“Design, is not only design”

On Nov 28th ,2015, Sharing Forum on Creativity and Design of 2015 World Expo Milan & Discussions on New Value of China Design successfully ended, which was jointly organized by CREATE NETWORK and Tongji Design and Art Research Center of Tongji University, cooperated with ACIA (Asian Creative Industry Alliance), HIKER and IDEA (Italy Design Exhibition Association).

The forum invited Ji Lude, General Secretary of Shanghai Exhibitions And Conventions Industrial Association, Richard Wei, Chief Representative of China Corporates Pavilion of World Expo Milan, Alessandro Colombo, Board member of IDEA (Italy Design Exhibition Association) and Professor of Postgraduate Study of Interior and Exhibition Design of Politecnico Milan, George Budiman, Founder and Chairman of ACIA (Asian Creative Industry Alliance), Nathan Nee, Founder of HIKER, and Wang Yitang, Director as well as around seventy designers and general managers in design industry (exhibitions and events, interior, architecture, visual communications, industrial design, graphics), representatives of industry associations and design media. The forum shared the highlights, impressions and reflections on World Expo Milan and discussed how to elevate the design value of China under the new situations of economy, industry and market in China.

Host:Lin Jiayang（right, Professor of Design in Tongji University, and tutor of postgraduates for doctor degree of landscape design Terence Lai (left), Chairman of CREATE NETWORK

Prof. Jiayang Lin, Professor of Design Study/ Landscaping Study of Tongji University, tutor of PHD Students,Vice Director,China Ministry of Education for Art and Design Director,China Ministry of Education for Art and Design Vocation,The leading Great Master of Shanghai Master Studio of Original Design Creative Tutor of China High School Creativity Headquater, expressed his comments on World Expo Milan: Pavilions of Italy, Germany and Britain were all good at telling stories and capable of focusing one specific topic, and presented it in a very thorough and in-depth way. China Pavilion’s performance, however, did not equal to its deep-rooted culture and diversified and gorgeous food culture while Korea and Japan Pavilion could express so much and so well the Han Culture with ink and chopstick elements.

Richard Wei, Chief Representative of China Corporates Pavilion of World Expo Milan, shared the China projects in World Expo Milan and expressed his wishes to the forum.

Alessandro Colombo, Board member of IDEA (Italy Design Exhibition Association) and Professor of Postgraduate Study of Interior and Exhibition Design of Politecnico Milan, shared the innovations and achievements of World Expo Milan in a general view, the rewards and highlights, the after-world-expo stories and also introduction of IDEA.

Professor Lin Jiayang, hosted the session of sharing on World Expo Milan.

George Budiman, Founder and Chairman of ACIA (Asian Creative Industry Alliance),shared on World Expo Milan.

Nathan Nee, Founder of HIKER raised that the relevant design industry official associations should set the rules for the design associations to allow the designers to make their value into full play.

Wu Liuhua, the president of IDG Hongkong Creative Company and shared the highlights of World Expo Milan.

Dong Feiran, the member of Shanghai Creative industry Associations, ellaborated on the topic of “A touch through heart at the first sight” and introduced her most impressive pavilions from the perspectives of integration, communication and immersion and said that the display methods with specific but precise themes and which are unforgettable and heart-touching are the most efficient to convey the messages.

Ma Huan, Director of Art and Technology research center of Xi’an Art Academy, introduced the experience-oriented exhibtion design under the experience-oriented economy background. He also interpreted the pavilions of world expo Milan from the themes, space and behaviors.

Chen Tao，Director of Industrial Design Department of Shanghai Univeirsityfor Science and Technology, the founder of ChenTao Design, started from the theme of 21st Triennale exhibition “Design after Design” to elaborate on the design trends in his point of view-how to tell the story of local culture through the universal language, combined with his experience in World Expo Milan.

Yuzhong, the vice president di Shanghai Dianyi Space and exhibition Internaitonal Group, shared his experience in world Expo Shanghai and world expo Milan.

Ryan Luo, the founder of CREATE NETWORK and founder of Shanghai Shidao Cultural Communications Company shared his point of view on “enjoyable exhibition design and find out the touching points that arouse empathy” and call for the designers to have more fun time and create happiness from design.

Yin Shuxiao, the founder of Xiaozhou Cultural Communications Company, previously working in the theme development department of Shanghai World Expo Bureau, introduced the thematic zones of world expo Milan and unveiled the themes systems in thematic zones on the axis of time and content points-food sufficiency, food sustainability, healthy food, and good quality and food safety.
In the roundtable discussion session, all the participants are divided into six groups to dicuss on how to elevate Chinese design’s value under the Chinese mcurrent situations. There are six topics: cross-over integration, positioning of mdesigners and their value, eastern-western cooperations, design education, mcreative promotion and marketing, design and economy. Each table will send a speaker to conclude.

Dong Feiran, the member of Shanghai Creative industry Associations

Raymond Yip, GM of Pico Creative Lab

Sun Danli, Director of exhibition research center of Public Art College of Sichuan Art Academy

Cheng Junjie, Operation director of Asian Business Communications Association

Wang Fan, Partner of Siweke Management Consulting Company

Finally, Ji Lude, the General Secretary of Shanghai Exhibitions And Conventions Industrial Association, made comments on the conclusions “To judge on the current Chinese design industry, one has to reflect from why the society needs design,which is the root of the question. The lack of in-depth understanding and value orientation (political, academic, artistic and economic ones) will both influence the design quality and influence our judgements on design. Therefore, designer needs to try to improve his skills but also has to coordinate and balance. Design should be bound between two ends-culture and economy. So the designer needs to jump out of his area and overlook design from different perspectives to understand it properly.”

Wang Yitang, the director also gave the conclusion of the forum.

He said it was important for the designer to be versatile and multidisciplinary. And thus designers should walk out of their area and reach out to the diversified world.