‘URBANOVATION’ at Inaugural Design Inspire

Dates: 7–9 December 2017
Companies: Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC); Hong Kong Design Centre

The inaugural Design Inspire drew more than 220 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions, showcasing more than 620 design objects and products to provide creative solutions and business opportunities for the industry.

“Design should place people foremost and aim to change our lives for the better,” said Raymond Yip, HKTDC deputy executive director. “Besides promoting the creative industries, we hope the exhibition will enable public visitors to enjoy global creativity and heighten their appreciation of design.”

Design Inspire featured several thematic zones. Supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission, the thematic pavilion ‘Urbanovation’ showcased designers exploring the integration of creative design ideas into urban life to create a better society. These included the mini-residence OPod, a proposal to address Hong Kong’s housing shortage; the Longevity Design House, which employs elderly-friendly technology and services; the world’s first smart voice-ring ORII; and the imseDOME, which features a 360-degree virtual environment.

Other featured exhibits included Tesla electric cars, service robots and smart buildings. Visitors experienced life in the future through exhibits and interactive games, virtual reality and augmented reality demonstrations.

AROUND THE WORLD
Partner country Italy presented Italian architect Dario Curatolo’s curated exhibit of more than 130 products of distinctive Italian design, including the latest Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster and the Ducati motorcycle. Other international pavilions, including the Australian state of Victoria, Japan, Korea, Poland and Sweden, also showcased their latest designs and innovations, facilitating creative exchanges among designers from around the world.

INSPIRING CREATIVITY
DesignInspire featured a series of InnoTalks seminars to explore hot-button issues such as ‘Urbanovation’ and new global design trends, with more than 60 experts from the creative industries sharing their ideas and experience. Li & Fung Ltd, Tesla and MakeBlock explored innovative ideas that have changed urban life. Renowned designer Tommy Li shared his inspiration and tips, while Christian Yang of Dustykid, Fly For Miles’s Regis Cheung, photographer and instagrammer Kevin Mak, and illustrator Tony Electric discussed cross-industry ideas for creating a lifestyle for the future. Meanwhile, TEDx Hong Kong also staged the Now You See Me conference.

DIY workshops held included computer coding, architectural design, ceramic or 3D prosthetic arm assembling, glass engraving, illustration design and assembling Quartz movement watch.

CREATIVE FORCE
Sponsored by Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR, the Hong Kong Creative Force Pavilion featured the design collaboration project Happy Innovations, where more than 20 local budding design talents co-created a happy city; and the temporary urban experiment Seating for Socializing (SOS), which used 27 steel cubes to help make better use of urban space.

Parallel shows held concurrently with DesignInspire were the Business of IP Asia Forum, Hong Kong International Franchising Show and the inaugural SmartBiz Expo, creating strong synergy and providing SMEs with one-stop value-adding solutions.