Time to reconnect at Design Shenzhen

Shenzhen is emblematic of China's rise as one of the world's most dynamic economies. It began as a market town of 300,000 on the Pearl River Delta bordering Asia's financial hub of Hong Kong, before growing into a manufacturing boomtown when it became a special economic zone in 1980. More recently it has become known as a global megacity and tech powerhouse, drawing in large amounts of foreign and domestic investment, and spawning innovative companies out of its wholesale electronics markets.

The city's latest reinvention as a centre for the creative industries has been ongoing for some time. Shenzhen joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2008 as China's first 'City of Design' and since then, various initiatives such as Shenzhen Fashion Week and Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture and a Victoria & Albert Museum outpost in Shekou have become drivers of design and creative industries in the region.

This year, the first edition of Design Shenzhen opened its doors between 27 February and 2 March. Welcoming over 40,000 visitors over four days, the exhibition showcased over 250 homegrown and international brands, such as Ligne Roset, Occhio, Roche Bobois and Caesarstone. But the focus wasn't just on showcasing interior design solutions. According to the Event Director Raymond Wang, the aim was to put a spotlight on China's first city of design by ‘bringing together industry pioneers in the fields of design, culture and creativity together and showcasing the vitality of design within the city.’

Some of the show's highlights focused on the need for designers to more closely integrate sustainability and human experience. Audi, the show's exclusive headline partner, showcased a more human-centric approach to electric and sustainable vehicles in an immersive installation featuring its new RS e-tron GP Model, and Sony Design's Nature Resonance contained a display of Sony's work with environmentally conscious materials and a display encouraging visitors to experience the products in person.

Sony Design's exhibit was part of the exhibition's 'Features' section, which included specially curated displays, which also included Neooold, conceived by Min Chen, focusing on the intersecting tea cultures of China and the UK; and Good Design Select, in which industrial designer Xiaoxi Shi teamed up with G-Mark Japan Good Design Award to showcase award-winning designs for everyday objects.

In addition, a programme of talks, the Shenzhen Design Forum, brought together Chinese and international designers, architects and thought leaders including Carlo Ratti, Snøhetta's Shenzhen Studio director Cheng Gong, and Aedas Director Fiona Chen, to discuss a wide range of topics, from architecture, interior design and product design to wellbeing and sustainability. 

Design Shenzhen also dedicated space to pressing issues in China, including rural depopulation, launching a Rural Futures Award together with APT (Architecture Practice Talks), a community of young architects. Dedicated to celebrating sustainable projects in rural China, the awards brought much-needed discussion on the sustainable regeneration of Chiina's countryside. ‘I was really moved by the nine contestants' presentations at the Rural Futures Award Ceremony. What we need now is a group of idealistic, enthusiastic, and practical people to go into the countryside and reactivate those empty houses,’ said Xinyu Chen, co-founder of APT, and Founding Partner of DEDANG DESIGN.

Above all, the exhibition has been a welcome platform for designers, architects and manufacturers to reconnect after the pandemic – and its success means the next event is already being planned. As Beijing-born designer and founder of the eponymous furniture brand Frank Chou – who exhibited at the show and spoke at two of the panels at Shenzhen Design Forum – said: ‘I am so glad that Design Shenzhen brought us together again. It reaffirmed that exhibitions are indispensable, especially this face-to-face communication and offline experience. It is very crucial for us to have an offline space to know each other.’ 

The next edition of Design Shenzhen will take place between 14–17 March 2024, while its sister and umbrella show Design Shanghai will be back for its tenth-anniversary edition between 8–11 June 2023.

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