After Design Shanghai and Design China Beijing, an eagerly awaited debut for Design Shenzhen, the trade show that completes a trio of exhibitions organized by Clarion Events. Design Shenzhen opened on 27 February at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (SZCEC), an architectural reference point in the city center, continuing until 2 March amidst product presentations from over 200 companies, as well as installations and talks with outstanding sector professionals.
A city of intense energy, Shenzhen is an ideal destination – alongside the big metropolitan centers of Shanghai and Beijing – to promote international design and to approach the urgent issues of the future. The city, known as the “Silicon Valley of China,” contains the headquarters of the leading high-tech companies, as well as many institutions in the fields of art, culture and design.
“Our aim for Design Shenzhen is to launch an exhibition in the Greater Bay Area that has an impact within Asia and on the international stage – says Raymond Wang, Show Director of Design Shenzhen. – As the first Chinese Design City recognized by UNESCO, Shenzhen is clearly the best place to host an event of cutting-edge design.”
The focus is on the future and new design outlooks, through the many highlights of the fair. Starting with Audi, which presents the new four-door coupé RS e-tron GT, in an installation that recreates the company’s world of technology, aesthetics and sustainability.
Sony Design makes its debut with an exhibition titled “Nature. Resonance”, a path through the sustainable vision and practices of the brand with its high-tech prowess; the show utilizes a series of special effects that stimulate sight, hearing and touch, offering visitors an experience of the origin, evolution and cycles of natural life.
The avant-garde in terms of products takes form in the exhibition “Good Design Select”, curated by the designer Xiaoxi Shi in collaboration with G-MARK JAPAN GOOD DESIGN AWARD, presenting dozens of Japanese creations made to enhance life and the society.
The exhibition “Back to the Oasis” curated by Gaetano Scintilla is a focus on the post-tech era, through color and nature, to rediscover inner exploration.
The connection between human beings and technology is also investigated by WellConnect, curated by Design Shenzhen, David Hugh and Li Zhefeng, on new ways of living in the home and the workplace: a “meditation grotto” creates a sensory voyage of sounds and lights through new lighting solutions beneficial to health and wellbeing.
Other promising installations include Future Home, a look at the homes of the future, and Neooold, curated by the designer Min Chen, which combines design, art and crafts.
To complete the event, the Design Shenzhen Forum covers over 40 conferences conducted by architects, designers and artists on the theme of “Regenerative Design – Design for Wellbeing: Humanity, Sustainability, Technology”. The speakers include the architect Carlo Ratti who introduces the Jian Mu Tower (which will be built in Shenzhen), and the decarbonized thermal energy system “Hot Heart” for Helsinki.
“Design Shenzhen will join Design Shanghai and Design China Beijing to create the biggest Asian network of annual design events – says Zhuo Tan, CEO of Clarion Events. – The combined fairs will create a continuous and complete design platform, promoting vigorous growth in the Chinese design industry.”
