HONG KONG — Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) (Lee Wai Lee) are delighted to present the first exhibition of HKDI Gallery’s “#EssenceofDesign” programme this year: Red Dot Exhibition “The Essence of Design – Creating Value”. Conceived in collaboration with Red Dot Institute, the research organisation affiliated with the Red Dot Design Award, one of the most prestigious international awards in the design industry, the exhibition explores how good design can create value by showcasing a wide range of game-changing products and brands that have previously received the Red Dot Design Award.
HKDI & IVE (Lee Wai Lee) is committed to promoting design education and facilitating dialogue among industry experts, students and design enthusiasts through partnerships with international museums, design institutions and designers. Running from now until 10 April 2022, Red Dot Exhibition “The Essence of Design – Creating Value” touches upon the importance of good design, and how crucial it is for companies and brands to recognise that design impacts not only their aesthetic, cultural, and social aspects, but also profitability. The goal of the exhibition is to explore the relationship between designing innovative, high-quality products, and creating value for consumers, customers, and entrepreneurs. Dedicated to companies and products that fit this description, the exhibition shines a spotlight on the concept of “design value”, and how it can be translated into business value.
“We are delighted to collaborate with the Red Dot Institute and present ‘The Essence of Design – Creating Value’ exhibition,” says Dr Lay Lian ONG, Principal of HKDI & IVE (Lee Wai Lee). “This exhibition showcases the importance of good design and how design can impact brands’ profitability. The show aims to expand students’ thinking and cross-disciplinary capabilities in their design work. Over the past 10 years, HKDI has brought in several editions of Red Dot exhibitions and collaborations with other international museums, which forms part of the extended learning programme in HKDI that provides opportunities for students to learn outside the curriculum. In recognition of the Institution success in producing exciting new design, HKDI was ranked 11th in the Red Dot Design Ranking in Design Concept under the Universities (Asia Pacific) group in 2020.”
Speaking about the exhibition curatorial direction, Professor Dr. Peter Zec, Founder and CEO of Red Dot, says, “Design-centric companies achieve their revenues and profits not through low pricing or fierce price competition, but from the design of innovative and high-quality products. Identifying and designing their own products are the mainstay of their economic activity. Even when market and industry sectors are already highly saturated, design-centric companies are not scared off by the wealth of products on offer but seek to pinpoint a customer-oriented benefit and distinguishing quality characteristics on which to base their product development and positioning.”
Exhibits will be grouped into several sections that highlight an essential aspect in successful design, such as “Form Determines Price”, which studies various water bottle designs and how good packaging design may be associated with higher prices; or the “Value of Form”, where brands such as Braun, Sony, Coca-Cola, and Porsche are lauded for their company’s respective design strengths and design continuity. The “Value of Colour” section explores how design may be used as a strategic tool to connect to consumers and how colour creates a link to brand recognition. At the “Value of Material” section, the focus is on the added value that lies in the creative performance and the designers’ manipulation of the material. In “Becoming a Bestseller”, a history of design takes us back to products such as the Sony Walkman, Mono A cutlery, Fiskars scissors, and the Apple iPhone that have changed and improved the quality of life through ground-breaking yet simple design.
Other sections of the exhibition showcase brands and their respective breakthroughs, as well as iconic products known for their design. This includes companies from around the globe, such as Kärcher, Dyson, Apple, Kartell, Lenovo, Canyon Bicycles, and Grohe.
Concurrently on display is a special showcase of outstanding works by HKDI students who won the Best of the Best Award, Red Dot Award: Design Concept, including “Yuen Sek” and “Tri Cane” designed by HKDI recent graduates Alvin Liu Shing Kai and Jordan Lau Tsz Chun respectively. The projects are excellent examples of how design talents at HKDI create value by design – drawing inspiration from everyday observations, and building intuitive experiences and compelling products that improve lives.
A virtual exhibition of Red Dot Exhibition “The Essence of Design – Creating Value” is available online at: https://www.hkdi.edu.hk/en/hkdi_gallery/gallery.php?product_id=215.
In line with social distancing measures, the exhibition will adopt a session-based policy with limitations to the number of visitors within the gallery. Visitors will be required to book their preferred timeslots in advance at https://hkdi-gallery_reddot_admission.eventbrite.com for timed visits. For the latest arrangements of the exhibition and its hygienic preventive measures, please refer to HKDI Gallery’s website.
Red Dot Exhibition “The Essence of Design – Creating Value” (Free Admission)
Exhibition Period: From now until 10 April 2022
Opening Hours: 10:00am – 8:00pm
(Closed on Tuesdays, 28 November, 5 and 19 December 2021)
Venue: d-mart, Hong Kong Design Institute
3 King Ling Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories,
Hong Kong (Tiu King Leng MTR Station Exit A2)
Website: www.hkdi.edu.hk/en/hkdi_gallery
FB & IG: hkdi.gallery
