Theme Areas

Theme Pavilion

Future Beyond Imagination

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  “The only eternity in this world, but change." That is why we are so obsessed with exploring for the future and fearing that we are left behind in the world. Since mid last century, the manufacturing industry in Taiwan has played a key role in the supply chain of the world. While facing the new challenge of the industry 4.0 and artificial intelligence, it has also evolved into a role that hardly to be replaced. Among these, Taichung, the most important and representative manufacturing cluster in Taiwan, which combines the hard power of professional manufacturing technology and with the soft power of branding, design, culture, patents of intellectual property, and so on. “Taiwan Design Expo 2018" is located in the heart of manufacturing of Taiwan - Taichung. The theme, “Future Beyond Imagination", which focuses on one of the most pressing issues “future", with four sub-themes “Life Future", “Production Future" , “ Material Future", and “Imagination Future", gradually outline the future of the industries, and then point out that the progress of technology is actually based on the human imagination of the future.
• Section of Pavilion
  1. Life Future
     In current era, our daily routine such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, and entertainment are all deeply influenced by technology. It also changes our living behaviours like “Smart Home System Devices" takes us gigantic convenience in our life by communicating with each other. “Intelligent Consumption" also creates new consuming behaviour. On the other hand, the emergence of electric scooters totally change our riding experience from fuel scooters. Recently bicycle industries also start to integrated technology into bicycle body to make riders much easier and safer to ride. However, the wave of robotic arms and artificial intelligence also gives rise to the anxiety of working class, worrying about their jobs are replaced. "Life Future" includes four parts, "Experience Future", "Home Future", "Mobility Future", and "Sharing Future". Leading audience step by step to think the possibility of the cooperation between humans and robots to create more new types of jobs. Moreover, through various products and projects to show the industries from Taiwan and other countries how to integrate creativity and technology to make every aspect of our life become better.
  2. Production Future
     Although people have many differences on the definition of the 3rd Industrial Revolution, it has been undeniable that digital machining tools have become an indispensable and important productivity in the industry in past few decades. Computer technology developed rapidly during World War II and started to change the manufacturing industry in the mid-20th century. Since then, manufacturers were able to control the robot arms or machining tools through pre-programmed setting, accurately and continuously mass producing products for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Computer-Numerical-Control system can be applied with different types of fabrication methods to allow the machine to automatically execute subtle operations such as cutting, milling, threading, weaving, extruding, welding and bonding to process the materials. Since the cost of this type of machine used to be extremely expensive in the past, most of which exist only in manufacturers or OEM factories. However, because the key patents of 3D printing have expired in recent years, and the rising of open source groups and crowdfunding movement, nowadays, small studios and ordinary people could pay a reasonable price to purchase the cheaper version of these types of machines. Since then, designers, artists and architects have began to break the traditional fabrication logic and opened up a completely different imaginations from the past: highly customized service, rapid prototyping, more material savings, and other issues, while the values of traditional factories and production are also being challenged in this era.
  3. Material Future
     Although the material is the smallest unit of creation, the influence is profound. Through technology development, such as the rise of emerging technology of nanotechnology and biotechnology, Human can be able to develop materials that emulate and utilize from nature, and the materials from which does not exist in nature with more possibilities. Part from the new material development, the industries and society are also urgently exploring the sustainability of materials from the system, and construct a better material life cycle and create a better living environment for future generations. In the long-term, the innovation and development of materials play important roles in solving various global issues, the rapidly population increasing, climate change, artificial pollution and so on. This area shows a number of cases and achievements such as "Self-healing Materials", "Transforming Materials", "Sustainable Materials", and application products to tell the public and the industries these living-like materials how to gradually improve our lives.
  4. Imagination Future
     As Albert Einstein said “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." In the progress of the human technology development, there is always beginning from "imagination" to be in the form of literature, comics, and movies appearing in society and then driving scientists, developers, and industries to go into the future. Today's technology have only existed in the imagination of human beings half century ago. Could today's imagination become a reality in 50 years later? This area presents three sub-themes - “Biotechnology", “Future Healthcare", and “Humans and Robots", and selects representative conceptual works from around the world to stimulate the imagination of the public and the industries, to drive the future of different possibilities.
• Curator:
  1. Studio ShiKai / Shikai Tseng
  2. Studio ShiKai / Paul Gong

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Taichung SPIRIT Pavilion

Taichung Spirit-Design for daily life

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  Taichung SPIRIT Pavilion tells the story through the interesting exhibit, exhibition method, time and venue. It also offers creative description on how and why these exhibits are showcased. In terms of fun factor, the inspiring Taichung SPIRIT Pavilion is designed with themes that can be easily understood and related to for everyone to experience Taichung's diverse changes and actions.
  1. Possibilities of LIFE
     Taichung is more than a livable city. It is full of the possibilities of life. In this unlimited city, innovation and design are expanding with great energy. Cross-border cooperation promises surprises to be discovered. Besides its superior geographical situation, the city attracts creative talents from various fields to push it forward and enable it to become a trend-setting city of creativity with the initiatives for living space, inclusiveness for the old and new industries and the spirit to take on challenges.
     In the aspect of urban planning, it isn't hard to see how the Green Willow River marks a new contour of the old district and alters the way to rove around the city, and how the Pritzker Architecture Prize winner has constructed Taichung's appearance. In terms of cross-border business, champion industries quietly create an enviable daily life and pace. Moreover, people wonder how the upcoming Flora Exposition will reshape the cityscape like the bicycle paths imbuing alleys and lanes with nature, humanity and cultures. Design should be more than creating for no purpose. It should naturally appear in daily life like our breathing , and lead us to imagine the future. It should be consistent with what Taichung demonstrates — respective possibility of life.
  2. Voice of LIFE
     A concert full of passion held in Taichung. There are thirteen creators, including musicians, lyricists and composers, graffiti artists, tech artists, installation art creation and experimental party, and food artists. They are from different age groups, representing different generations. From the palace of art to civic lives, combinations of cityscapes are illustrated.
     There are seven works presented, using materials from Taichung, to represent the power and charisma of Taichung's pop culture.
• Curator:
  1. Scandinavian Designers / Chia-Ling Lowy Liao
  2. Scandinavian Designers / Prof. GIDEON LOEWY
  3. KEV Design Studio / Yu-Jui Chou
  4. Artist of Taiwan / Akibo

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Exploration Pavilion

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  Want to discover the secrets of the technological transition of Taiwan's industries? You must pay Exploration Pavilion a visit! Tourism factories that are popular among all ages showcase the genetic carriers of Taiwanese industries; through the exhibition, visitors get a glimpse of the secrets of Taiwan's industrial transformation hidden in the tourism factories. Electric motorcycles demonstrate “the new attitude of transportation," taking everyone onto a leisure journey to jointly explore “the urban things," and experience life. Furthermore, the pavilion also features 3D printing themed displays and experiential activities, allowing visitors to learn more about the diverse applications and current development status of 3D printing.
• Section of Pavilion
  1. Exploration of Tourism Factory
     Although the appearance of industries and factories in Taiwan is changing over time, there are still traces of life behind. More than hundreds of factories around Taiwan make a thought interaction between the past and future; thus it can keep creating new life and energy in the industry by innovation and further exploration. Tourism factory is a carrier to the gene of industries in Taiwan. Through the exhibition, it can lead everyone to look into the confidentiality of transformation – how a traditional factory become a tourism factory. There is hidden secret in every link including the enterprise culture and image, production line and process with knowledge value, educational DIY experience and professional guide. We can explore the unlimited mystery together through interactions.
  2. Exploration of Green Life
     Electric Scooter is a nice bridge to experience green life. In electric scooter pavilion you can see the qualified product with intelligent function to amplify electric scooter's value. Industrial Development Bureau(IDB) promoted the policy for electric scooter users and producers on government subsidies. To strengthen competiveness, IDB established “Taiwan E-scooter Standards," which specified vehicle safety and performance regulation.
  3. Exploration of 3D printing
     Through themed display and 3D printing experience activities, participants better understand the diverse application of 3D printing and its current development in the industry.
     1. 3D printing companies display
        Domestic companies are invited to display their 3D printing equipment, materials, and works to assist the exhibitors in promotion and marketing.
     2. 3D printing DIY experience
        The planning of hands-on activities allows participants the opportunities to experience the fun of 3D printing to popularize the application of 3D printing.
     3. 3D printed works display
        Introducing 3D printing graphics stock platform and customized tools to inform participants that 3D printing is not merely an idea but a tool that can be applied in life and education.
• Curator:
  1. Industrial Technology Research Institute
  2. Institute for Information Industry

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Co-Craft Pavilion

From co-Craft To co-Living

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  Central Taiwan houses Taiwan's local artisan crafts industry. With modern design, traditional artisanship has evolved into lifestyle crafts. Artists use the natural resources and cultural contexts unique to central Taiwan, building an industrial supply chain that fuses different ethnic groups and cultures. Co-Craft Pavilion showcases the beauty of traditional and new artisan crafts' material and design, demonstrating Central Taiwan lifestyle through tangible cultural activities.
• Section of Pavilion
  This exhibition is co-curate by “National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute" which dedicate to promote craft culture and sustain industrial arts, and another curator “FabCraft Design Lab" who has been probing into the possibility of combining the digital design with production. By displaying the exhibition with innovation and tradition simultaneously, this exhibition demonstrates the way to imagining that the contemporary design is the connection between traditional craft and life. The contents of the whole exhibition are presented in a modern way. All the exhibits are made by the outstanding designers and craftmen in Taichung, Changhua, Nantou and Miaoli. From miniature exhibits to huge Blue-Dye, these exhibits include various aspects of traditional techniques, digital design and regional cultural creativities. The installation art at the entrance is timber-framed design and surrounded with the pink clouds which are made by 3D printing, it symbolizes the vision of connecting traditional materials and contemporary digital design and echoes the annual theme “Hard & Soft". The main visual area is presented by a multi-image array, which is like numbers of craftmen working in the field. It also enables the visitors to view the context of creation and the exquisite craftsmanship. The exhibition hall is constructed of lightweight structure and reveals a gradual visual perception. Through the crafts of daily life, this exhibition elaborates the nature, terroir, the culture of life and the aesthetic value, it continues and enhances the various aesthetic of life experiences.
• Curator:
  1. MakerBar Taipei / KAI-YU KAN

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International Pavilion

Urban Pulse: Capturing the rhythm of cities

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  The 10 young designers from international cities seek to change the public's view on design. Based on World Design Capital objective, the city's entrance, hallway and living room usage are used to highlight design's role to throughout the society.
• About Design
  This project is hoping to deliver a message that everyone can change and make the difference to our design society. The exhibition room is divided into
  three different areas which provide different design experiences to viewers. As the viewers walking through the entry, the eye-catching triangle sculpture is designed to symbolize the idea of human pyramid. It represents each designer brings together the networks to make the society better. The exhibition hallway is a storytelling room which provides each design capital's background. The viewer will be able to be acknowledge and learn more about the design spirit of world design capital. The third room in the exhibition is created to educated the viewer that everyone can makes a big impact to our design world. We invited ten world design capital's designers to share their designer thinking. We hope to build a learning platform to achieve what we hope.
• Curator:
  1. CHU-studio / Wei-Yen Shao

Lohas Pavilion

Smile MIT X Creative Life

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  Creativity creates new life style, and life style creates new industry. Taiwan not only has abundant creative soft power, but also depends on the reliable manufacture ability to achieve your image of life. This life style also nourishes the local new industry. MIT Golden Select will exhibit high-quality products made in Taiwan by eight thematic areas to lead you to witness the life style of Taiwan in the new era. [Finding Creativity] to explore the creative bases around by motion-sensing interactive device. [Love Design] theme exhibition makes you fall in love with wonderful creative manufacturing. [Experience Life] to experience creative work together. [Travel Together] to lead you through the creative life in Central Taiwan. Invite you to look forward to the future. Let's go to the Smile MIT X Creative Life thematic exhibit to see the innovative advantages of Taiwan's industry.
• Section of Pavilion
  1. Smile MIT thematic exhibit
     MIT Golden Select will have several thematic areas according to the application characteristics. Each area will convey the design concept and R&D story of MIT Golden Select product. Through AR, VR and online activities, we will make you know better about MIT, a mutual brand of Taiwan, and the applications of MIT Golden Select products. As long as you participate in activities, you will be rewarded with exclusive surprises.
  2. The Creative Life Thematic Exhibition
     1. 【Finding Creativity】Interactive Experience
        Participate in interesting interactive games and get a glimpse inside Taiwan's Creative Life Industry.
     2. 【Love Design】 Creative Life Product Exhibition
        From Sensco platform and creative life enterprises comes a wide array of unique products on display. Feel free to take your time and discover the charm of Creative Life.
     3. 【Experience Life】Creative Life Hands-on Events
        We will be holding a total of 10 DIY lessons taught by the finest of experts during the weekends. Step into the shoes of the professionals as they guild you through the process of making their craft.
     4. 【Travel Together]】Tourism Activities
        We planned out six tourism routes in the middle portion of Taiwan dedicated to sharing all the different and unique sites the Creative Life Industry has to offer. Follow us on Facebook and get a chance to earn exclusive gifts!
• Curator:
  1. Corporate Synergy Development Center

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LIFE of Taichung Pavilion

Transition in LIFE

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  For Taichung, transition between daily settings among physical space and perspectives is an issue. Artists shed away their identities and chose Taichung as the first stop for their new venture, and given the perfect prices, resources and urban tempo, it also paints a more creative future. Targeted designs will both include hardware, product, visual design and “intangible" soft designs: such as neighborhood, relationship and lifestyle ambiance designs, forming a uniquely Taichung style.
• Section of Pavilion
  1. Life scene area
     In this area, works and crafts, which are created by brands, Artists, Designers in Taichung, guide us to explore the life scene of citizens in Taichung, and how do we design our own life scenes through these designs and crafts.
  2. Interactive area
     "Who are you, what work did you do before, and what kind of job are you doing now in Taichung?" Taichung is a friendly city for immigrants, you may also be the one choosing to transform your life style in Taichung. If so, welcome to leave your story.
  3. Tree of surrounding
     Beneath the tree, you can hear sound around Taichung, Perhaps it's the sound of an opening traditional market; the bustling sound on Taiwan Boulevard; the sound of Luchuan rivers flowing in the water; it may also be the sound of the wind blowing through the Maple Garden. Just enjoy a chill time, pick up the headphones and listen to the surrounding sound.
  4. Taichung Cloud
     The cloud includes a lot of keywords about Taichung, perhaps features; the impression of the city; it may also be some well-known keywords. Under this cloud, you can browse more about stories of Taichung.
  5. Children Declaration Area
     We have imagined various visions of Taichung and made a lot of efforts, but what is the future of Taichung? We invite you to Listen to the viewpoints from the children, this may present a design needs for the next generation, and a reference providing us to think about the future of the city.
  6. Dual screen projection area
     Many beautiful and touching stories of designers and artisans were born in Taichung, which deserve us slowdown and take time to experience. The word we called “Daily Life" is the time of life, in this area, we reproduce some segments of transition from them, showing their wonderful stories to you.
• Curator:
  1. Fantasy Story / Zhong-Junyan

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FUSION of Taichung Pavilion

Old-Meets-New Creative Culture in Taichung

• Introduction Of Pavilion
  “Classics & Creative Culture: Taichung Design," blends the new with the old, mixing classics and the cutting-edge. Between private sector designs and government creative culture, Taichung is building its identity. The transition process requires collaboration across industries, the fusing of the old and new—forming an urban landscape unique to Taichung. Starting from the traditional context, Taichung can emerge into a brand new image, and tomorrow's classics are waiting to emerge.
• Section of Pavilion
  1. Area A:Recognition
     Themed as Creativity of Taichung City, this exhibition visualizes important events in Taichung. With the intention of people's life, this exhibition focuses on design and lets imagination spread. Besides, through stereoscopic devices, visitors can recognize Taichung again, and this can string up the diverse aspects of design, art and urban development in Taichung.
  2. Area B:Energy
     The small but uninterrupted power is the efforts and persistence of Taichung toward the cultural industry, from small to large, from accumulation to inheritance. This area is a demonstration of the energy of cultural and creative industry in Taichung, bringing together art works and achievements, allowing the world to see Taichung's unique creations, while seeing the endless persistence of Taichung and the ability of design which can be stunning and put on the map.
  3. Area C:Reading Materials
     The design of Taichung has never stopped. It has been continually influencing and changing this city. Various designers are invited to carefully pick up well-designed goods which can represent Taichung to promote the development of design in Taichung in three elements: Taichung Exclusives, Local Designs, and Future Perspectives. By doing so, the design of Taichung can exist in citizens' lives in different ways.
  4. Area D:Classic
     Every great city has its own soul, and the thickness of the soul is often reflected in the details of life, especially diet. Therefore, with the intention of realizing the aspect of eating, we can better understand the cultural characteristics of the city and cause common sense. The area displays the classic which exists in the streets and alleys of Taichung. With the re-display of design and the repackaging of art, the area shows the unique story of Taichung city.
• Curator:
  1. HARVEST IDEATION / Chang-Rui Lin

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