Design China Beijing is back with a rich program of events, talks and installations dedicated to sustainability
The fourth edition of Design China Beijing will take place from 24 to 27 September 2021. As part of the Beijing International Design Week, Design China Beijing is an important reference point among international furniture fairs. Its schedule includes design and architecture events to be attended by distinguished figures from the industry on the national and international scene. The common thread of conferences, exhibitions and installations will be the theme “Nature, Nurture and Sustainable Beauty”.
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Research and sustainability are the keywords of this edition of Design China Beijing
Design China Beijing will take place at the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre, one of the largest exhibition centers in Beijing, on a 12,000 sqm space. The fair will focus on over 100 Chinese and international designers and will present the most interesting local and global brands committed to research and promotion of regenerative and sustainable design. This year’s theme will be “Nature, Nurture and Sustainable Beauty”. Design China Beijing 2021’s ambition is to engage both design experts and a broader audience and to bring awareness to the expanded technological, cultural, social and economic field of sustainability.
Leading international exhibitors
Among international exhibitors will be Italian companies such as Abet Laminati, BTicino, Tarkett. British lighting brand Anglepoise will showcase the iconic Giant collection; heritage British brand Downland will present sophisticated sleep solutions resulting from multi-field research into sleep and human development. British paint brand Mylands will bring their latest collections of water-based paint to the show; their low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) content makes them kinder to the environment.
Aquafil, a global leader in the synthetic fibers industry, will present ECONYL, a regenerated nylon product. ECONYL has pioneered closed loop regeneration processes to deliver sustainable products. Sunbrella, a leader in performance fabric, will launch a new Odyssey collection designed by Christophe Catteau. Office furniture innovator Interstuhl will present their sustainable philosophy; by using only renewable energy, such as district heating and solar energy, the company is able to save approximately 243 tons of CO2 every year.
The role of Chinese design at the fair
In addition to international brands, Design China Beijing shines a spotlight on local brands and designers. This year, key exhibitors include furniture brand Thrudesign and Baluxne, a furniture brand based in Northern China (Hebei) that uses 100% recycled melamine board. XUE will present the new collection in collaboration with Industrial designer Chen Min. Burgeree will launch new projects including the Modular Acoustic Block system.
China’s leading art and design school, Beijing-based Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) will present a showcase of up-and-coming design talent. Yi Design will introduce a new material made from ceramic waste, which is 90% recycled, strong, light and porous; bricks made from this material can absorb and re-use rainwater, helping build “Sponge Cities”.
Not-to-be missed exhibitions
A series of satellite “Feature” exhibitions will investigate the transformative power of design and its role in building a more sustainable future.
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Meetings and conferences with leading industry figures
Many key figures in the design field will participate in the various scheduled conferences, including Amanda Levete, Morag Myerscough, Teresa van Dongen, Satyendra Pakhalé, Sun Dayong, Shanshan Qi, and architect Xuan Chen.
Over four days, visionaries, innovators, and global thought leaders will discuss this edition’s theme of Design China Beijing, “Nature, Nurture and Sustainable Beauty”. Spanning design disciplines from across the world, speakers will explore regenerative design as a response to social and environmental needs in China and beyond.
Green Connection: Jae Li’s new project at Design China Beijing 2021
Initiated by Design China Beijing and Jae Li, an international designer, curator, and educator with creative design experiences, Green Connections is a cross-disciplinary design industry leadership platform. Through workshops, exhibits and collaborative projects, Green Connections community shares the latest sustainable design trends and ideas, and searches for the best sustainable practices in future design. Green Connections offers a chance to discover the latest innovations in sustainability thanks to brands such as Canadian Wood, Baluxne Byrne, 3M, Hay, BottleDream, Tongji University School of Design, University of California, Berkeley School of Environmental Design.
Sustainable Hutong. Traditional architecture for new sustainable projects
Another brand-new addition to this year’s show is the conceptual “Sustainable Hutong” area designed by architect and designer Guo Yuchen. Hutong, the traditional residential courtyards typical of old Beijing, have become the ideal field to study the impact of rapid urbanization and the concept of public space as a community shared resource. This project is meant to be an example of sustainable space design, a new kind of architecture that relies on elements from traditional architecture to adapt them to current needs.
Discover Design Miami/Basel 2021, in Basel from 21 to 26 September 2021
