by becoming social

presentation, Gang says that Hong Kong is

connectors themselves,” says Gang.

one of her favourite cities. “I have brought my Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) students

Gang is interested in the social, political and

here on several occasions, and even had

economic implications of architecture. She

them work on a project in Wan Chai,” says

believes that it’s vital that members of the

Gang. “Hong Kong’s tall buildings contrast

public, as well as other relevant stakeholders,

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have their say in any proposed changes to

Studio Gang’s work is becoming increasingly

the urban landscape. Gang describes heated

urban in scale. High-profile projects are

public meetings as a “social medicine”, and

exemplified by the co-design and makeover

says that if community members are involved,

of the old Chicago Meigs Field airstrip, which

community projects can be managed more

shut down in 2003. The airstrip has been

effectively. As an example,

converted into 40 acres of parkland. The project allowed Gang to focus on expanding

Gang

discussed

a

police

station

plan

a “wilder version” of nature into cities, using

in Chicago’s troubled 10th District that

what she refers to as “green infrastructure” to

addressed ways to break down barriers

support and enhance urban landscapes.

between neighbours and police. This is not a romantic notion, she points Gang says that a commitment to good design

out. “It’s done for practical and experiential

is more important than budget challenges.

reasons, to extend biodiversity within the

“We are happy to design to a budget, but

ecosystem,” Gang notes. Studio Gang once

the main thing we look for is a commitment

needed to push the concept of environmental

to push the boundaries of design,” she says.

issues to clients, but clients themselves now

Gang says her studio’s WMS Boathouse at

want

Clark Park project has been turned into a

to be incorporated into their projects. “It’s a

recreational frontier as part of Chicago’s plan

winning situation when clients realise there is

to transform the polluted Chicago River. The

more involved than just ‘greening’ a space,

creation of a key public access point along

and [understand that] different varieties of

the river’s edge supports a larger move

plantings and habitats need to be created to

toward an ecological and recreational revival

support a range of species,” says Gang.

environmentally

conscious

aspects

of the Chicago River, she notes.

Live Report Jeanne Gang, Founder & Principal, Studio Gang Architects, US

December 5, 2015 17:30

Driven by a desire to incorporate “green infrastructure” to support and enhance urban landscapes, visionary US architect Jeanne Gang, Founder & Principal, Studio Gang, discusses with Education Post how the process of co-creation with clients and diverse teams leads to uniquely designed works that achieve aesthetic beauty and her affection for Hong Kong’s urban landscape.

More on Jeanne Gangon on our blog coverage

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THOMAS HEATHERWICK Founder & Principal, Heatherwick Studio, UK

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Studio boss extols the virtues of patience and hard work London-based designer Thomas Heatherwick

whole. “We like to work on things where we can

says he spent the best part of two decades

really make a difference, and not be constrained

waiting to complete his first major building. The

by what has gone before,” he noted.

founder and principal of Heatherwick Studio finally saw his patience rewarded this month,

Heatherwick said he wanted to be an inventor

with the completion of the Learning Hub at

when he was a child: “I remember looking at

Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.

Edwardian patent books which were all about trying to solve problems like how to make a self-

“I have been going for more than 20 years, but

operating napkin, or how to keep a moustache

it takes a long time to be trusted to work on a

from dipping in a drink. Those made me think I

major project like the Nanyang Learning Hub,”

would like to be an inventor.’’ Heatherwick said

said Heatherwick at the Business of Design

he was disappointed to discover there were

Week (BODW) conference, organised by the

no designated school or university ‘inventor’

Hong Kong Design Centre in November 2015.

education programmes.

When it came to choosing his career path,

Deciding he wanted to pursue an all-round

Heatherwick said he decided to set up his own

approach to his career, Heatherwick opted to

studio because he wanted to fill a gap in the

study 3-D design at Manchester Polytechnic

market that he’d identified. “I needed to find a

(now Manchester Metropolitan University).

building where I could keep the costs down,

In his final year, he became the first design

enjoy the work I was doing, and try not to go

student to make a whole building. Heatherwick

bankrupt in the process,” he told Education

then studied at the Royal College of Art, where

Post.

he met his future mentor, Terence Conran, who visited the college to give a talk in his third year.

The designer stressed the importance of patience, and said it’s better to become

During his BODW presentation, the celebrated

immersed in the work than to seek acclaim.

designer spoke about his approach to his work.

He said the Heatherwick Studio is a team effort

He said that that his studio does not have a fixed

where various talents come together to make a

style, and instead focuses on problem-solving

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Photo by Hufton and Crow

driven by exhaustive field research, rigorous

context, a university must foster togetherness

thinking, and tough questioning. Since its

and sociability. “Universities are about meeting

foundation in 1994, the studio has worked in an

people like future business partners and clients,

extensive range of design disciplines, including

so we have to reflect this in our design,” he said.

architecture, engineering, transport, and urban planning, as well as furniture, sculpture, and

Heatherwick is no stranger to Hong Kong. He

product design.

remodelled Pacific Place in 2008, and tens of thousands have seen his touring exhibition

Heatherwick says that since the advent of

in Beijing and Shanghai. He often visits Hong

the internet and the proliferation of hand-held

Kong to give lectures, notably the Central Saint

devices, there has been a distinct shift in

Martins Cross Culture Lecture at the Asia

how students approach educational facilities.

Society.

This was a big influence on his approach to the Nanyang project. “Our first major new

A lover of cities, Heatherwick said Hong

building in Asia has offered us an extraordinary

Kong’s juxtaposition of tall building against the

opportunity to rethink [the idea of] the traditional

mountains acts as a forgiving counterpoint to

university,” he said.

the city’s high-density construction. “Nature provides a softening, humanising effect to

Heatherwick added that, within this new

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create a human scale,” said Heatherwick.


The

designer’s

unprepossessing

manner

calmed a nervous student from Guangzhou,

Heatherwick into one of the most well-known names in design and architecture.

who asked him if he considered art and design to be separate. “I have never seen them as

Heatherwick says the publicity from the

different disciplines,” he replied, adding that

Shanghai World Expo led to an invitation to

labeling creative pursuits, or dividing them into

design several large-scale projects on the

categories like architect, artist, and designer, is

mainland, including the Bund Finance Centre,

an artificial activity.

a

prominent

new

mixed-use

destination

in Shanghai designed jointly with Foster + Heatherwick has worked on a number of high-

Partners.

profile projects during the last six years, including the design of the UK pavilion at the 2010

“The

Shanghai World Expo. During the six-month

conversations. These turned into projects

Expo, over eight million people experienced the

that involve developers and planners who

Seed Cathedral, making it the UK’s most visited

are prepared to look at new ways to connect

tourist attraction. The UK Pavilion ultimately won

with China’s phenomenal history, culture,

the Bureau International des Espositions award

architectural and landscape heritage,” says

for pavilion design. Such projects have turned

Heatherwick.

Expo

led

to

many

interesting

On Twitter Guy Parsonage @guyparsonage

Feeling inspired listening to #ThomasHeatherwick #BusinessOfDesign @hkdc_edundlee @fluidesign @TheMarketingSoc 1:21 AM - 2 Dec 2015

Live Report

Thomas Heatherwick, Founder & Principal, Heatherwick Studio, UK

December 2, 2015 17:30

From remodeling Pacific Place in Hong Kong to stunning the world with his ‘’copper cauldron’’ opening ceremony at the London 2012 Olympics to his design for the “hairy building” UK Pavilion for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, UK designer Thomas Heatherwick speaks to Education Post about the need for patience, his drive to analyse and try ideas and his passion for solving problems.

Discover more Thomas Heatherwick on our blog coverage

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ROSS LOVEGROVE Industrial designer Ross Lovegrove, UK


British designer’s work reflects the beauty of nature British

designer

Ross

Lovegrove

is

sources. He’s always searching for new forms

affectionately known as “Captain Organic”,

that look and feel human, and new materials

a moniker that results from the combination

to render them in a cleaner, more efficient

of natural beauty and logic which is the

way. “I work philosophically to explore my own

foundation for his inspiration. Many consider

first principles, because they are the true DNA

Lovegrove, who has worked on projects for

of self,” he said, noting that the problem with

Apple, Airbus, Vitra and Tag Heuer, among

design is that it’s a multiple-voice profession.

many others, a visionary designer.

“You need leadership to say this is what we’re going after,” Lovegrove said, adding that

Speaking at the Business of Design Week

when you hire designers, you should do so

(BODW), an event organised by the Hong

because you believe in them, similar to when

Kong Design Centre which ran last year

you hire a doctor or a lawyer.

November 30 to December 5, Lovegrove said that China is living below its design potential,

In

although it remains the “kitchen of the world”

manufacturer KEF commissioned Lovegrove

for

also

to develop the Muon speaker, which was

questioned why there is a lack of experimental

described at the time as “quite possibly

design in Hong Kong, where he says there are

the most extraordinary audio speaker ever

multiple opportunities to experiment with new

conceived”. The Muon speakers, which cost

materials, and to take known technologies

one million Hong Kong dollars and were

and refine them.

limited to 100 pairs, were launched in Hong

industrial

designers.

Lovegrove

the

2000s,

high-end

British

audio

Kong. Lovegrove has also designed the Go Talking about his own work, Lovegrove said

chair, which looks like a high-tech praying

he

mantis, for US firm Bernhardt Design, created

absorbs

/ Speakers

information

from

numerous

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Photo by Ross Lovegrove

watches for Tag Heuer, airplane seats for

Lovegrove also drew attention to the way oil

Japan Airlines, and cameras for Olympus.

is used in everything from food to clothes to medical supplies. Although he’s known for an

Lovegrove raised concerns about over-

organic approach, he realises that synthetic

designed, mass-produced items that eat

materials (polymers) are ubiquitous: “We

up valuable natural resources during the

can’t do without polymer. It’s here to stay,

manufacturing

design

but let’s use it to make intelligent things, not

is almost always instantly disposable,” he

stupid things that break and make landfill,”

observed, noting that it would be better to use

he said. “While we’re at it, let’s move away

materials in a way that had less of an impact on

from a fossil-fuel economy. As a designer,

the environment. That way, natural resources

you need to understand where things come

would be preserved for future generations.

from, but people tend to be detached from

Lovegrove said that he found it shocking that

industry, which is usually modernised and

the materials in some products were so used

squeaky clean. It’s the great catalyst – taking

so wastefully, noting that a humble toothpaste

resources and turning them into new things,”

tube uses three times as much plastic as an

he says.

iPod. “If a product will last a month, make it

To illustrate his point, Lovegrove gave an

last three or four months. Find a way to have

example of a carbon suitcase he designed for

a material adaptation and relevance,” he said.

luggage manufacturer Globetrotter. Weighing

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process.

“Instant


only 1.4kg, the Globetrotter 110 is claimed to

same product just because it has a brand

be to be the world’s lightest suitcase. “When

name.

you have 3.5 billion seats on aircraft every year, surely that weight has an impact on fuel

Lovegrove suggested that all designers

consumption, which has an impact on the

should discover a material, do something

environment,” said Lovegrove.

with it, and then try to go further. “It’s about material and effect. You have to push your

But Lovegrove says he is buoyed by younger

boundaries,” he said.

and less pretentious consumers. “Younger people are interested in different things,

“We are starting to change and augment

because they don’t have the income or the

ourselves,” he added, noting that it’s easier

mindset of the past,” he says. “These people

to re-engineer a human to go to Mars than

are moving away from material things,”

build a spaceship. The focus should be on

he added. Lovegrove called the younger

optimising materials: “The beautiful things we

generation hunter gatherers, and said they

see in nature should come to the fore,” he

won’t pay twice the amount of money for the

said.

On Twitter Robert Miros

@3rdstonedesign

Getting a little inspiraton in Hong Kong this week at the #BOSW2015 conference. In this one from Ross Lovegrove! 10:55 PM - 2 Dec 2015

Live Report Ross Lovegrove, Industrial designer,UK

December 3, 2015 12:30

Interested in form since he was a young child growing up in Wales in the UK, Ross Lovegrove, who describes himself as an evolutionary biologist, more than a designer, is today one of the world’s foremost designers and recognized widely by his inspiration triggered by the beauty of nature combined with logic. Our Education Post article covers his Business of Design Week presentation and some of his thoughts on making the best use of natural resources, new consumer trends and the need for designers to remain positive while doing something that has relevance and can go forward.

What else did Ross Lovegrove share? Find out more on our blog coverage

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BENEDETTA TAGLIABUE Co-Founder & CEO / Founder & CEO, Miralles Tagliabue EMBT / Enric Miralles Foundation, Barcelona

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Buildings should be sensitive to the environment New architectural projects and revitalised

with detailed client requirements. innovation

historic areas should both breathe new life into

emerges during the design process. This

a place, says Benedetta Tagliabue, co-founder

approach is combined with strong technical

and CEO of the international architecture firm

and management skills to provide a cost-

Miralles Tagliabue EMBT. The firm, which has

effective and personal service. “We take

its main studio in Barcelona, Spain, and a

great pride in what we do, and we like to be

branch in Shanghai, is known for architecture,

involved from conception to completion,” said

the design of public spaces, rehabilitation,

Tagliabue.

interior design, and industrial design. Tagliabue believes that exploring human “Our approach is always to be sensitive to

behaviour, including the way people interact

the local environment, to integrate whatever

with their surroundings, is a necessary part

it is we are designing into the surroundings,

of good architectural design. Designers must

and to put a real effort into making people

insert their personality into the project, along

feel better about the place they live in,” said

with any elements they feel passionate about.

Tagliabue, one of the key speakers at the 2015

“You need to be really interested in your project

Hong Kong Business of Design Week (BODW)

and that way, the project can also become

organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre

interesting to other people,” Tagliabue advised

last November.

architectural students.

During an interview with Education Post,

The Italian-born architect has won a string of

Tagliabue explained how every project starts

international awards for her work, including the

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RIBA Stirling prize (the UK’s most prestigious

inspiration behind one of her most notable

architecture prize), the National Spanish prize,

projects, the regeneration of Barcelona’s Santa

and the RIBA Jencks Award in recognition

Caterina Market.

of her major contribution to the theory and

the company office.) With her late husband,

practice of architecture.

respected architect Enric Miralles, who died

(The home also became

in 2000, she redesigned the community Tagliabue’s recent appointment to the Pritzker

shopping area and meeting point.

Jury – the body responsible for selecting the world’s most prestigious prize in architecture

The design is characterised by its distinctive

each year – is another endorsement of her

“fruit bowl” roof, which reflects the colours of

all-round knowledge of the discipline, say the

the products sold in the market, as well as

appointment board.

the colourful image of Barcelona. The project was part of Barcelona’s redevelopment master

Tagliabue explained how the refurbishment

plan, which aimed to foster a sense of local

of a badly maintained family home in an

ownership, and assert Catalan pride and

insalubrious district of Barcelona was the

identity.

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Tagliabue said the market sits on top of

World Expo. “It was a wicker pavilion, and an

a series of ecclesiastical buildings below

effort to understand what wicker is, and how

ground, and the canopy consists of a

you can scale it,” she recalls. “Wicker is like

mosaic of 325,000 multicoloured hexagonal

a wood, but it’s more flexible. Working with it

Spanish tiles set in mortar. “Construction and

was an adventure,” she said. “Also, I studied

archaeology were close to each other. With

calligraphy for the project. We wrote basic

the ruins, we discovered how you could mix

ideas about woods, and infinity, and Spain

what was happening in the past with the new

and China being friends, on the building,” she

construction,” she said.

said.

“It was mingling and giving us a feeling we were

After her success at the World Expo,

building with a kind of harmony with the history

Tagliabue’s studio was commissioned to

that was there before,” she added, stressing

provide the designs for some projects in the

that the key aim was to strike a balance

Mainland. These include a tower in Xiamen,

between the past and the present, local

the new campus at Shanghai’s Fudan

producers and consumers, social inclusivity

University, the Shenzhen High Rise “Bamboo

and contemporary architecture, and tourism.

Tower”, and the Zhang Da Qian Museum in Neijiang, Sichuan.

During her comprehensive BODW presentation, Tagliabue explained the rationale behind the

“Working in China is different from Europe,

revitalisation of Hafen City in the in the Port

because tastes in design and materials are

of Hamburg, Germany, and the Edinburgh

different. But the need to be sensitive to the

Parliament Building in Scotland.

environment, and to bring benefits to people’s lives, is the same,” she said, adding there is a

Tagliabue also spoke about her first project in

growing number of Catalan architects working

Asia, the Spanish Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai

on projects in China.

Live Report Benedetta Tagliabue, Co-Founder & CEO / Founder & CEO Miralles Tagliabue EMBT / Enric Miralles Foundation, Barcelona

December 3, 2015 12:20

For Italian born, Barcelona-based architect, Benedetta Tagliabue, Co-Founder & CEO, of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT and Founder & CEO of Enric Miralles Foundation; the key essence of effective architecture is making people feel better about the place they live in than they did previously. In her interview with Education Post, Tagliabue offers insights on the design and rehabilitation of public spaces, and how success at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo has evolved into commissions to provide the designs for various projects on the mainland.

Find out more about Benedetta Tagliabue insights on our blog coverage

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