An international lineup of designing talent has gathered Wednesday in Taipei for the Designer in Residence Taipei program, as part of the 2016 World Design Capital events. Currently in its second year, the program now counts six designers from Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Spain and Taiwan, who will roam the streets and alleyways of Taipei in search of inspiration for their residencies.
The Dutch designing duo Vincent Wittenberg and Bennie Meek have their focus on “greening” public and urban spaces, and Vincent expresses his surprise at how Taipei bonds with its flora. On his first visit to the island, Vincent points out that all urban greenification in the Netherlands has undergone purposeful design, but the architecture and transportation in Taipei has progressed in a contrary fashion, being based around how plant life has grown.
The British designer Charlie Evans is currently researching the culture, ethics and political practice of professional wrestling. Dressed in full wrestling attire, Charlie explains he will be pursuing the theme of “Body Buildings”, seeking to understand how the citizens of Taipei think about and practice daily physical training, and has already visited sports centers and the fire fighters’ training center in Taipei
Victoria Ledig’s designs will give discarded materials a new lease on life. The German designer has already visited recycling factories in Taiwan, and believes that Taiwan already has a very advanced system for recycling residential waste. Because of this, she will be focusing on industrial waste, and hopes to collaborate with factories in turning their discarded materials into new products.
In addition, the Taiwanese designers Chen Si-hand and Ku Kuang-yi will take up residency in Eindhoven in the Netherlands as part of the program. In her address, Taipei Cultural Commissioner Pei-ni Beatrice Hsieh explains that good design seeks not only practical function, but also endeavors to bring happiness in people’s lives, and hopes that Taiwanese designers will communicate with the world by bringing their experiences and feelings abroad. Using the butterfly effect as a metaphor, she anticipates a flurry of exceptional memories from these small ripples.
International designers share their observation journals on Taipei
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