Deadline Extended Call for Papers: #IASDR_2021

#IASDR_2021 UPDATE Submission deadline for Papers, Pictorials, and Designed Objects is 10 June 2021 (extended); Submission deadline for Graduate Consortium Papers/Abstracts, Workshops, and Panel Proposals is 25 July 2021.   In December 2021, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design will host the ninth Congress of the International Association of Societies of Design Research or IASDR 2021.  Under the theme of [ _ ] WITH DESIGN: REINVENTING DESIGN MODES, design finds itself at a critical moment where the conventional ‘modes’ of doing, thinking and application are increasingly challenged by the troubled ideology of globalization, climate changes, migration patterns and rapid restructuring of locally driven manufacturing sectors. In addition, the wider call for design to become more open and more cross- and trans-disciplinary has further blurred boundaries between disciplinary and knowledge domains, challenging both design discourses and designers to steer praxis and thinking across unchartered territory for the sake of innovation and advancing research.  In combination with the environmental, cultural, technological, and, crucially, pandemic transitions, the call heeds for design at large to fundamentally alter its modes of practice. Beyond the conventional models of conducting research, or developing solutions to ‘wicked’ problems, the recoupling of design with different modes should be seen as an expression to embrace other capacities of thinking, criticisms and productions. The coupling of SOCIAL, MAKING, BUSINESS, CRITICAL, HISTORICAL/PROJECTIVE, IMPACT, PANDEMIC and ALTERNATIVE MODES with DESIGN necessitates the rescripting of all aptitudes and practices.  [ _ ] WITH DESIGN: REINVENTING DESIGN MODES encourages design researchers to discuss, elaborate and investigate emerging modes of design research that transcend disciplines in order to serve a multitude of goals and scales. This overarching theme wishes to solicit the definition of new frameworks, models, methods, products and unexpected outcomes in this questioning of design futures. #IASDR_2021 accepts full and short papers. For the first time the Congress will include pictorials, designed objects, and panels; it will continue to include workshops and graduate consortium (PhD and Masters) contributions.  More information can be found at www.iasdr2021.org.

Student works shortlisted in RTHK Filming Hong Kong Competition 2021 Season 1

Two amazing short films produced by our Year 3 students from Advertising Design and Social Design were shortlisted in the RTHK Filming Hong Kong Competition 2021 Season 1 (《凝視香港》短片創作比賽2021) organized by the RTHK. Tutors: KC Tsang and Tony Wong.  虛實 TIN Hiu Yan, BA(Hons) in Advertising Design CHOW Wing Ki, Connie, BA(Hons) in Advertising Design TAM Ka Yau, Kary, BA(Hons) in Advertising Design Watch 夜裡行 CHEUNG Chi Ho, BA(Hons) in Advertising Design CHAN Kit Fu, Jeff, BA(Hons) in Advertising Design LAM Hiu Kwan, Una, BA(Hons) in Advertising Design FENG Xueyi, Agnes, BA(Hons) in Social Design YANG Ka Lam, Amy, BA(Hons) in Social Design CHAN Kei Him, Kevin, BA(Hons) in Social Design Watch  This is an open competition where these shortlisted works will enter into the next stage for the championship. Best works will be broadcasted via RTHK 31 TV Channel. Please stay tuned for the competition announcement.

Social experiment: search for smiles behind masks through a claw crane game

A group of our Social Design students took their limited-edition claw crane to reconnect people around Hong Kong through bartering second hand goods in a way of game, and to bring happiness to Hongkongers who have been bored and unmotivated for a long time during the pandemic. Click HERE to read their sharing “Social experiment: looking for smiles behind the face masks through our claw crane" published on 星期日生活 Sunday Mingpao. Students: CHEUNG Hui Ki Yvonne, LAW Cheuk Lam, WONG Yuen Ting (Year 2, BA(Hons) in Social Design) Tutors: Siu King Chung, Chan Kam Fai, Jonathan Yu

PhD students selected as Best Presenters at 12th PhD Colloquium on Design Research

During the 12th PhD Colloquium on Design Research, hosted by Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts & Design on 17 April, PolyU Design’s PhD students Ms Wei Lai and Mr Song Yao both obtained Best Presenter Awards. Congratulations! The presentation titles were “The Role of Animation: Creating Dynamic Representations for Effective Pedagogical Information Transmission” (Lai) and “Toward a ‘Deeper’ Trust: Facial Anthropomorphic Trustworthiness for Emerging Medium” (Yao). For more information, please refer to the profiles of the candidates: https://www.sd.polyu.edu.hk/en/meet-our-students/wei-lai https://www.sd.polyu.edu.hk/en/meet-our-students/yao-song

Secondary school students gained real-world experiences in design firms of PolyU alumni

14 secondary school students had a great time experiencing real-world work earlier this month in two design studios founded by young alumni of PolyU Design. They were participants of the PolyU Job Shadowing Scheme in three teams. One team worked at THE CABINET, a branding and design studio, where they were tasked to support the daily work of the studio like idea brainstorming, prototype testing, sample making. The most interesting task to them was practising design thinking by suggesting 101 ways of squeezing lemons and designing packaging that best fit the tea set products. Other two teams joined the Bokeh Project specialised in production and media to create two 30 second short videos on a client brief, to promote the beverage products online. The students were coached from preparing production plan and storyboard, to hands-on video shoot. The Scheme was organised by the Academic Registry, supported by PolyU Design and other departments of the university to help secondary school students learn about the industries and their possible future careers. We especially thank both Bokeh Project Hong Kong and The CABINET that offered their time and resources to support the Scheme, coach the students and encourage them to pursue careers in the design and creative fields. The alumni running these companies are excellent role models to the younger ones.   Participating Schools : C&MA Sun Kei Secondary School CNEC Christian College Holy Family Canossian College PLK Tang Yuk Tien College Pui Ching Middle School Shun Lee Catholic Secondary School

Wong Ho Lam Thomas selected as best graphic designer by DesignRush Global Design Competition

   We are excited to announce that Wong Ho Lam Thomas, our Communication Design Year 4 student has been selected as the #1 best graphic designer and #1 in overall category among thousands of participants at the DesignRush Global Design Competition.  The winning project is "Conceptual and Bilingual Penguin Classics", supervised by Mr Roberto Vilchis. It attempts to blend Traditional Chinese characters as part of the book visual language while preserving visual clues allow readers to choose their favourite stories by different book jackets for the well-known Penguin Classics. It aims at helping Hong Kong readers to find their interest in reading English storybooks.  The DesignRush competition is organized to recognize the best emerging talent in the global market. The expert panel of judges included in-house and partner agency UX, UI and graphic design experts around the globe.  Congratulations to Thomas and Roberto! 

The 15th SDSA - Daruma is on board

Welcome onboard, School of Design Student Association's new cabinet 'Daruma'!    The members include: - Chan Michael Kai Lok, President - Yam Sze Hang, Internal Vice-President - Mar Siukei, External Vice-President - Lam Hoi Ching Rosella, Financial Secretary - Mak Zhe Wing, General Secretary - Chau Mei Yee, Internal Secretary - Chan Wing, External Secretary - Rai Reika, Promotion Secretary - Lai Tsz Ching, Promotion Secretary - Yu Wai Ying, Publication Secretary - Chong Ho Ming, Amenities Secretary - Leung Cheuk Yin, Recreational Secretary - Kwok Hoi Yin, Welfare Secretary   In this photo, Daruma was warmly welcome by our Dean Prof. Kun-pyo Lee, Senior Marketing Manager Ms Rennie Kan and Project Development and Production Manager Mr Pierre Tam in their previous meeting.  

Alumni's animated works won a Gold and Special Mention at ifva Awards

We are proud to announce that our graduates of the BA(Hons) in Digital Media programme received awards at the 26th ifva Awards organised by Hong Kong Arts Centre. It is the industry’s recognition to their creative and well-produced animated works. Congratulations! Gold Award, Animation Category HO Chun Yu (Nicboy) (Digital Media, 2011) Project: Mountains and Seas – Village of Muds (山海歷險 - 泥人村) Special Mention & Finalist, Animation Category LAW Lok Hei, LEUNG Chun Tat Jason, WU Hau Chung David (Digital Media, 2020) Project: Kill Danny (殺死丁力) (capstone project) Tutor: Step Cheung [Watch now]   The ifva is Asia's pioneering force in short film, animation and media arts. It provides a unique and professional platform for Hong Kong and Asian creative talents to unite, exchange and promote their works.   

Product Design students showcasing furniture for post-pandemic family interactions at ‘Milan—Hong Kong Design’

The grand opening of the ‘Milan—Hong Kong Design’ exhibition was held at the Hong Kong Arts Centre in the evening of 26 March. The exhibition, organized by the Italian Cultural Institute (Hong Kong), is showcasing amazing works by design masters from Italy and students from three universities in Hong Kong including PolyU Design until 4 April. It is part of the ‘Design Made in Hong Kong 2020-2021’ project aiming at mutual exchange between Europe and Asia in the name of design.  Students from PolyU Design came from Years 3 and 4 of the BA(Hons) in Product Design programme led by Dr Brian Lee. Their works were designed based on the critical reflection on the quality of life in the perspective of post-pandemic family interactions and showcase the new concepts of quality living in the tiny home environment, including but not limited to how we anticipate the new normal of the superimposed user’s patterns of family members. The students initiated discussions through cases study and envision future sustainable scenarios with the application of furniture design and uses of engineered bamboo. These works are projects of the SD3468 Furniture Design subject conducted in the September 2020 semester, supported by the partner Bamboo International (Group) Co. Ltd. Exhibits and participating students: ‘Segregated Connectedness’ by Mootha Tanisha, Leung Hoi Laam Michelle, Mak Ho Yin, Chow Tsz Chun Alfred ‘Adventure Buddies’ by Cheng Wu Kally, Lai Yuen Suet, Liu Shing Kai, Tsang Ying Yuen ‘Perfunctory’ by Chin Yan Li, Lam Sze Yu, Liem Pui Man ‘Sip-ability’ by Lee Wing Ki Angel, Chong Nga Ching, Lui Mei Yee, See Jun Hong Bob ‘Shift’ by Choi Wing Tung Vanessa, Wong Hoi Lam Helen, Liu Yin Lam Joyce, Lau Tsz Chun Jordan ‘Door After Door’ by Gui Chenbei Frieda, Leung Wing Yan Yenn, Wong Hi Kan Miko, Wong Lok Yiu Chloe Milan-Hong Kong Design 202103 ADVENTURE BUDDIES A series of modular chairs design by Cheng Yu Kally Lai Yuen Suet Liu Shing Kai Tsang Ting Yuen (c) PolyU Design 2021 PERFUNCTORY by Chin Yan Li Lam Sze Yu Liem Pui Man (c) PolyU Design 2021 DOOR AFTER DOOR A partition design as the walk-in closer by Gui Chenbei Frieda Leung Wing Yan Yenn Wong Hi Kan Miko Wong Lok Yiu Chloe (c) PolyU Design 2021 SHIFT A modular system design creating a transitional space by Choi Wing Tung Vanessa Wong Hoi Lam Helen Liu Yin Lam Joyce Lau Tsz Chun Jordan (c) PolyU Design 2021 SUPERSTACK SIP-ability Fill-gap design for HK household by Lee Wing Ki Angel Chong Nga Ching Joyce Lui Mei Yee Alice See Jun Hong Bob (c) PolyU Design 2021 SEGREGATED CONNECTEDNESS by Mootha Tanisha Leung Hiu Laam Michelle Mak Ho Yin Chow Tsz Chun Alfred (c) PolyU Design 2021 MILAN—HONG KONG DESIGN       ‘Milan—Hong Kong Design’ 26 March to 4 April 2021 Pao Galleries, 5/F Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong https://polyu.hk/wwuHf  

Mary YU Wah, winner of the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2021

  Another proud  is Ms Mary YU Wah, Founder of Mary Yu Design.   Ms Yu graduated from our Master of Design (Design Practices) programme in 2008. Before that, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion and Textiles (Fashion and Textile Design) in 2005, and Higher Diploma in Fashion and Clothing in 2003 from PolyU. She was the winner of Ten Outstanding Young Persons awards and is currently a very successful fashion designer. Her affection towards Chinese literature and cultures is the muse of her design. It is common to see Chinese features and elements in her outfits, which lead to the success of her eponymous bespoke qipao brand.   The biennial Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award aims at honouring outstanding graduates of PolyU and its forerunning institutions for their remarkable professional achievements and contributions to the community and their alma mater. Since its first launch in 1996, there were 13 winners including Ms Yu graduated from the School of Design. Learn more: https://polyu.hk/DlnMg     (photo from “Mary Yu Uniform Design” facebook page)