DFA Awards 2016 A Platform and Framework for a Better Asia

18 Pages·2016·0.87 MB·English

by  Regina Li

Press Release
Immediate Release

DFA Awards 2016
A Platform and Framework for a Better Asia

(HONG KONG, 5 December 2016) Organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), with
Create Hong Kong of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government as the
major sponsor, the DFA Awards presentation ceremonies were completed in applause last
week. The winning projects and the winners’ portfolios were also showcased at annual DFA
Awards Exhibition at HKDC Pavilion during the InnoDesignTech Expo.

On 30 November, over 400 participants attended the presentation ceremony of the DFA
Design for Asia Awards and the DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award. On 2
December the Business of Design Week (BODW) Gala Dinner appealed to design gurus,
business leaders and government officials around the world to congratulate the winners of
DFA Lifetime Achievement Award, DFA Design Leadership Award and DFA World's
Outstanding Chinese Designer.

"DFA Awards is a Hong Kong Design Centre initiative to recognise and celebrate outstanding
design leaders, remarkable design projects, and talented young designers in Asia. The
intention of the Awards is to create a platform and framework for designers to shape, build
and develop Asia to become a better place to live, work and play." said Professor Eric C. Yim,
JP, Chairman of Board of Directors, Hong Kong Design Centre.

Honours to Design Leaders
The DFA Lifetime Achievement Award (DFA LAA) 2016 went to Mr. AHN Sang-soo, a
Korean typographer and graphic designer. He has worked in the creative industry for more
than 40 years with a rich oeuvre of cross disciplinary production and innovation. In 1985, he
expressed his interest in Korean typeface at his early career and founded Ahn Graphics and
then created his first self-titled typeface configuration “Ahn Sang-soo”. Also passionate in
education, he served as a Professor at the College of Fine Arts & Design at his alma mater
Hongik University for 20 years. He is currently Director of Paju Typography Institute in Korea
(PaTI), Guest Professor in Royal College of Arts, London and Invited Professor in Central
Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing. He has been serving as a Chairman of the Board of Seoul
Design Foundation since 2012.

The DFA Design Leadership Award (DFA DLA) 2016 was conferred onto Mr. Antony LO
Hsiang-an, the CEO of Giant Global Group. Lo has been a key leader at Giant and under
Lo’s leadership, it launched its own brand in 1981. Giant is a global bicycle brand, consists of
9 manufacturing factories around the world, with more than 10,000 retail partners. The name
of “Giant” now is a major cycling brand in the world, provides high quality innovative cycling
products through the specialty retailing network, to inspire adventure and share the joy of the
ride. Giant also collaborated with the Taipei Municipal Department of Transportation to
develop the YouBike public bicycle sharing service for Taipei city.

Mr. William CHANG Suk-ping, Art Director and Costume Designer, was named the DFA
World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer (DFA WOCD) 2016. Having been trained at a film
school in Vancouver, Chang began working in the late 1970s during Hong Kong’s popular
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culture boom. In the 1981, Chang was appointed as the art director of the thriller “Love
Massacre”. Later, he collaborated unfailingly with Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai.
Besides films, William Chang has also engaged in other side design projects that have made
a difference in their respective fields. From designing the interior of a private residence to
airline uniforms, and from editing feature films to television advertisements, he has always
been determined to apply his skills in a brand new context to defamiliarise himself and push
the envelope of design.

Recognition of Design Excellence
The DFA Design for Asia Awards’ entry number and quality illustrate the growth of the Asian
design power. Around 900 entries from over 20 countries, by 22 categories under 4 design
disciplines including apparel & accessory design, communication design, environmental
design, and product & industrial design, were received in 2016. Compared with the numbers
in 2013, entries from Taiwan and South Korea have been remarkably increased around 17%
and 48% respectively, while the number of award winners from Mainland China increased
significantly from 11 to 39 in three years' time. This year, 40 outstanding design projects and
17 Gold Award winning designs of Category Award from open submissions were nominated,
amid 20 projects having been recognised as Grand Award, Grand Award for Culture, Grand
Award for Sustainability, Grand Award for Technology or Grand Award Finalist. Selected
Grand Award winners were also invited to share their ideas at the Business of Design Week.

Window of Global Perspective
As the design hub in Asia, Hong Kong is always a window to the international stage. This year,
16 design practitioners or graduates from over 200 applications, were awarded the DFA Hong
Kong Young Design Talent Award (DFA HKYDTA). With the financial sponsorship by Create
Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Design Institute and School of Design of the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, 13 of them will be granted up to HK$5,000,000 in total for work
attachment or study in overseas for 6 to 12 months. The DFA HKYDTA 2016 comprises seven
CreateSmart Young Design Talent Award, four CreateSmart Young Design Talent Special
Award, one HKDI Young Design Talent Award, one PolyU School of Design Young Design
Talent Award, and three candidates receive the Young Design Talent Special Mention Award.
Since its debut in 2005, 90 candidates have received the financial sponsorship for overseas
experience, opened a new chapter in life, and explored a global design perspective. This
important platform recognises promising local young design talents, aged 35 or below, and
serves to maintain the city’s competitiveness and consolidate its role as an Asian design hub.

The Awards Publication: Design for Asia: DFA Awards 2016
A good design is the mainstay of creative economy, and a solution to social issues as well as
a vital element for improving people's lives. The Awards Publication, “Design for Asia: DFA
Awards 2016” (ISBN 978-988-13863-2-8) introduces the design thinking behind each of the
winning projects and winners in 2016, is available for public order at www.dfaawards.com.

More information about the winning projects at YouTube or Facebook by searching: DFA
Awards.

- End -

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About the DFA Awards
In 2003, the Hong Kong Design Centre launched the DFA Awards to underpin the role of
designers in society, to celebrate design excellence with impact in Asia and for Asia, as well
as to recognise the rising force of emerging designers in Hong Kong through its five major
award programmes - The DFA Lifetime Achievement Award signifies the design
community’s respect for individuals who have made life-long contributions to design
profession, education and the society. The DFA Design Leadership Award recognises
business leaders who create exceptional sustainable business success through strategic and
innovative use of design. The DFA World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer is a major
accolade for designers of Chinese origin with significant design achievement and
international recognition. The DFA Design for Asia Awards covers a wide range of design
that embodies Asian aesthetics and culture and influences the design trends in Asia and for
Asia. The DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award nurtures the development of local
emerging designers and provides sponsorship for them to undertake work or further
education overseas.
www.dfaawards.com

About the Hong Kong Design Centre
Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2002 as a
strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in establishing Hong Kong as centre of design
excellence in Asia. HKDC pursues its public mission of using design and innovation to drive
the value creation of business development and improve the well-being of society by providing
diverse exchange platforms, anchored by five major work
directions: CONNECT, CELEBRATE, NURTURE, ADVANCE and ENGAGE.

HKDC’s flagship programmes include Business of Design Week (since 2002) – Asia’s
leading annual conference and event on design, innovation and brands; the DFA
Awards (since 2003) – the most recognised awards for design from an Asian perspective;
the Design Incubation Programme (since 2012) – a two-year incubation programme that
nurtures future design-preneurs; and Knowledge of Design Week (since 2006) – an annual
thematic design knowledge-sharing platform on how design can solve the complex challenges
facing our society.
www.hkdesigncentre.org

This press release is issued by DT Digital on behalf of Hong Kong Design Centre. For
further enquiries, please contact:

Media Contact Programme Contact

DT Digital Hong Kong Design Centre
Larry Kwan Ivan Kwok
Tel: [phone] Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected] E mail: [email protected]

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Photo Captions:

For downloads of winner list and high resolution photos, please visit:
http://www.hkdc.hk/download/awards/DFA2016_post_event_photos&list.zip

DFA Awards_01.jpg

Mr. Kevin YEUNG, Chairman of Hong Kong Fashion
Designers Association Ltd (right), confers the DFA Design
for Asia Awards 2016 – Gold Award to the representative of
winning project - The Bradley Timepieces (Apparel and
Accessory Design discipline).

DFA Awards_02.jpg

Mr. Henry STEINER, Founder of Steiner & Co. (right),
confers the DFA Design for Asia Awards 2016 – Gold
Award to the representative of winning project – LIFE
(Communication Design discipline).

DFA Awards_03.jpg

Mrs. Carol Ross BARNEY, FAIA & Design Principal of Ross
Barney Architects (left), confers the DFA Design for Asia
Awards 2016 – Gold Award to the representative of winning
project – Sundew (Environmental Design discipline).

DFA Awards_04.jpg

Dr. Luisa Mengoni, Head of Victoria and Albert Gallery in
Shekou (left), confers the DFA Design for Asia Awards
2016 – Gold Award to the representative of winning
project – Axor Starck V (Product and Industrial Design
discipline).

DFA Awards_05.jpg

Ms. Kai-yin LO, Chairman of Yin Expressions (right),
confers the DFA Design for Asia Awards 2016 – Grand
Award for Sustainability to the representative of winning
project – T  PARK.

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DFA Awards_06.jpg

Ms. Ma Ke, Founder of Zhuhai WuYong Cultural Creativity
Co., Ltd. (right), shared the happy moment with Mr.
Freeman Lau, member of Board of Directors, Hong Kong
Design Centre (left) and Ms. Kai-yin LO, Chairman of Yin
Expressions, after her project Holding on through the

storms - Exhibition of Traditional Handmade Oil-paper

Umbrella named the Grand Award for Culture.

DFA Awards_07.jpg

Miss Susie HO Shuk-yee, JP, Permanent Secretary for
Commerce and Economic Development (Communications
& Creative Industries), (right), confers the DFA Design for
Asia Awards 2016 – Grand Award to the representatives of
winning project – KI ecobe.

DFA Awards_08.jpg

Representative of Grand Award winner WHILL Model A
shares the thank you remarks on stage.

DFA Awards_09.jpg

A group photo of the DFA Design for Asia Awards 2016 –
Grand Award winners and trophy presenters.

DFA Awards_10.jpg

Mr Leslie LU, Principal of Hong Kong Design Institute (left),
presents the trophy to Kinyan LAM, winner of HKDI Young
Design Talent Award.

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DFA Awards_11.jpg

Professor Cees DE BONT, Dean of the School of Design &
Swire Chair Professor of Design, The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University (left), presents the trophy to Sofan
MOK, winner of PolyU School of Design Young Design
Talent Award.

DFA Awards_12.jpg

Ms. Fiona LAM, Assistant Head of Create Hong Kong (left),
presents the trophy to Tsz Ki SZE, winner of CreateSmart
Young Design Talent Special Award.

DFA Awards_13.jpg

Ms. Fiona LAM, Assistant Head of Create Hong Kong (left),
presents the trophy to Jacqueline CHAK, winner of
CreateSmart Young Design Talent Award.

DFA Awards_14.jpg

A group photo of the DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent
Award winners and trophy presenters.

DFA Awards_15.jpg

One of the selected Grand Award winners, Mr. ZHOU
Zishu, from the winning project Digua Community, was
invited to share his ideas at the Business of Design Week.

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DFA Awards_16.jpg

Mr. AHN Sang-soo, Director of Paju Typography Institute in
Korea (left), receives the DFA Lifetime Achievement Award
2016 from Guest of Honour, Mr. Gregory SO Kam-leung,
GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic
Development.

DFA Awards_17.jpg

Mr. AHN Sang-soo, winner of DFA Lifetime Achievement
Award 2016 shares about his typographic design concept
during the BODW Gala Dinner.

DFA Awards_18.jpg / DFA Awards_19.jpg / DFA
Awards_20.jpg

The winning projects and winner portfolios were showcased
in the DFA Awards Exhibition at HKDC Pavilion, a part of
the InnoDesignTech Expo; some winning projects was also
showcased with Virtual Reality (VR) technology which will
provide visitors with an innovative and a more involving

experience.

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Appendix 1

DFA Lifetime Achievement Award (DFA LAA) 2016

AHN Sang-soo

Director, Paju Typography Institute in Korea (PaTI)

South Korea

Photographer: Jung Jungho

Ahn Sang-soo is one of the most active Korean creatives in the global community. In 1985 in
Seoul, South Korea, he founded the Ahn Graphics, leading graphic design consultancy with
strong roots in typography and editorial design. Ahn had taught Hangul typography at Hongik
University for the past 20 years, he believes typography is full of latent possibilities that allow
us to free the typeface from stereotypes and breathe life into with our imagination.

For a young Asian democracy at a historical crossroads, Ahn created his first self-titled
typeface configuration “Ahn Sang-soo” that won him nationwide fame. The bold circles and
shorter strokes convey an unmistakable energy that portends of the cultural, social, and
economic renaissance that have deeply reshaped Korea amid globalisation.

In 2010, Ahn founded the Paju Typography Institute (PaTI) in Paju Book City, offering
practical training to students from diverse backgrounds wishing to work on typography at
bachelor’s and master’s levels. In 2012, Ahn was appointed by the Seoul Metropolitan
Government as the Chairman of the Board of Seoul Design Foundation and presided lots of
game-changing projects, including the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Over the years, he also
served as the ICOGRADA Vice President, and took part in numerous typography exhibitions
and events, the most notable of which is the Seoul International Typography Biennale. He
also published, as both art director and editor, an underground art and culture magazine,
bogoseo/bogoseo (report/report), after serving as art directors for various art magazines,
such as Ggumin, Ma-dang, and Meot.

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DFA Design Leadership Award (DFA DLA) 2016

Antony LO Hsiang-an
CEO, Giant Global Group

Taiwan

Antony Lo, CEO of Taiwan’s Giant Global Group, who goes by Tony, is more than a
successful businessman who transformed a local original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
into a global brand. Unlike other Taiwanese manufacturers who were content with being
suppliers for foreign brands, Giant, under Lo’s leadership, took the road less travelled by
launching its own brand in 1981.

For Lo, cycling is more than a business; it is a way of life. He’s a cycling enthusiast on a
mission to spread the gospel of cycling around the world. Besides promoting the introduction
of bike lanes to Taiwan, Giant also collaborated with the Taipei Municipal Department of
Transportation to develop the YouBike public bicycle sharing service. By providing affordable
and convenient access to bicycles throughout the city for short-distance trips, the YouBike
program provides a popular and viable alternative to motorized public transportation and
Taiwan’s ubiquitous motor scooters, thereby reducing traffic congestion, noise, and air
pollution.

Perhaps what makes the Giant brand truly unique is the immersive experience of each Giant
retail store. Although “product evangelism” is a commonly used buzzword in many industries
today, employees who believe so strongly in Giant’s high-end bicycles that they freely try to
convince others to buy and use them are an essential part of the Giant Cycling World
experience.
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DFA World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer (DFA WOCD) 2016

William CHANG Suk-ping

Art Director and Costume Designer

Hong Kong

Photographer: Wing Shya

William Chang is an artist in every sense of the word. Like many of his counterparts growing
up in the Crown colony who later were known as the Hong Kong New Wave, instead of
pursuing a predictable and gainful career, he pursued a creative art education and threw
himself into an industry in which everyone was given a chance to do something truly amazing
and be recognised. Chang’s art direction and film editing skills allowed his works–and Hong
Kong cinema–to take off internationally and reach new aesthetic heights.

Having been trained at a film school in Vancouver, Chang began working in the late 1970s
during Hong Kong’s popular culture boom. In the 1981, Chang was appointed as the art
director of the thriller “Love Massacre”. Later, he collaborated unfailingly with director Wong
Kar Wai, winning him local and international accolades; to name a few, “Chungking
Express”(1994), “Happy Together”(1997), “In the Mood for Love” (2000), “2046” (2004), “My
Blueberry Nights”(2007) and “The Grandmaster” (2013) etc. Chang has a long list of
achievements and recognitions, including numerous Hong Kong Film Awards, Golden Horses
from Taiwan, a Golden Rooster from Mainland China, a Cannes award, and “The
Grandmaster” earned him an Oscar nomination. His self-evident passion for fine arts, films,
and costumes needs no recognition from the profession, but he still welcomes and
appreciates them as they help promote his Hong Kong-based art to a wider audience around
the world.

Besides films, William Chang has also engaged in other side design projects that have made
a difference in their respective fields. From designing the interior of a private residence to
airline uniforms, and from editing feature films to television advertisements, he has always
been determined to apply his skills in a brand new context to defamiliarise himself and push
the envelope of design.

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