Today (29), Deputy Minister Kung Ming-hsin, Acting Mayor Lee Meng-yen of Tainan, and National Cheng Kung University President Su Huey-jen jointly hosted the opening ceremony of the 2017 Taiwan Design Expo. The theme of this year’s expo is “Design for Happiness around the Corner,” and the Ministry of Economic Affairs has invited seven major organizations and over 300 design companies and vendors, mobilized nearly 1,000 people, and gathered 1,500 works by 800 designers and design students. The Taiwan Design Expo will feature 115 activities, including workshops, seminars, forums, performances, markets, and DIY activities.
The 2017 Taiwan Design Expo will be held from September 30 to October 15. The main venue is at the old library compound of National Cheng Kung University, and the theme of the theme pavilion is “( ) of Happiness,” where the brackets represent all kinds of happy objects and stories. The theme pavilion features the following six highlights:
1. Happiness of 25 professionals: Through videos, visitors listen to their stories of happiness; their objects of happiness are also exhibited; the exhibition space utilizes mirrors to create infinite reflections, inspiring visitors to think about their own happiness while looking at other people’s happiness.
2. Renewable New Design-Next Sustainable Cycle: Through redesigning materials, products, and business models, the reduction of wastes and the efficient reutilization of resources can be achieved; the exhibition space displays textile and design products made from recycled materials, showcasing more possibilities for the circular economy.
3. Distance to Home-Safeguarding each Household using Smart Devices: Smart home devices and cloud computing allow Taiwan, which faces the problems of an ageing society with many senior citizens living alone to provide remote healthcare and safety management through smart home devices.
4. Speed of Dissipation-Green Tour Proposals: This exhibition space showcases the feasible green tour routes, tourist spots, and related exhibits of Tainan, enabling green living to be realized in daily life.
5. Bites of Tainan-Colors and Tastes Experiment: Everyone is invited to explore if the colors they see match the tastes in their memory. The activity also cooperates with local attractions in Tainan, and through a feast of colors and tastes, the connections in memory of colors in different carriers are tested.
6. Taiwan Design x Japan Crafts: This exhibition promotes interdisciplinary cooperation by brands in both Taiwan and Japan through the theme of “Taiwan Design x Japan Crafts,” in order to explore the international market. In combining both countries’ strengths and cultures, we look forward to creating contemporary products.
The theme of Southern Breeze Pavilion is “Th?u”, which guides people into seven different spaces in Tainan to discover “real happiness” in Tainan. During the exhibition period, citizens can enter a lucky draw by collecting design stamps at five exhibition venues on the pamphlet of the 2017 Taiwan Design Expo, and like and comment on the “Taiwan Design Expo” Facebook fan page.
2017 Taiwan Design Expo—Design for Happiness
Exhibition Period: 9/30 (Sat) – 10/15 (Sun), 10:00 ~ 18:00
Main Venue: NCKU Old Library Compound (No. 1, Daxue Road, Tainan; next to Zenda Suites)
Satellite Venues: Blueprint Cultural and Creative Park, Wu’s Garden Culture Center, Creative Tainan, Tainan Cultural and Creative Park, 321 Art Village, and NCKU C-Hub.