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Beyond 2006
BY
Bianca Zen
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Rethinking design and entertainment
The crème de la crème of contemporary creative icons will be converging at Beyond 2006: The Global summit for creative industries, discussed the future of design and entertainment. Design does not exist simply on a catwalk or in a towering mega structure; it is intertwined with the fabric of the every day and provides the experiential interface between our environment and ourselves. Design is everywhere - from the early morning cup of coffee, to the clothes that we wear. From the cities and buildings that we live in, to the words and images that we consume. Even the games that we play and the ways in which we are amused are perforated by design on every level. Not purely a matter of aesthetics, design is radically transforming human interaction, communication and culture.
Delegates at Beyond 2006 witnessed first hand debates between iconic representatives of a truly global range of creative perspectives within architecture, design, film, gaming, fashion, publishing, urban planning and more. Their vision for last year’s summit is to be an inspiring and stimulating global forum that draws key decision makers, leaders and innovators from the business, creative and political spheres to debate and to provide strategies that address crucial issues facing the creative industries today. The objectives of the summit includes, interactive dialogues on best practices, trends, challenges and issues, and will seek to connect: young and established practitioners, by providing a platform for interaction exchange and networking; and Singapore and the rest of Asia to the West, bringing together diverse creative perspectives from all over the world.
The world’s most inspiring, influential, and progressive forum for creative thought leadership and application, Beyond 2006 took place at:
The Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore, from 26th –27th of November. 3 of the ten speakers, Neil French, Joanne Ooi and Duangrit Bunnag speak...
Exclusive Highlight on TAXI Design Network
Interview with Neil French
Is there a need for leaders in business, government and the creative industries to converse and converge?
Neil French >> Not necessarily. For work to stand out, it must be a tad anarchic, and that runs counter to the general principles of Big Biz and Government.
I like the air of rebellion that pervades the best ad agencies in the world. If a business leader or a government is smart and brave enough to tap that resource, they can gain immeasurably…but only the truly confident can do that. It’s a matter of trust.
How important is irreverence to the creative process?
Neil French >> I think people are deeply tired of hucksterism, and one way to open the hearts and minds of the over-bombarded consumer is to surprise him, and by the trick of self-deprecation, make yourself and your brand more human and accessible.
How do you define creativity?
Neil French>> In advertising, it’s sugar coating the pill. All the skills and tricks of art-direction and copywriting will come to naught if the consumer is not cajoled into taking the damn medicine.
Exclusive Highlight on TAXI Design Network
Interview with Joanne Ooi
Whilst a lot of the clothes appearing on the world’s runways will be manufactured in China, few brands are conceived and designed there, how have you gone about redefining the term “Made in china”?
Joanne Ooi >> That China can be associated with originality and the best quality.
How do you define creativity?
Joanne Ooi >> Funny. I have never been asked this question, ever! Originality (thought and design) + Personality (personhood and identity) + energy/will = Creativity
Exclusive Highlight on TAXI Design Network
Interview with Duangrit Bunnag
Actually, there is no such thing as a design centre or a creative design centre in Thailand before, so it’s a challenge and at the same time an opportunity for us to articulate that kind of project in Thailand for the first time.
My involvement in the project started from the very beginning. There were only 5 people on the desk and we are talking about a concept, the idea on what should be put in the centre or how we should run the centre or what is to be the component of the centre. I think it’s a good thing that we have an architect involved in the project since the beginning, so the program, the direction, and the way it should be executed are very well looked after by an architect right from the start of the planning. Because when we are obligated to design such a centre, we would know exactly what to do if we are also the ones who write the program.
And I think that the most difficult thing to design the design centre is not designing it. It is very difficult to work on a project like this because first of all, we are asked to design a design space for a designer in a particular articulation. People will tend to accept it or reject it because they are all designers, too. So the way we articulate the design centre must not be very articulated, in terms of vocabulary. Thus, in that centre (TCDC), on my side, we rely on the fabrication of materiality and make that materiality a creative space. This is the way we tackle the project and that results in what you call, a very prominent project of this country.
But anyway, bringing the question of Asian design to global levels is a little bit far away for us. In the first few days the design centre was intended to achieve was for the people of Thailand and designers to understand the significance of design and I think that’s the beginning. They realize that there might be a chance for us to step up the design of Asian or even Thai at an international level.
What are your thoughts on Asian Designers “making it” on the global platform?
Duangrit Bunnag >> The world has changed. I think now the Asian market is more significant to the global platform and that is why the design market is not just on the western side of the world, but also on the eastern side. The way the Asian market looks at the global demand or the global production of the world is also influencing the design as well. So that’s why I think from now on, by nature, the changing side of the economic system will create an importance in Asian Design, in that sense. So the Asian designers have to, you know, place themselves into the global platform even more. Plus the global platform itself is changing to the Asian side of the world so this is why it became more dominant and more important in terms of the way we look at things in an Asian way because the Asian market has become a global market.
How do you reconcile your belief in complexity and simplicity through your design?
Duangrit Bunnag >> Life is always simple and complex at the same time. Take any biological structure as an example: a tree, perhaps. Underneath a very simple organizational form of a tree always lies a very complex biological system running through it simple structure to keep it alive. So does any human being.
Complexity is definitely not about complication. I don’t believe in complication. A successful complexity always results in simplicity. I always admire simplicity. But in order to achieve simplicity you always need a certain understanding a comprehensive complexity. Simplicity arrives only through a complete complexity and not by denying the existence of complexity or to reduce the value of complex system. City is complex and it is simpler to leave it that way rather than to simplify them. That will make the city simple.
How do you define creativity?
Duangrit Bunnag >> Creativity is not about “being different” or “doing something new” alone. Most of the young talents want to be so creative by starting out being different. That does not necessary lead to creativity. Creativity is mostly about how the brain recognizes pattern and the pattern suggests a progress in a forward direction. There will be no creativity without context. Humor is a direct form of creativity. When people is expecting a pattern but you can achieve something that within the rhythm of the pattern but better that one could expect from the pattern that will deliver creativity. Sometimes, this also delivers humor.
When you are to walk from A to B, walking from B to A is being different but not very creative. But lifting the A higher so you can slide to B or folding B to be on top of A is creative. A purpose to walk from A to B is so important and without it, there can be no creativity. A to B is a context. In this case, a context is also a purpose.
© 2003 - 2007 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.
The crème de la crème of contemporary creative icons will be converging at Beyond 2006: The Global summit for creative industries, discussed the future of design and entertainment. Design does not exist simply on a catwalk or in a towering mega structure; it is intertwined with the fabric of the every day and provides the experiential interface between our environment and ourselves. Design is everywhere - from the early morning cup of coffee, to the clothes that we wear. From the cities and buildings that we live in, to the words and images that we consume. Even the games that we play and the ways in which we are amused are perforated by design on every level. Not purely a matter of aesthetics, design is radically transforming human interaction, communication and culture.
Delegates at Beyond 2006 witnessed first hand debates between iconic representatives of a truly global range of creative perspectives within architecture, design, film, gaming, fashion, publishing, urban planning and more. Their vision for last year’s summit is to be an inspiring and stimulating global forum that draws key decision makers, leaders and innovators from the business, creative and political spheres to debate and to provide strategies that address crucial issues facing the creative industries today. The objectives of the summit includes, interactive dialogues on best practices, trends, challenges and issues, and will seek to connect: young and established practitioners, by providing a platform for interaction exchange and networking; and Singapore and the rest of Asia to the West, bringing together diverse creative perspectives from all over the world.
The world’s most inspiring, influential, and progressive forum for creative thought leadership and application, Beyond 2006 took place at:
The Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore, from 26th –27th of November. 3 of the ten speakers, Neil French, Joanne Ooi and Duangrit Bunnag speak...
Exclusive Highlight on TAXI Design Network
Interview with Neil French
 | What is your perspective on Asian branding and creativity?
Neil French >> I can only talk about the rarefied world of advertising. I’ll sit, spellbound, during the rest of the speeches, believe me. But overall, one can say that Asian advertising is now one of the most potent catalysts for the worldwide industry. If I may be a tad specific, Indian print work, and Thai TV both tend to be really exciting. How would you describe the Advertising Industry in Asia in general and in Singapore in particular Neil French >> That question is partly answered above, but one might observe a certain inertia in the Singapore scene… but maybe that’s in comparison with the creative explosion a decade or so ago. |
Is there a need for leaders in business, government and the creative industries to converse and converge?
Neil French >> Not necessarily. For work to stand out, it must be a tad anarchic, and that runs counter to the general principles of Big Biz and Government.
I like the air of rebellion that pervades the best ad agencies in the world. If a business leader or a government is smart and brave enough to tap that resource, they can gain immeasurably…but only the truly confident can do that. It’s a matter of trust.
How important is irreverence to the creative process?
Neil French >> I think people are deeply tired of hucksterism, and one way to open the hearts and minds of the over-bombarded consumer is to surprise him, and by the trick of self-deprecation, make yourself and your brand more human and accessible.
How do you define creativity?
Neil French>> In advertising, it’s sugar coating the pill. All the skills and tricks of art-direction and copywriting will come to naught if the consumer is not cajoled into taking the damn medicine.
Exclusive Highlight on TAXI Design Network
Interview with Joanne Ooi
 | Born in Singapore, raised in Midwest USA, now living in Hong Kong, how has this background influenced your perspectives and approach to marketing?
Joanne Ooi >> My diverse background makes the fusion of East-West virtually instinctive. Certainly, that’s the calling card of Shanghai Tang – a comfortable, inviting synthesis of Chinese with Western culture and design. Does traditional Chinese culture influence your work? Joanne Ooi >> Of course. It is the wellspring of inspiration in most cases, in fact. I usually take traditional culture/design as a starting point, then I’ll inject it with the new or turn it on its head. It’s very unusual for me to follow the inverse process. |
Whilst a lot of the clothes appearing on the world’s runways will be manufactured in China, few brands are conceived and designed there, how have you gone about redefining the term “Made in china”?
Joanne Ooi >> That China can be associated with originality and the best quality.
How do you define creativity?
Joanne Ooi >> Funny. I have never been asked this question, ever! Originality (thought and design) + Personality (personhood and identity) + energy/will = Creativity
Exclusive Highlight on TAXI Design Network
Interview with Duangrit Bunnag
 | What inspires your designs on a general?
Duangrit Bunnag >> Oh yes, that’s a very difficult question. My design was actually inspired by everything around me. When I work on a resort project, the nature inspires me and my project is inspired by the nature. Like… the house I designed for my client was inspired by my client himself. Natural or artificial, it can all inspire me. I’m the person who can be easily inspired, though I’m old enough to segregate every possibility... and I think that’s a good thing about myself. What is your involvement in the Thailand Creative Design Centre in bringing Asian design to global levels? Duangrit Bunnag >> The Thailand Creative and Design Centre, which we call TCDC for short, is a place that’s quite new for Thailand. |
Actually, there is no such thing as a design centre or a creative design centre in Thailand before, so it’s a challenge and at the same time an opportunity for us to articulate that kind of project in Thailand for the first time.
My involvement in the project started from the very beginning. There were only 5 people on the desk and we are talking about a concept, the idea on what should be put in the centre or how we should run the centre or what is to be the component of the centre. I think it’s a good thing that we have an architect involved in the project since the beginning, so the program, the direction, and the way it should be executed are very well looked after by an architect right from the start of the planning. Because when we are obligated to design such a centre, we would know exactly what to do if we are also the ones who write the program.
And I think that the most difficult thing to design the design centre is not designing it. It is very difficult to work on a project like this because first of all, we are asked to design a design space for a designer in a particular articulation. People will tend to accept it or reject it because they are all designers, too. So the way we articulate the design centre must not be very articulated, in terms of vocabulary. Thus, in that centre (TCDC), on my side, we rely on the fabrication of materiality and make that materiality a creative space. This is the way we tackle the project and that results in what you call, a very prominent project of this country.
But anyway, bringing the question of Asian design to global levels is a little bit far away for us. In the first few days the design centre was intended to achieve was for the people of Thailand and designers to understand the significance of design and I think that’s the beginning. They realize that there might be a chance for us to step up the design of Asian or even Thai at an international level.
What are your thoughts on Asian Designers “making it” on the global platform?
Duangrit Bunnag >> The world has changed. I think now the Asian market is more significant to the global platform and that is why the design market is not just on the western side of the world, but also on the eastern side. The way the Asian market looks at the global demand or the global production of the world is also influencing the design as well. So that’s why I think from now on, by nature, the changing side of the economic system will create an importance in Asian Design, in that sense. So the Asian designers have to, you know, place themselves into the global platform even more. Plus the global platform itself is changing to the Asian side of the world so this is why it became more dominant and more important in terms of the way we look at things in an Asian way because the Asian market has become a global market.
How do you reconcile your belief in complexity and simplicity through your design?
Duangrit Bunnag >> Life is always simple and complex at the same time. Take any biological structure as an example: a tree, perhaps. Underneath a very simple organizational form of a tree always lies a very complex biological system running through it simple structure to keep it alive. So does any human being.
Complexity is definitely not about complication. I don’t believe in complication. A successful complexity always results in simplicity. I always admire simplicity. But in order to achieve simplicity you always need a certain understanding a comprehensive complexity. Simplicity arrives only through a complete complexity and not by denying the existence of complexity or to reduce the value of complex system. City is complex and it is simpler to leave it that way rather than to simplify them. That will make the city simple.
How do you define creativity?
Duangrit Bunnag >> Creativity is not about “being different” or “doing something new” alone. Most of the young talents want to be so creative by starting out being different. That does not necessary lead to creativity. Creativity is mostly about how the brain recognizes pattern and the pattern suggests a progress in a forward direction. There will be no creativity without context. Humor is a direct form of creativity. When people is expecting a pattern but you can achieve something that within the rhythm of the pattern but better that one could expect from the pattern that will deliver creativity. Sometimes, this also delivers humor.
When you are to walk from A to B, walking from B to A is being different but not very creative. But lifting the A higher so you can slide to B or folding B to be on top of A is creative. A purpose to walk from A to B is so important and without it, there can be no creativity. A to B is a context. In this case, a context is also a purpose.
© 2003 - 2007 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.