Some insights about a big design event in Shanghai from Andrew Yang, the consultant for 100% Design Shanghai

I am standing on stage on the opening press conference of 100% Design Shanghai, with the sunlight beating into the circular rotunda hall on a crisp October morning, with all of the winners of the Rado Young Design Prize. Hard to believe, I think. Just five months previous, the jurors for the prize convened in the conference room of the Cappellini showroom in New York for the judging of the first annual DESIGNED IN CHINA: The Rado Young Design Prize. Some of the most well-known names in design—Guilio Cappellini, Alasdhair Willis, Yves Behar, just to name a few—generously donated a Sunday afternoon during a busy New York design week to review the work of young and emerging Chinese product designers.

Now fast forward five months and we are kicking off the second year of 100% Design Shanghai, where these winners would be announced. The grand prize winner would be awarded not only a big cash prize of 20,000RMB, but also a brand new Rado R5.5 watch, designed by Jasper Morrison. Not bad, eh?

I had only met a few of them prior to this point but seeing all of them on stage brought into reality what everyone on our team on the show and the team from Rado had been working to realize—the establishment of a major prize that would support young Chinese talent. Given all of the commotion over the meteoric economic rise of China, we all felt that there should also be some attention paid to growing the country’s design talent. The rise of China is something I have observed as a design journalist and magazine editor for the past decade, most of it working out of New York City, where I was raised. Now I am up close, observing it firsthand as a resident of Shanghai, my newly adopted home, a city that changes every day, every minute.

With all this in mind, this moment was perhaps the apex of what we have been working toward all year in the planning of 100% Design Shanghai. After fairs in London and Tokyo, Shanghai is the youngest edition of 100% Design. It serves the biggest potential market in the world, China, in an environment that could probably characterized as the least developed, design-conscience-wise. Regardless, for those who haven’t been here, I can say that what Shanghai lacks, it makes up for in sheer enthusiasm and intensity. We have been grateful to work with a great variety of brands to bring the show to life—everyone from Crystallized – Swarovski Elements, Poliform, Kohler, Roca, and Design Republic, which showed Emeco, Moooi, Magis and Neri&Hu at their booth this year. They are all market leaders in their business sectors.

It has been a challenge, to say the least, trying to convince so many world-class brands to exhibit under one roof. It has been difficult, but we at 100% Design Shanghai are patient and persistent in our multi-year effort, that everyone who has a stake in design will realize Shanghai and China is where exciting things will happen, and the market that will fuel tremendous economic growth for any design company that is invested here.

I realized this even more when I looked at the winners on stage. For each of the winners, I realized that it was not an easy path to get to this point. Out of 250 entrants, the excellent jury, which was assembled by Tobias Wong and Aric Chen, the creative directors of 100% Design Shanghai, had whittled down the designs to eight finalists. During the judging, most of the proceedings were smooth and fluid—most jurors agreed on which items were good and bad—some deliberations were made on some objects that some jurors loved, but which others didn’t. Lyndon Neri from Design Republic and Mr. Cappellini argued on behalf of a few items that were ultimately jettisoned. Jiang Li, a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, related designs that she had seen in other competitions in China, and gave the jury a perspective from which to understand the work.

Eventually, the jury had decided to award both grand prizes to designers in the student category—a collective decision that was not without some objection. They all felt that the two works—the Solarium Clock, a device that turned a small clock face into a sundial courtesy of an LED, designed by Baoyi Zhang and Lingling Hu, and the DIY Bench by Qianqian Shen, a seemingly simple bench made with arms crafted from different historic styles—were really the strongest of the group, and the merit was in the design.

However, when I think about that complex decision, it actually is quite symbolic of the annual process that we undertake when planning the show. While we are a trade show, we all realize the greater significance of 100% Design in Shanghai—which isn’t about the fair whatsoever but about something inevitable and magnanimous: the rise of China as an important market for everything, including design. The most challenging part of it is that not every company we talk to, or deal with, sees the market from our perspective. After all, we are here living and breathing Shanghai, and trying to understand how China changes all the time. But we are lucky to work with amazing partners. Our main sponsor, Crystallized – Swarovski Element, which sponsors dozens of design projects each year, and Rado, and this year, Airises, a Chinese furniture company from Jinan, China are companies who actively invest in design, and have enabled us build the show makes me grateful.

How to measure whether or not 100% Design Shanghai is successful? Financial success doesn’t not necessarily mean critical success, and vice versa. Do I look at visitor numbers, or do I look at how large our show is? I am the consultant for the show, but I have been involved in the planning of just about every detail of the Shanghai show since its inception in 2007. So we all have a huge stake in its livelihood. I gauge the show’s success as a combination of everything. What it comes down to, I think, is the difference we are making in the civic consciousness of the city. Each year, the best part of the show for me—and how I know 100% Design is making a difference—is when I peek into our conference hall, and I see the space filled with inquisitive minds, each with fresh potential and unbridled enthusiasm. Whether or not our singular projects within 100% Design fail or succeed, what’s important is that we are constantly pushing forward. And of all the things I’ve learned since coming to Shanghai, this is probably the most important lesson, and what comes to mind when I think of China in the 21st Century.

ANDREW YANG
Andrew Yang is the consultant for 100% Design Shanghai.
For more information, visit www.100percentdesign.com.cn

Check following article in the blog of 100% Design Shanghai:
"Are Chinese designers ready for the international arena?"

100% Design Shanghai and IHDD 2009 kicked off with points of light,
part of a major installation by CRYSTALLIZED - Swarovsky Elements
————
DESIGNED IN CHINA: The Rado Young Design Prize
announced its two Grand Prize winners
————
Notable speakers this year include Alan Chan, Tony Chi,
Bertjan Pot and Barber Osgerby, who delivered the keynote talk

Shanghai, Oct. 15-17, 2009 - This year, organized by Reed Exhibitions, 100% Design Shanghai and International Home Décor & Design (IHDD) unveiled another stunning and dramatic entrance hall, an illuminated crystal matrix. Designed by Tobias Wong and Aric Chen, the creative directors of 100% Design Shanghai and sponsored by CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements, the concept, Points of Light, was built upon last year’s inaugural installation, which featured an empty grid of bamboo scaffolding and served as a metaphor for the emerging potential of contemporary Chinese design. The crystal matrix was imagining the void as the Points of Light by which contemporary Chinese design is beginning to materialize.

The exhibition also staged the launch of a major program, “DESIGNED IN CHINA: The Rado Young Design Prize”. In this competition, made possible thanks to the support of Rado, two Grand Prize Winners were selected by an international panel of jury [Yves Behar; chief designer and founder, fuseproject (San Francisco) -- Giulio Cappellini; creative director, Cappellini (Milan) -- Rossana Hu; founding partner, Neri & Hu Design and Research Office and Design Republic (Shanghai) -- Jiang Li; associate professor, Schoot of Design, Central Academy of Fine Arts (Beijing) -- Lyndon Neri; founding partner, Neri & Hu Design and Research Office and Design Republic (Shanghai) -- Alasdhair Willis; CEO, Established & Sons (London) -- Shaway Yeh; editorial director (lifestyle), Modern Weekly (Shanghai)].

This year’s winners are:

	Shen Qianqian, with her piece the DIY Bench
	Bao Zhang and Hu Lingling, with their design, the Solarium Clock

Both winners are from the Student’s Category and their designs were recognized for the originality and creativity of their approach and for their choice and treatment of materials.

Internationally known designers also made their appearance at the three-day conference during the exhibition. Alan Chan kicked off the Conference program with his topic 100% Life, 100% Design. Tony Chi, whose projects in Shanghai include the Park Hyatt Shanghai and Yé Shanghai Restaurant also shared his experiences in hospitality design. Dutch DFA presented Bertjan Pot, a Dutch designer behind notable products from Moooi, Arco and Montis.

The Keynote Talk was delivered this year by the design duo of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, who are known for their fluent and reserved design style, and innovation with materials and technology.