World Design Capital Taipei 2016 plans packed October for design devotees and designers

TAIPEI, Taiwan – On the agenda for October are four major events in the World Design Capital (WDC) Taipei 2016 program of International Signature Events: the International Design House Exhibition, Int

TAIPEI, Taiwan – On the agenda for October are four major events in the World Design Capital (WDC) Taipei 2016 program of International Signature Events: the International Design House Exhibition, International Design Week Forum, International Design Policy Conference, and Network of Cities Meeting.

WDC Taipei 2016 extends a warm invitation to participants and visitors from around the world to come and share their ideas and experiences, and bear witness to Taipei’s transformation into a model city that incorporates design thinking into public policy.


“October will be a defining month for the World Design Capital Taipei 2016,” says Pei-ni Beatrice Hsieh, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Taipei City Government. “It is an opportunity both to reflect on the progress we have already made and to ignite international dialogue with other cities; to share experience and expertise. This is a chance to define a legacy for WDC Taipei 2016 that will be felt long into the future.”

The International Design House Exhibition will be held at Taipei City’s historic Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, once home to a tobacco factory, from Thursday, October 13 to Monday, October 31. The Design House will bring together local and international designers, studios, and organizations to curate a series of thought-provoking exhibitions that will challenge visitors to reconsider their relationship with the urban environment and experience first-hand how design can radically change the world’s cities.

An exhibition curated by Agua Zhou of Taipei-based studio Agua Design in the historical North Tobacco Factory, will showcase the results of innovative WDC Taipei 2016 projects, including the International Open Call and Designer in Residence Taipei programs, and explore the impact of Taipei City public planning and design policies.

In Warehouse One, curator Li Wei-Lang, the Creative Director of Afterain Design (Taiwan), will mount an exhibition showcasing breakthroughs and innovation in Taiwanese design, particularly in the fields of science and technology, art and craft, and sustainability. In Warehouse Two, Page Tsou, celebrated visual artist and founder of Taipei-based studio, Auspicious Design, has invited renowned illustrators and visual artists from around the world to exhibit works that reflect on their impressions of Taipei.

Warehouses Three and Four will be home to an international roster of exhibitors, with some participants hailing from cities that are past or future holders of the World Design Capital designation. The exhibition will explore the WDC Taipei 2016 theme of “Sisheng: Life Quality and Health, Ecological Sustainability, Smart Living, and Urban Regeneration.” In Warehouse Five, renowned Taiwanese contemporary calligraphic artist Tong Yang-Tze will collaborate with up-and-coming Taiwanese fashion designers, and spatial and sound designers to create an interactive exhibition that will breathe new life into traditional Chinese calligraphy.

The International Design Policy Conference, which will be held on the weekend of October 15 and 16 at the Taipei International Convention Center, aims to explore how design thinking can be integrated into public policy. Policy experts, industry professionals, and academics will be invited to share their insights into and case studies on urban development through design.

The International Design Week Forum, which will be held on Monday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 18 at the Creativity Theater in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, will bring representatives from various design weeks and festivals around the world to contribute their insights into how cities can support and harness the innovation of designers. The second day will be open to the public. Participants will be able to access free entry to both the International Design Week Forum and the International Design Policy Conference in August.

The final International Signature Event in the October series is the invitation-only Network of Cities Meeting. WDC Taipei 2016 organizers will invite mayors and city representatives from around the world to meet in Taipei, where together they will discuss WDC legacy programs, explore opportunities for collaboration, and share design-based solutions to the many civic and environmental challenges faced by cities around the globe.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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