Translator: Shan Liu Reviewer: Helena Bedalli
Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to be here.
China.
When I was in China I discovered that Le Corbusier has built in China.
Of course you all know this building. This is the building in China.
Somebody drove by with his car and took some snapshots from the car.
And I thought I had to see this building because I didn't even see the original.
I searched on Google Earth for two weeks to find the city,
and luckily I found the silhouette of the building.
I bought a plane ticket and I found this.
It turned out that at the same time that I found the images on the Internet
the lawyers of Le Corbusier were there a few months earlier
and demanded the local government to tear down the building.
It became an interesting detective story, we interviewed the local population.
They said it was the most ugly building they ever saw.
(Laughter)
There's still a plastic sculpture a copy, of course, as the evidence.
China, of course,
copyright is a difficult issue.
You see it in the car industry,
Chinese Hummer, Chinese Smart,
Chinese Rolls-Royce, Chinese Mini.
And these are all really
very well-selling cars in China.
Also in architecture,
things are heavily inspired,
La Défense, Sauerbruch Hutton
Renzo Piano.
This time as a government building.
This is originally a court building.
Also in Shanghai, we have the Pentagon.
(Laughter)
It has been realized as you can see on Google Earth.
This is one of the major challenges when you go to China,
but there's more challenges.
Actually there's also a lot of opportunities.
Chinese economy is changing.
And it means China is going from "Made in China", "Created in China",
to "Designed in China".
From a production hub to a service industry.
The framework is almost finished.
China has finished airports, high-speed infrastructure,
and now it's time to go from a factory to a brand,
but you need to invest in creativity, you need to have a whole new set of people
to work with you.
And of course there are other interesting topics
that give you a great opportunity, a drive to go to China.
Social housing, for example, the "One Child" policy
which creates new opportunities and care.
Sustainability. If you could solve sustainability issues in China,
you could solve it for the rest of the world.
And public space design, huge urbanization,
cities are growing like... nothing.
Only the space in between is not really taken care of very well yet.
And of course, design for daily life
Consumers in China are getting more to spend.
They want good products, sustainable products., like IKEA.
Going to China, you can best learn by doing.
That's exactly what I did.
I went there 7 years ago
and I was fortunate to work on a very interesting project.
For example, I designed the Athletic Stadium.
It was together with a Dutch office and this project is currently
under construction in Shandong Province.
I would never have been able to work on such a big project in Holland,
just like that.
Also I was working on another interesting project,
that was a piece of Holland in China.
On behalf of the Dutch City of Einthoven
I realized a piece of Nuenen
a small village where
Vincent van Gogh was born.
Inside is all concrete and steel structure
and outside we tried to make it look as Dutch as possible.
For a designer like myself
more than interested with the process of
getting it realized with Chinese local construction company
was definitely very challenging.
Including culture exchange
(Laughter)
By doing all these kinds of projects -
-actually Holland has done a lot of interesting projects
over the last few years in China
to promote Dutch design
ranging from large exhibitions
where it introduced the creative industry
for the first time.
Focused on themes, for example, like public space design.
Organizing conferences
really in detail discussion between the experts from China
and from, in this case, the Netherlands.
Also, during the World Expo that was held in Shanghai,
there was a very interesting cultural exchange program
which was done by both Chinese and Western organizations.
And this creates a lot of interesting new links
which are very fruitful
for future collaboration.
Again, learning from doing together.
And that is the best way to learn about each other.
And that was actually the reason why
we started the incubator program.
A permanent platform in Shanghai
for the Dutch creative industry.
It's founded from a very unique program
in the Netherlands,
which is called "dutch design fashion architecture".
It includes ministries, sector institutes,
and cities from the Netherlands,
all working together, to enhance Dutch design outside Holland.
We're focusing on 3 groups:
Medium-sized Dutch design companies,
which we will help to bring in to China.
And we've opened up a very nice center
in the city of Shanghai.
It's a co-working space.
Again, to work together is better,
because then you can really inspire each other,
and benefit from each others strong points.
Now we have interesting business communities there,
and we are helping them with tailor made services,
that could be very practical support.
You have to set up your business,
or it could be more in terms of acquisition and marketing,
and communication with local government, for example.
It starts before you come to China already
pre-incubation.
And then when you arrive in China
we do a very detailed support program,
according to your business plan.
Now these network is extending.
There's already two desks in China
A new work space has been opened in India
An exciting news to announce here as well
that there will be a Dutch Design Desk Europe
based from Maastricht.
It's already opened,
and will be working for the creative industry in this region,
especially also focusing on Germany.
We've had an interesting business community already,
multi-disciplinary,
because that's something that
does not happen in China that much yet.
It's very much segregated.
But we think it's interesting to combine
all these companies together.
For example, architecture office MVRDV has joined us.
Northern Light with exhibition design company,
and Studio Roosegaarde who integrates
digital technology, interactivity, and lighting.
Also, we have a group we call Embedded Participants.
Not necessarily Dutch design companies,
but companies that can be of service to the first group.
For example, advertising.
Branding is a very hot topic in China at the moment.
Also, model maker, who could work with an architect together.
And Van Moof bicycles,
who are doing very innovative stuff with the frame of the bicycles,
integrating lighting, for example.
A local pool of experts
who will help you to get connected to the local business context.
For example, publishing house,
the Chinese version of FRAME and MARK as in our space
But you could also think about
a copyright lawyer and any kind of other consultant
that can be of benefit for your company startup.
What we are doing is building relations and strong network.
We are doing this by organizing all sorts of events.
That could be ranging from bringing sustainable experts
in contact with real estate developers,
inviting young creative researchers
to tell about the next consumer behavior of young Chinese.
Expert meetings between the fashion industry.
Designers with production.
Pecha kucha nights.
All sorts of events
Coaching, mentorship programs
that can help you during that first critical phase
of setting up your international business in China.
Also, what is important in China
[is] that you win a few awards.
So we also push our participants
from the incubator program
to get those awards.
And lectures, display your work.
That is exposure.
Getting your exposure the first time is very important.
China is already seeing more and more Dutch designs being realized.
Some of these buildings you might recognize already.
There are very iconic, sort of, landmark projects.
But those paved the way for other Dutch designers
to get work done in China.
Stock Exchange in Shenzhen, for example.
Guang Zhou has a very exciting
super high structure, the new television tower
lit up by LED lights from Philips.
And also during the World Expo there was the Dutch pavilion
which made a very nice impact
because of its design,
and also the design content
the exhibition that was there.
We are combining all these new projects
that are being realized in China in a book.
It's called "The Dutch Design In China Yearbook".
And it's connected to a website
where you can find all these projects.
And of course, this is a growing,
sort of database, and growing platform
that can be beneficial to
the new starting companies in China as well.
Now we are developing a model for co-development
together more strong,
and benefit from each others strong points.
I'd like to conclude my presentation
with a small movie
and let the participants to talk about
what they think about our program.
Thank you.
(Applause)
Welcome to Dutch Design Work-space in Shanghai.
This is the incubator program for the Dutch creative industry.
What we do in the program is help Dutch design companies
set up their business in China
We do this by offering two things:
One is a work-space,
co-working environment,
where you can just bring your laptop and start working.
Plug and play.
And next to that, we have a small team,
that will help according to your business planning
with various support.
The Dutch Design Workspace
helps us do business in China,
because it creates opportunities to meet future clients.
But also when we came to China
it gave, in this case, me, a very soft landing.
Sort of, provided a good space to start
having an office space here in China.
The Dutch Design Workspace
helps us by providing publicity opportunities
participating in trade-shows.
I think this space is an excellent design,
and I really like the balance to have a lot of outdoor space.
But more than anything
is very rare to find a very good
East-West kind of work environment.
So that we are, we feel more in a kind of global setting.
The Dutch Design Workspace
or actually the people behind it
and the people in it
are really the centerpiece of creativity.
There are driving discussions.
There are driving creative inspirations and meetings here.
And I think that's really what we like.
We also have an event program.
Within this event program
we organize, for example, workshops, lectures, various training.
And these all help you build strong network
It's nice working together with also other Dutch design offices here.
We like to see what others are doing at the same time.
Meanwhile, financial-wise
it is less risky to start an office in China
We choose the place here
because we thought it was a great opportunity
to sort of merge brain with other designers.
The workspace helps us, via match-making
bringing us in contact with government
and property developers, stuff like that.
But also, it gives us the dos and don'ts
about the cultural clashes between Europe and China.
I think it's very important if you go to a new country,
and you have all new challenges.
And very important to overcome all these new challenges,
that you work in some environment,
that you can share all kinds of experiences
together with other people
that are in the same situation.
And I think that's what Dutch Design Workspace has to offer.
And that's the most important thing for me.
We have been cooperating with many designers and architects in this place.
It's like a big family
A big family of designers and creative people
All in all
it is a model for co-development.
If you have any inquiries
go to our website
and we really look forward to meeting you in Shanghai.