Design Shenzhen: an architectural focus at the Design Forum
Brand story by Nick Compton
14.02.23
The Design Forum, Design Shenzhen's platform for talks and discussion, will focus on themes of wellbeing, sustainability and technology, with guests including Satoshi Ohashi, Carlo Ratti, MVRDV, Stefano Piontini, Leon Krykhtin, Robert Greenwood, Gaetano Scintilla and Peter Schubert.
Moved from its original December date, Design Shenzhen will take place from 27 February to 2 March 2023, welcoming exhibitors and visitors from around the world for four days of launches, networking and talks
Moved from its original December date, Design Shenzhen will take place from 27 February to 2 March 2023, welcoming exhibitors and visitors from around the world for four days of launches, networking and talks
×Design Shenzhen’s inaugural Design Forum pulls together 40 leading designers, architects and tastemakers to explore the topic of regenerative design. A wide-ranging series of talks and conversations will tackle the theme of ‘Design for Wellbeing: Humanity, Sustainability and Technology,’ in an effort to redesign the fundamentals of design itself. It will also make clear how much Shenzhen itself is becoming a key site for advanced and experimental but human-centric and sustainable architecture.
Among those taking part in the Design Forum in 2023 will be Carlo Ratti, Joe Cheng and Leon Krykhtin (left to right)
Among those taking part in the Design Forum in 2023 will be Carlo Ratti, Joe Cheng and Leon Krykhtin (left to right)
×Architecture and social cohesion
As co-curator of 2019’s Shenzhen Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, Carlo Ratti knows the city well. The Italian architect, technologist and director of MIT’s Senseable City Lab returns for Design Shenzhen and will talk about his plans to bring a ‘hydroponic farmscraper’, Jian Mu Tower, to the city. Fellow Italian Stefano Piontini will also be taking part in the Design Forum, and exploring the importance of storytelling in the realisation of the client's ideas.
The Design Forum will also hear from participants including Kot Ge, Coco Lin and Robert Greenwood (left to right)
The Design Forum will also hear from participants including Kot Ge, Coco Lin and Robert Greenwood (left to right)
×Organic architecture and the metaverse
Leading designer in the hospitality sector and founder of CCD/Cheng Chung Design, Joe Cheng, will discuss industry trends within the framework of coexistence between nature and humanity. Zaha Hadid Architects Director Satoshi Ohashi will also be gracing the Shenzhen stage to offer insight and inspiration.
Radical Dutch architects MVRDV are working on a number of projects in Shenzhen and the practice’s Peter Chang will explain how adaptive reuse and the rehabilitation of nature are central to these designs.
Satoshi Ohashi, Fiona Chen and Stefano Pontini (left to right) will also be making valuable contributions from the Forum stage
Satoshi Ohashi, Fiona Chen and Stefano Pontini (left to right) will also be making valuable contributions from the Forum stage
×Founder of London and Shanghai-based office LKDN, Leon Krykhtin, will be exploring a the brave new world of virtual living in a session entitled 'Metaverse – a cyber dream or space of possibilities'. Meanwhile, various panel discussions on an array of interesting topics will be hosted throughout the course of the fair, including 'Lighting up the unbounded space' featuring Xia Han of Wallpaper, Ochio's Amber Guan, XX Architecture founder Sharon Kong, Manfred Yuen of Groundwork and Frank Chou.
Visit the Forum page at the Design Shenzhen website for all the latest news on the speaker porgramme
Download the Design Shenzhen Media Pack
Contact the organisers about exhibiting at Design Shenzhen
Click here to register for the show
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