BusinessWeek announced the 2009 World’s Best Design Schools list and PolyU Design was one of the 30 chosen schools. Click to see its Special Report on Design Thinking.
This set of tableware designed by MDes graduate Kevin Zhong in 2008 for Chinese YinCha meals aims to revive declining cultural experiences and traditional values.
For better viewing in some parts of Asia, please click here.
Lai Ming Ho, a Year-2 student of Higher Diploma in Product Innovation Technologies was awarded the 2nd Runner-up (student group) of 11th HK Eyeware Design Competition with his title of Design: The Monkey King. The design uses the golden ring of the Monkey King’s head as its main theme. The glasses are designed for sports use, with the rubber providing an effective grip and the gold, red and black hues bringing fashionable design to this classic Chinese myth.
Stefano Marzano, CEO and Chief Creative Director will be in Hong Kong to receive his Honorary Doctorate from PolyU and will be giving a talk during his visit. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear about one of the hottest topic in the world’s economy today – Innovation.
IKEA has officially changed their customized Futura typeface, IKEA Sans, to Verdana, a font designed for Microsoft for screen viewing.
For those who haven’t heard, there has been a lot of outrage for this move by many IKEA- and type-lovers. The reason for this change is to synchronize the online and printed look for IKEA. As a member of the marketing team, I understand the need to create a unified identity. But as a designer, when you have a customized Futura typeface that has been working for you all these years, you just don’t abandon it and replace it with a default just so you can have everything look similar. No layman notices anyway and the ones that do notice really appreciate the aura that IKEA Sans sends out.
What are your thoughts for this hideous face-drop?
This is a lecture delivered to about 140 second-year BA(Hons) in Design students at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in early September 2009, as part of a subject titled “Cultural Research”.
Here’s a parody that aptly illustrates what designers will most likely come across in their careers. The video may be funny to all but some of us know that all too much of it is true. I’m not trying to discourage new designers but rather to offer some insight.
Behind the walls of academia, your professors and mentors will protect you from the harsh realities. When you’re out on your own, you’ll meet clients that will respect you and your work and you’ll work with those that hire you to execute their “design” ideas, as depicted in the video. Wherever your talent and luck will lead you, keep in mind that design isn’t a weapon of mass destruction and should not be used with that intent. Use design as a vehicle to educate and develop the creative industry in our beloved city that is Hong Kong.
