The new universal language of design: Design Shanghai Features and Design Forum 2024

Design Shanghai, Asia’s most influential design show, announces its inaugural Features programme and Design Forum talks. Entering its eleventh year, Design Shanghai expects to welcome over 100,000 visitors over four days. Returning to the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre from June 19th to 22nd, 2024, the show continues to witness the rapid development of Chinese design. Growing year on year, Design Shanghai has become one of the biggest design shows in the world. The highly anticipated event will once again attract leading international and Chinese manufacturers, design-led brands, global industry leaders, architects, collectors, interior designers and design enthusiasts.

'After a decade of growth and refinement, Design Shanghai has established itself as Asia's premier design event. Each year, thousands of companies engage in business here, and our diverse forums and workshops turn Design Shanghai into a dynamic hub of design conversations. It’s a place where countless designers come to learn and be inspired. We envision Design Shanghai as an endless source of inspiration, where the latest design ideas and trends across various fields are showcased,' said Zhuo Tan, Event Director of Design Shanghai.

Design Shanghai’s Kohler x Design Shanghai Design Forum programme has carved a reputation as the leading global platform for design thought leadership. Over the last 11 years, visitors have attended presentations from world-renowned designers. This year's Design Shanghai Forum theme is 'The New Universal Language of Design' and features distinguished and authoritative figures from the global design community. The theme explores the notion that there is no more important design job than designing for our future, with the need for designers to collaborate at every level. Hence, the need to create a globally comprehensive language: the universal language of design.

International design icons participating and speaking at this year's forum include Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Design Director of Heatherwick Studio; Luke Pearson, Co-Founder and Director of Pearson Lloyd; Paul Cocksedge, Co-Founder of Paul Cocksedge Studio; and Aldo Bakker, Founder of Aldo Bakker Studio.

Running in tandem with the Design Forum, there will be four inspiring workshops led by a host of acclaimed designers: the Workplace Conference, the Presentation Zone, the Innovation Workshop and finally, the Colour, Material and Finishes (CMF) Conference. A highlight of the show this year, the CMF Conference will explore how circularity can be woven into traditional CMF designs, featuring enlightening talks from global CMF industry specialists and renowned figures in the fields of architecture, product and interior design, as well as discussions from emerging designers.

One of the UK’s most prolific designers, Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Design Director of Heatherwick Studio, known for numerous projects in the city, including the award-winning 2010 EXPO British Pavilion, will launch his book Humanise: A Maker's Guide to Building Our World at Design Shanghai on June 19th. Thomas will also join a panel with fellow designers and architects and sign books at the 'Humanise Stand'.

Design Shanghai’s Features programme partners with leading design and creative studios, brands and emerging talent to create unique exhibitions and experiences. The provoking and captivating installations will encourage guests to engage with design through a range of different mediums. This year's features are as follows:

TALENTS aims to consistently foster the creative force of young designers. The theme of TALENTS 2024 will be 'The Quest for the Question.' Driven by creativity, designers are challenged to set their sights on discovering and solving problems. However, they also need to recognise whether the identified problems have practical value: Can solving these problems lead to actual improvements and innovations? Is the investment of manpower and resources reasonable and feasible? These are questions that designers must carefully consider. In the pursuit of creativity, it is essential for them to maintain a rational perspective and decision-making ability.

neooold, curated by designer Min Chen, features 'Art·Extension' as the theme for 2024, marking the fifth edition of this feature. The significance of extending craftsmanship has consistently been one of neooold's dedicated development directions. The exhibition design, presented by the architectural firm line+, under the direction of architect Meng Fanhao, extracts the cultural symbol of the bracket arch, a traditional architectural element, to construct a precise and melodious space. Encompassing ceramics, metalworking, weaving, lacquer and other traditional crafts, these devoted works converge the origins of modern art with the deep roots of traditional craftsmanship. The exhibition is not only a showcase of artistic endeavours but also a collection of legendary storeys surrounding the inheritance and development of traditional crafts.

Gorgeous Jewellery 1.0, curated by Prof. SUN Jie and co-organised by the Fashion and Design Innovation Centre (FINE Centre) of Tongji University, the China Industrial Design Institute (CIDI) and the JCC International Contemporary Jewellery Art Centre, is a feast of contemporary jewellery. It is expected to feature more than 80 young designers and hundreds of design masterpieces, which will be formally presented to the public at Design Shanghai 2024.

The Rong Design Library is dedicated to deconstructing traditional crafts into materials and techniques, actively exploring the future of tradition. 'Casting' is the research topic of the ninth edition of the Rong Design Exhibition, following themes such as bamboo, silk, clay, copper, paper, mortise and tenon joints, colouring and weaving. The 'Rong·Casting' exhibition will invite 46 designers and artists from different fields to create, facilitating a profound collision between casting craftsmanship and contemporary design.

Bridging the gap between Japan and China, Design Shanghai unveils 'Beyond Craft Japan' for the first time, inviting visitors to explore Japanese beauty through materials and craftsmanship. Showcasing a unique blend of Japanese aesthetics, the pavilion offers an opportunity to experience the depth and creativity of Japanese design, while also uncovering new possibilities for cultural exchange between Japan and China.

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