Design for Impact: 2019 DesignInspire Expo Recap

Armed with a selection of innovative projects from the Loftwork vault, Loftwork Hong Kong headed to the 2019 DesignInspire to wow audiences from December 5 to 7. Hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the annual expo features an array of design products, projects and ideas, gathering creatives from Hong Kong and overseas. With this year’s theme, ‘Design for Impact’, it was the perfect platform to showcase our diverse design repertoire, as well as our extensive Loftwork ‘universe’ of FabCafe, AWRD and MTRL.
Loftwork set to showcase material-driven innovation at 2019 DesignInspire in Hong Kong

DesignInspire allowed us to both continue growing our local design community and explore new business opportunities. During the three-day exhibition, we met more than 200 potential collaborators and clients from a wide range of industries in Hong Kong. Engaging audiences with a showcase of six projects ranging from haptic design to AI, we successfully demonstrated the scope of projects Loftwork can cover, as well as our ability to create new values for clients.

We unveiled one of our ‘biggest’ projects yet – an AI designed, 3D-printed yacht, produced by a task force of designers and engineers founded through FabCafe. As both an impressive technical feat and a compelling look into collaborative processes, the A.D.A.M Project demonstrated how the FabCafe design community can fasttrack projects from initial concept to advanced prototype.

We dazzled visitors with our transformative makeover of Toyo Aluminium’s metallic pigment Chromashine. Revisioning the car paint as elegant ‘high art’, we had produced a specially designed installation for Milan Design Week 2018 – providing visitors there with an unexpected immersive art experience.

We explored the possibilities of hosting design competitions in Hong Kong through our very own AWRD, an innovative awards and hackathon service accessed by a community of 30,000+ creators. Through AWRD, businesses easily create, promote and manage their events online, while creators stay posted about the latest in competitions and readily submit their works.

What is AWRD?

We provided insight into the inner workings of the AWRD process through our makeover of ARTSTEEL. Through the creation of a global design award, we were able to connect this unique steel material with design talents and industry influencers, taking it from the construction industry and into the hands of tastemakers. ARTSTEEL was an effective case study on how Loftwork enables material companies to explore new product possibilities through AWRD’s crowdsourcing of ideas.

The Art of Steel: creator community reshapes the industrial material for everyday beauty

We used the Orphe shoe to highlight the ways in which ideas materialize into successful products. Combining music, movement, lights and smart technology, the Orphe shoe has enjoyed commercial success in Japan and international markets, but first began life at a music hackathon – or ‘play-a-thon’– held by Yamaha and Loftwork back in 2014.

At an Innotalks session, Loftwork Hong Kong co-founder Harvey Chung took center stage to discuss community-driven design and innovation. A big advocate of building real-life communities, Harvey delighted audiences with his experience and expertise.

Read interview with Harvey Chung here.

Growing the design community in Hong Kong was something Harvey and the Loftwork Hong Kong team were especially familiar with this month. December also saw the arrival of the first ‘FAB Meetup’ in Hong Kong, a talk series that puts community-driven projects in the spotlight, as a way to spark discussions on relevant local and global challenges. 

Exploring the topic of sustainable innovation in Hong Kong, the team invited paper recycling company Mil Mil and robotics and apparel company unspun to speak on their waste-reduction processes, while Harvey Chung shared details on Loftwork’s USIO Design Project, a sustainable tourism project. 

It’s been a busy, impactful month in design! Check out more highlights from the 2019 DesignInspire expo and Hong Kong’s FAB Meetup Vol.01.

Loftwork is a creative company dedicated to making a positive impact through design with a global community of innovators. Aside from providing innovative design solutions to global clients across various industries, Loftwork also operates a number of owned services and platforms. Learn more.

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