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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