News about design in China
“Bicycle Club is a pavilion dedicated to bicycling in Hainan, China designed by Amsterdam-based, NL Architects. A rooftop cycling arena is supported by a glass-enclosed cafe at ground level. The oval-footprint structure’s protruding canopy is essential due to the tropical climate, shading the perimeter seating. The elegant upward curvature of the eaves evokes the form of a traditional and functional pagoda”. Via designboom.
Born in Hubei, Zhu Chao is now a Beijing-based graphic designer who demonstrates real promise. His work was displayed at Tokyo TDC Annual Awards this year, and has previously appeared at GDC (in 2009 and 2011) too.
Originally from Hebei Province, Wen Miao is a young creative based in Beijing. She completed an undergraduate degree in crafts at Tsinghua University and went on to complete a postgraduate degree in jewellery design under Teng Fei at CAFA. After graduating with her Masters in 2010, Wen Miao has been working in various roles, ultimately researching design aesthetics and collaborating with other designers. We spoke with her recently to find out more.
Established in 2006, and featuring designers such Zhang Chao, Zhang Bin and Zhang Huimin, Creatife is a small collective that researches, develops and produces high-quality design products conceptualised by fresh talent. The team often collaborate with young, Chinese creatives to help them nurture their own brand; they have also partnered with National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), Today Art Museum, +86 Design Store and UCCA (amongst others) to develop over 45 retail outlets across Beijing, and feature an extensive range of products on Taobao themselves.
Max Gerthel is a Beijing-based architect working in the fields of practice, education and research. Originally from Sweden, he completed an MA at the School of Architecture, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 2010 and moved to Beijing shortly after. Last year, he taught at the HUST School of Architecture in Wuhan and currently leads an undergraduate studio at Tsinghua University.
Sans Practice is a studio pioneered and driven by Yijing Xu and Neill Gaddes. Make sure to check out their blog for some insightful posts about their experiences of working in design in China.
We discovered Li Jun via EightSix and, subsequently, got in touch for a short interview. Originally from Hebei Province, Li Jun undertook 2 years of TV advertising and 2 years of graphic design at Hebei University, and fell in love with graphic design instantly. Design China spoke to him about his journey to date.
“In support of Beijing Design Week 2011, Converse presented Off Canvas, a street-level exhibition of typography design that canvassed the capital city in obscure places that mark China’s thriving creative subcultures. Presenting work from international and local artists notorious for their artistry of words, and spanning the diverse worlds of graphic design, art and graffiti, the installations revealed communities where China’s emerging scenes in indie music, art, fashion and skate are based”.
Pictured is Nod Young’s mural on MAO Livehouse, Beijing. See more.
We previously introduced Huang Yichuan and her delicate porcelain-based works to Design China readers late last year. We were so mesmerized by her designs, however, we visited the young designer in her Caochangdi studio to uncover more.
Yiyi Wang is a senior student majoring in Fashion Design at Raffles Design Institute, Beijing and her graduate collection, Silk Life, recently won second place in the annual Raffles-BIFT fashion show (see interview with Academic Director, Vincent Rondia). Lynn Zhang of Design China sat down with the young designer to discuss life as a Raffles student, her graduate project and the inspiration behind it.
