Taiwan Design Festival: Let the World See Taiwan

Taiwan Design Festival: Let the World See Taiwan
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
October 3, 2011

Summary: The world's first World Design Congress convened in Taipei on September 30. Works by 1200 designers from 34 nations will be on display. This is the world's largest multidisciplinary design event ever held. It is being referred to as the "UN General Assembly of the design world." After three years of intense competition, Taipei was awarded the right to host the event. It won out from a field of 19 competing cities, from 13 competing nations. This shows that Taiwan design is internationally recognized. The World Design Congress will be held on Taiwan. In response, the government has named this year "Taiwan Design Year." This shows the role design plays in the cultural and creative industries.

Full Text Below:

The world's first World Design Congress convened in Taipei on September 30. Works by 1200 designers from 34 nations will be on display. This is the world's largest multidisciplinary design event ever held. It is being referred to as the "UN General Assembly of the design world." After three years of intense competition, Taipei was awarded the right to host the event. It won out from a field of 19 competing cities, from 13 competing nations. This shows that Taiwan design is internationally recognized. The World Design Congress will be held on Taiwan. In response, the government has named this year "Taiwan Design Year." This shows the role design plays in the cultural and creative industries.

The World Design Congress is the "General Assembly" of the International Design Alliance (IDA). The World Design Congress refers to three design groups: The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID), the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda), and the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI). In 2007 the three design groups formed in the International Design Alliance. The 2011 World Design Congress is the first major design conference since the IDA was formed. Full mobilization by officials and private individuals in Taipei cinched its bid to host the event. The World Design Congress represents the founding of the IDA. Guests include former Finnish Prime Minister Esko Aho, former London Development Agency Deputy Director and Director of Development and Environment Peter Bishop, Massachusetts Institute of Technology SENSEable City Laboratory Director Carlo Ratti, RDI Royal British Design Award organizer and RSA Design Director Emily Campbell. These heavyweights will give lectures and participate in seminars.

Taiwan won out over its numerous competitors for several reasons, One of them is Taiwan's design. Assessing design ability involves a variety of indicators. One of these is international design awards, This is an objective and public assessment standard. Taiwan has received many of the four major awards. These include Germany's iF and Red Dot awards, the United States' IDEA award, and Japan's G-Mark award. In 2003 Taiwan received only 16 awards. In 2010 it received 1017 awards, including 28 Gold Prizes or First Prizes. In 2010 Taiwan designed products won the most iF design awards in Asia. It won an amazing 10% of all awards presented. The World Design Conference includes a special "Taiwan Design Light Show," where visitors can see international design awards Taiwan has received over the years. They include products which received First Prize awards, Visitors can experience first hand the magic and creativity of design.

Taiwan has shone in the international design community. This is why Taipei is confident in its bid for the honor of "2016 World Design Capital." Will it be chosen? The successs of the World Design Conference could make a difference.

Every two years the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design selects a "World Design Capital." In 2008 it was Turin, Italy, In 2010 it was Seoul, Korea, In 2012 it was Helsinki, Finland, Which city will it be in 2014? The assembly will announce the winner in Taipei. When Seoul was chosen "World Design Capital," the entire city went all out. It was as if the city was reborn. The world was stunned with admiration. Design ability is a form of soft power. It takes time to develop, It cannot be "fast tracked." But sometimes developing national strength requirs a clear goal. Such a goal can motivate an entire society to develop their collective strengths.

Having a positive goal is always a good thing. It can motivate a city or a nation. It can win respect and recognition from the world at large. It is far better than remaining mired in endless bickering over meaningless trivia. Most lacking on Taiwan is a system whereby people can work together to strive for a common dream. A person without dreams has no drive. A society without dreams has no future.

The World Design Congress is a professional design forum. But for the general public, the exhibition being held at the Songshan Cultural Park, the Nangang Exhibition Hall, and the World Trade Center Exhibition Hall One, is a rare event. A single exhibition will enable visitors to see product design, interior design, multimedia design, and fashion design. Included are works of top designers, from here and abroad. International design masters have brought works from afar. A "100 Contemporary Taiwan Designers Exhibit" will also give the public an insight into three generations of designers on Taiwan, and their Interdisciplinary design ability.

From now to the end of October, the World Design Congress and Exhibition will enable Taiwan to see the world, and the world to see Taiwan.

設計盛宴 讓世界看見台灣
2011-10-03 中國時報

全球第一次舉辦的「世界設計大會」日前（九月三十日）在台北開幕，全球三十四個國家、一二○○位設計師的作品也將陸續群集台北。這是全世界最大規模的跨領域設計盛會，被稱為是「設計界的聯合國大會」。台北經歷了三年的爭取，最終從十三個國家、十九個城市中脫穎而出，得到主辦權，說明台灣的設計實力已得到國際認同，而配合世界設計大會的舉行，政府將今年定調為「台灣設計年」，也說明設計在文創產業裡扮演了關鍵性的角色。

「世界設計大會」是國際設計聯盟（ＩＤＡ）的會員大會。所謂的「世界設計大會」是指國際三大設計團體：國際工業設計社團協會、國際平面設計社團協會與國際室內建築師設計師團體聯盟。這三大設計團體在二○○七年組成「國際設計聯盟」，二○一一年的「世界設計大會」是ＩＤＡ成立後的第一屆大會，台北在官方與民間的全力動員、努力下，取得主辦權，被認為具有「開創ＩＤＡ大會典範」的重要使命。這次大會邀請了包括前芬蘭總理Esko Aho、前倫敦發展局副局長暨設計發展與環境處處長Peter Bishop、美國麻省理工學院感應城市實驗室總監Carlo Ratti、英國ＲＤＩ皇家工業設計獎主辦單位ＲＳＡ設計總監Emily Campbell等，多位重量級的來賓進行專題演講或對談。

台灣之所以能夠在眾多競爭者中勝出，有多個理由，其中之一是台灣的設計實力夠看。評量一個國家設計實力可以有各種不同的指標，在國際重要設計獎的表現可做為客觀、公開的評量標準。舉台灣在四大獎（德國iF、德國紅點Red dot、美國IDEA及日本G-Mark）的得獎數為例，二○○三年，台灣僅有十六座獎項，至二○一○年累積已達一○七一座，其中包括二十八個金獎或者首獎；二○一○年台灣設計作品在iF得獎的數目甚至居亞洲之冠，囊括了全部獎項十％的得獎數，實力驚人。這次世界設計大展中特別設有「台灣設計之光展」，參觀者可以看到台灣這些年在國際設計大獎中，獲得首獎的作品，親身感受金獎設計的魅力與奧妙創意。

台灣已在國際設計界散發光芒，這也是台北正積極準備申請「二○一六年世界設計之都」的信心與動力，能不能入選，這次「世界設計大會」的舉辦成效應具有一定程度的影響作用。

國際工業設計社團協會每兩年選拔一個「世界設計之都」。二○○八年是義大利的杜林，二○一○年是南韓首爾，二○一二年是芬蘭的赫爾辛基，至於二○一四年會由哪個城市出線，這次的台北大會即會揭曉。首爾為了獲選「世界設計之都」，整個城市全力以赴，彷彿脫胎換骨的過程，令世人驚豔敬佩。當然，設計實力是一種文化軟實力，需要時間養成，很難用「趕鴨子上架」的方式速成，但是不可諱言的是，有時一個國家某種能力與實力的養成，也需要一個明確的目標，這個目標可以帶動整個社會共同努力、發揮集體力量與能量。

無論如何，有一件正面、能贏得世人尊敬與肯定的榮譽，做為整個城市和國家努力的目標，總是好事一樁，勝過天天陷在虛無的議題裡，進行永無止境的爭吵。或許台灣現在最缺乏的就是一個可以讓人民共同努力、為之奮鬥的夢想吧。一個人沒有夢想就沒有行動力；一個失去夢想的社會，就失去了前進的動力。

這次的世界大會除了專業的設計論壇外，對一般市民來說，設於松山文化園區、南港展覽館和世貿一館的設計展覽，是難得一見的盛會。一次展覽就可以盡賞平面、產品、室內設計、多媒體及時尚設計領域，包含國內外頂尖設計師作品。除了遠道而來的國際設計大師和他們帶來的作品之外，還有「百位台灣當代設計師聯展」，讓人見識到台灣老中青三代設計人、跨領域的設計力量。

從此刻到十月底，宛如一場盛宴的世界設計大會與大展，將讓台灣看見世界，也讓世界看見了台灣。