By design:
Create Hong Kong provides $30 million annually for the staging of large activities fostering the greater appreciation and adoption of design, such as the DeTour event.
Enhanced living:
Head of Create Hong Kong Jerry Liu says helping the design sector improves the quality of life for the general public.
Innovative collaboration:
With the assistance of CreateHK, product designer Ming Wong and a technology company designed an automatic temperature-measuring device.
Design a part of life, not a luxury
January 02, 2012
The creative industry is one of Hong Kong's six pillar industries the Government supports and develops. Designated as Hong Kong Design Year, 2012 will feature a number of design events.
Create Hong Kong has been providing resource support to promote the design industry since 2006, and facilitate the integration of design into mainstream business and industrial processes.
The former Police Married Quarters, a historic site on Hollywood Road, is being transformed into an arena for designers to showcase their creativity.
The annual design event DeTour began in 2009 as a programme of satellite events around town, and more than 200 local designers took part in the event this year.
“Use-Less” is the theme this year to promote the idea of reducing, reusing and recycling.
Promoting action
A broken computer surrounded by green plants in a room is Leo Chan’s design. He says people cannot protect the environment by doing Internet research on “going green”, saying they must look around the world and take action.
This year was Mr Chan's third time to take part in DeTour. He said it was a good way to promote the design industry.
“The theme of DeTour is about daily life and it is open to the public. Everyone can come and enjoy the exhibition. This is the first step for them to connect with designs.”
Chan Wai-ho, board member of the non-profit organisation the Ambassadors of Design, which runs the event, wants it to be free of charge for the public.
“Design is a part of life, not a luxury. To obtain a site for the event and make it free for the public, external support is of utmost importance. We get support from the Government every year, as well as the venue and funding support. Otherwise, this event would not happen.”
Create Hong Kong provides $30 million annually for the staging of large activities fostering the greater appreciation and adoption of design. Other events include Business of Design Week and the Fashion World Talent Awards.
Head of Create Hong Kong Jerry Liu said: “Design knowledge and design services have become such important influences as far as not only the industrial or service sector, but for general enhancement of quality of life for everybody in society. We are no longer just talking on the design sector, but really a very important source of improving the general quality of life for the general public and that is why we attach such importance to the promotion of a better design community in Hong Kong.”
Brand building
Product designer Ming Wong takes part in Business of Design Week every year. Many potential customers know his designs through the event.
However, he said most small and medium enterprises did not understand the importance of design in the beginning and did not want to invest in it. Through promotion, they are learning how design can help to build their brand and make their products more competitive.
“But they put their money into research and development and do not want pay so much for the design.”
He said he found CreateHK's Design-Business Collaboration Scheme could help. It provides financial assistance on a matching basis with a maximum cap of funding support amounting to $100,000 for small and medium enterprises.
Last year, a technology company collaborated with Mr Wong and designed an automatic temperature-measuring device. With the assistance of the Design-Business Collaboration Scheme, they got half of the design fee waived and launched the product in September.
Mr Liu said the scheme promotes the interests and investments of small and medium enterprises in design, to upgrade their products and services, thereby helping them move up the value chain and increasing their competitiveness.
Last year more than 300 projects were funded by the scheme amounting to $20 million.
This is the second in a series of
news.gov.hk
features about Create Hong Kong.
