“Midnight Lotus,” an incense holder by LKK Design Co.

A sling chair designed by Shenzhen Rone Design Co. File photos

Chairs by Shenzhen Titian Furniture Co.

 Anne Zhang

zhangy49@gmail.com

A DELEGATION of more than 30 Shenzhen-based design companies will bring their works to an international design exhibition in London this week.

Organized and led by the Shenzhen Industrial Design Profession Association (SIDA), local companies including Tiening Arts and Sculptures, LKK Design Co., Rone Design, Newplan Design and CIGA Design will have a chance to communicate with the world’s top design companies at the 100% Design exhibition.

The 100% Design, held from Sept. 19 to 22 at the Earls Court, is the largest and most prestigious contemporary design event in the United Kingdom.

“Shenzhen sent a delegation last year, but this year is the first time Shenzhen has been invited to participate by the event committee,” said Feng Changhong, executive vice president and secretary general with SIDA. With over 500 representatives of design companies and manufacturers, the association is a government authorized organization that aims to promote Shenzhen’s design industry.

A thorny entry

Feng said the city had to push hard to be allowed to enter last year’s 100% Design exhibition.

Shenzhen wasn’t invited to last year’s event, but Feng’s organization still applied. The initial result wasn’t auspicious. The works submitted to the event committee were all rejected. “It was generally believed by the committee members that China was only good at copycatting,” Feng said. “It was thoroughly disheartening.”

Her association redesigned the application package, giving a detailed introduction to the city’s industrial design conditions and local enterprises that are well-known internationally. The association also collected from local companies some high-quality design works that met the standards of the exhibition. After three attempts, Shenzhen was finally allowed to enter the exhibition.

“The whole team was overcome with gratification,” Feng said. “We represent not just the city’s design industry but also the entire country.”

A successful debut

More than 40 Shenzhen designers from 18 local design companies and organizations attended last year’s London event. Among the first-time exhibitors, Shenzhen had the largest exhibition area and drew the most attention, Feng said. But in terms of the design and layout of the exhibition booth, Shenzhen was far behind its Western counterparts, she added.

Many Chinese-style design works attracted the visitors and judges of the 100% Design event. For example, an incense holder designed by LKK Design Co. is one of the four works that was featured by the Discovery Channel. The incense holder is named “Empty Mountain,” which is adorned with natural mountain scenery and make people forget their troubles. Sofas and tea tables made of paperboard were photographed by many guests.

Solar LED candles created by Shenzhen CIGA Design Co. was praised for its environmentally friendly design and its minimalistic look. During the exhibition, the company received orders for the candles from international companies.

Zhang Jianmin, a designer with the CIGA Design, said his company only exhibited a few samples of candles at last year’s exhibition.

“International recognition received last year has led to mass production this year. I hope this year’s exhibition is even more successful,” Zhang said.

A promising outlook

This year’s 100% Design exhibition offers four shows — each with its own dedicated section: interiors design, office design, kitchen and bathroom design and eco design and construction. International pavilions will show design works from 10 countries, including China’s Shenzhen and Guangdong Province, South Korea, France, Austria, Chile and Czech Republic.

More than 30 Shenzhen design companies will offer a Chinese-style design feast to the event. For example, LKK will bring its various Chinese-style incense holders to the exhibition. The Tiening Iron Arts and Sculpture Co. will show its garment of plain gauze made of iron net and copper. The Shenzhen Top-Design Co. will exhibit its unique design of chairs.

“We are more confident this year. We hope our show will be better than last year,” Feng said.

She expects that a design work named “A Decent Home in 40 Square Meters” will attract much attention from industry insiders for its creative concept. The work made by JHB s.d.a.u Limited is a piece of architecture designed for young migrants who cannot afford high home prices in Chinese first-tier cities including Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

“The work tells people that it is possible for big families to live together in small but well-designed apartments,” Feng said.

Feng and her organization want the world to know that China is not only a big manufacturing country, but can become a country of design.

“I believe Shenzhen will be at the forefront of this transformation and we will continue the efforts in facilitating the transformation,” Feng said.

The 100% Design exhibition covers an area of more than 6,000 square meters and has about 500 exhibitors. It’s estimated that the number of visitors will exceed 30,000.