▲ Taiwan Design Week presented outstanding and appealing works at multiple locations in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park to large crowds
The first Taiwan Design Week (TDW) was held from December 1st to December 10th at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park this year. Over ten days, over 100 designers and experts presented fascinating designs, creative ideas, as well as latest trends and concepts. With 220,000 visitors in total, it indicated high interests in design in Taiwan.
59 local and international teams represented dynamic designs
Theme Exhibition was curated under the theme “Elastic Bridging”. 54 Taiwanese interdisciplinary teams showcased a wide variety of works, from plants, food design, curatorial practices, graphic design, material application, spatial design, multimedia interaction, to public service innovations. Besides unconventional designs in Taiwan, five overseas teams from Germany, Greece, Thailand, and Mexico also delivered exclusive works at TDW with international perspectives.
▲ The curatorial team reshaped the space as a hotel lobby. Visitors across demographics walked in the exhibition comfortably, and encountered all kinds of designs.
▲ Hyperlink section invited five overseas teams and their time-limited works. This work by German team raumlaborberlin was installed at Baroque Garden. The team also joined a video call on weekend to talk about creative development in Berlin.
Twelve panels in a wide range of topics attracted over 3,000 participants
TDW offered an opportunity for international exchanges. Its forums connected nearly 70 field experts from 9 countries to elaborate on various subjects, including sustainable development, AI applications, human–computer interaction, public policy design, sports and healthcare space design, Polish illustrations, Dutch circular design, international architecture, and urban aesthetic visions. These latest practical trends and concepts were inspiring to participants in industries, academics, and research institutes.
▲ TDW Forum on sustainable development and urban approaches was moderated by Taiwan Design Research Institute President Chi-Yi Chang. Panelists included previous and current World Design Organization presidents, as well as London Design Biennale 2023 artistic director.
▲ TDW Forum on New Frontiers in Design Research invited significant figures as speakers, including MIT Media Lab deputy director and tangible media pioneer Hiroshi Ishii. Other topics in the forum included public policy innovations, human-computer interaction visions, urban design strategies, and design impacts.
▲ The last TDW forum focused on urban aesthetic visions. It invited panelists from partner organizations, urban aesthetics experts, and design teams to review preliminary outputs in the first year of urban aesthetics. It also previewed plans for the next two years.
▲ TDW opening night invited award-winning vocalist ABAO to perform. B’in Live also staged a light performance. TDW wristbands also illuminate in different colors with music. The Baroque Garden was transformed into a beautiful space for designer engagement in the evening.
▲ Local and international guests celebrated at the TDW opening night. Attending guests included Ministry of Economic Affairs Deputy Minister Chuan Neng Lin, TDRI President Chi-Yi Chang, international speakers and journalists to advocate for international exchanges in Taiwan.
▲ The second TDW design night, Fa-Bulous Night, highlighted sustainability. Enterprises and designers were quizzed on circular resources and material reuse. It was a lively and accessible process to think about innovative pathways towards circular economy and carbon reduction.
▲ The third TDW design night, Public Pictograms Lab, unveiled survey and design processes over a year, and announced nearly 300 open-source public pictogram outputs.
Online events underlined creative viewpoints across borderss
Besides offline activities, TDW also collaborated with documentary streaming service Giloo, online bookstore Books.com, and FunNow to curate film lists, book lists, and DIY experiences. Forums were also live streamed. Through these films and books, people who couldn’t visit TDW were exposed to new ideas in daily life.
▲ Giloo and Books.com highlighted TDW film lists and book lists for people who couldn’t visit in person.
For the first TDW, organizers Industrial Development Administration and TDRI are grateful to all participating teams, collaborators, and visitors. The theme exhibition is extended to January 28th, 2024 at Room 03 in Taiwan Design Museum to inform visitors about how design in Taiwan is flexible and responsive to needs and challenges across disciplines.
