The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) yesterday (15 June) celebrated the opening of its School of Design (SD)’s Annual Show at an on-campus ceremony officiated at by Dr Allan Zeman, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Limited and Chairman of Ocean Park Corporation; and Prof. Lorraine Justice, Director of SD.  PolyU-affiliated Hong Kong Community College (HKCC) also staged the graduation show of its associate degree design students on this occasion.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof. Justice said, “I am glad that the School has continued to prosper over the past academic year. The School has been rated as one of the top 10 design schools in Asia and the best four in the Chinese mainland, according to a special report published by Business Week. In addition, outstanding design of our staff, students and alumni have won prestigious awards in both the local and international arena, including Venice Biennale, Red Dot Award and HK4As Awards (Association of Accredited Advertising Agents of Hong Kong). It is only with the concerted efforts of our staff, students and alumni can we further advance the School’s mission of providing world-class design education.

“I sincerely invite you to appreciate our students’ creativity through this Annual Show, which showcased our students’ works around the four themes of Martini, Itching, Good Match and Designer’s Banquet.”     

Highlight of the event is the Best of Show exhibits introduced for the first time this year. Sixteen projects have been selected from this year’s graduation works for their outstanding design and presentation of concept.

More than 350 student works from a range of design programmes are displayed, including Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Design, Higher Diploma in Multimedia Design and Technology, Higher Diploma in Product Innovation Technologies and Diploma in Design Studies offered by SD, and Associate in Design offered by HKCC. Ms Rennie Kan, Senior Marketing Manager of SD said, “This is the biggest show ever for the School and is the event that the industry looks forward to every year. The School will also be organizing a Design Month this September, staging various exhibitions and activities on campus and in public venues, extending the reach of student design to the community.”

Backed by industry and alumni support, several scholarships and awards were presented to outstanding design students. These include the Outstanding Graduate Award, Judges Awards and scholarships sponsored by SD Alumni Association,

Bosendorfer Piano Design Award for Best Instrument Design, Hong Kong Interior Design Association Scholarship for Best Environmental Design Graduate, Industrial Designers Society of Hong Kong Scholarship, Macy’s Candies Design Award and Scholarship, and VTech Design Award.

The Annual Show is free and open to members of the public with details as follows:

Date: 16-28 June 2007
Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. - 8.00 p.m.
Exhibition venue: SD Gallery (Room AG101, Core A, PolyU)

PolyU is the pioneer and sole provider of design education at tertiary level in Hong Kong. Famous designers who graduated from SD include world-renowned fashion designer Ms Vivienne Tam, Oscar-winner and Supervising Animator for Shrek Mr Raman Hui, founder of the jewellery brand Qeelin Mr Dennis Chan, and Partner of Kan & Lau Design Consultants Mr Freeman Lau.

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