The lingering pandemic has plunged the design industry into a state of uncertainty. To better prepare designers and brands for the future, Hong Kong Design Centre is hosting the annual Business of Design Week (BODW) from 30 November to 5 December this year, along with a Summit that takes place between 3 to 5 December in a hybrid live format.
Opening Remarks by Prof. Eric Yim, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre
Under the theme “VISION 20/21”, the six-day event will bring together more than 100 local and global design visionaries, creatives, entrepreneurs and business leaders to offer insights on how brands and businesses should adopt to the “new normal” with the aim of helping participants navigate through uncertain times.
The BODW Summit will be livestreamed on BODW’s customized virtual platform. First for first time, parts of the Summit between 3 and 5 December will be aired on ViuTV channels, social media and local partner locations to cater to a global audience.
Michael Young, Director of Michael Young Studio discussed how he is rethinking the design process in today’s environment
Through a series of talks, forums and masterclasses, the summit aims to explore timely topics spanning Brand Futures, Connected Health, Safe Travels, Circular Economy, Immersive Tech, Creative Leadership, Entwined Spaces, Communication & Design and Culture & the City.
Elaine Yan Ling Ng, Founder of THE FABRICK LAB shared her thoughts on the trend for sustainable luxury
The event will kick off with a Leadership Forum on Design Education programme on 30 November, followed by a Design for Asia Forum on 1 December which will feature DFA Awards winners as speakers. Meanwhile, Fashion Asia Hong Kong will host a two-day Fashion Challenges Digital Forum from 2 to 3 December and the 10 Asian Designers to Watch virtual exhibition throughout December and into January 2021.
Other highlights of the week include the annual festival deTour 2020, DesignInspire ONLINE 2020 and Business of IP Asia Forum along with a host of other concurrent events.
Dr Edmund Lee, Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre shared details of the BODW 2020 programmes
Creative masterminds who will speak in the Summit include Thomas Heatherwick CBE (UK), Founder of Heatherwick Studio; Neville Brody RDI (UK), CEO & Creative Director of Brody Associates; Morag Myerscough (UK), Artist and Designer; Tim Brown (US), Chair of IDEO; Sou Fujimoto (Japan); Director of Sou Fujimoto Architects Inc.; Mark Read (UK), CEO of WPP; Jim Hackett (US), Former CEO and Special Advisor of Ford Motor Company; Kigge Mai Hvid (Denmark), Partner of JA Studio; Luo Cheng (Mainland China), Chairman and President of ARTOP Design; and Elaine Yan Ling Ng (Hong Kong), Founder of THE FABRICK LAB, to name a few.
BODW 2020 organiser, co-organiser, partners and speakers introduced the BODW 2020 programme highlights at the media rreview
Business of Design Week 2020 Summit
Date: 30 November – 5 December 2020 (Monday – Saturday)
Format: Hybrid live
Live Broadcast Platforms: Virtual livestream, with selective sessions broadcasted on social media, ViuTV channels, and screened at partner locations across the city
Languages: English, Cantonese and Putonghua (with simultaneous interpretation)
Ticketing: www.bodw.com/homejournal
