In conjunction with the 4th edition of the Italian Design Day, the Embassy of Italy in Kuala Lumpur, alongside the Malaysia Italy Design Institute (MIDI) of Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) proudly announced Tay Soon Teong from the Malaysian Institute of Art as the winner of the Italian Design Day 2020 Competition on a virtual webinar with presentations by various future-focused Italian experts from the Italian design world.
Attended by 1,800 Facebook users, the LIVE event highlighted the importance of design in light of the global pandemic, focusing also on mobility in the new dimensions of space and time as well as on the power of innovation, technology and sustainability through cultural preservation to make our cities smarter, accessible, safer and more liveable for our society. The initiative has been realized thanks to the cooperation between the Embassy of Italy in Kuala Lumpur and UniKL where MIDI was launched in March 2019.
We are forced to draw the future. Design has helped us and will continue to help us. This year’s theme “Drawing the future. Development, Innovation, Sustainability and Beauty." is fitting for the world we are living in now in light of the global pandemic. We need to work together to design a better and more innovative future.” said His Excellency Cristiano Maggipinto, Ambassador of Italy to Malaysia.
The design competition participants were challenged to submit projects for products with innovative solutions and to tackle the challenges posed during the COVID-19 pandemic, its aftermath, or for the prevention of a similar global health pandemic. First place winner Tay Soon Teong, designed an infrared thermometer for kids, creating a product “out of the normal”, entertaining kids with fun elements and a new way to check their temperature. The first runner up, Celine Lim Tze Lin, from Universiti Putra Malaysia responded to the pandemic with an all-purpose sanitizing capsule, an effective and quick solution for every parent. Last but not least, the second runner up, Nur Athirah Binti Zainal, from UniKL MIDI created a wearable safety kit with social distancing sensors designed for children to store their mask, sensors, detachable sanitizer and pockets. The products designed were required to display attractiveness inspired by the Italian identity and most importantly pass a variety of international safety standard tests related to choking hazard, sharpness, magnets, chemicals, moving parts, strangulation hazard, and more.
Prof. Dr. Shahrulniza Musa, Acting President/Chief Executive Officer of Universiti Kuala Lumpur, opened the celebrations of the Italian Design Day and emphasised in his speech that “the establishment of UniKL MIDI reaffirms the cooperation between Malaysia and Italy in the fields of human capital development, transfer of design technology and creative design industry. The partnership established between UniKL and other training and higher learning institutes in Italy, which specialise in creative design, provides a viable platform to UniKL MIDI in the move towards establishing its position as a centre of excellence on design.”
The Italian design industry statistically takes up 10% of total furniture products manufactured: if we consider the top 100 luxury brands worldwide, 24 of them are Italian. That is one quarter concentrated in Italy, which is Europe’s leading country for number of design companies, third for added value and for number of employees. His Excellency Cristiano Maggipinto highlighted the strategic importance of design in Italian industry and lifestyle as Italy’s contribution to the world. The Embassy supports UniKL MIDI in their current and future collaborations with Italian Institutions and industry players, such as with the University of Bologna (with a 2+2-degree program with joint sponsorship), the Italy Malaysia Business Association (IMBA), with Italian designers in the development of new creative arts and design program, establishing Railway post graduate programme" “The ‘Italian way’ is not only art and food but also advanced industrial know-how which translates into reliable and beautiful design objects which connect us with the world”, he remarked. Adding that “This year’s panel of speakers took into account the impact of the ongoing pandemic especially in the design industry and aimed to also provide industrial insights for designers to emerge better and stronger from COVID-19.” Ambassador Maggipinto ended his speech by thanking all sponsors of the Design Competition, and expressed the “Embassy’s support towards UniKL and MIDI in their current and future collaborations with Italian Institutions and industry players, such as with the University of Bologna (with a 2+2-degree program with joint sponsorship), the Italy Malaysia Business Association (IMBA), with Italian designers in the development of new creative arts and design program, establishing Railway post graduate programme".
This year's theme “Drawing the future. Development, Innovation, Sustainability and Beauty." was addressed during the virtual webinar by highly respected Italian speakers, such as Prof. Silvia D'Ambrosio of Politecnico di Milano and “Ambassador of Design”, Prof. Luca Fois, also from Politecnico di Milano and “Ambassador of Design” in past editions, architect Luigi Campanale, CEO of SCE Project Asia, Mr. Daniele Campetella, CEO of Biesse China and Biesse Asia and Mr. Manolo Bossi, Designer, of the Manolo Bossi Design Studio.
In the webinar, Prof. Silvia D'Ambrosio discussed the extensive research project undertaken by her and her colleagues, by trying to understand the new emerging habits in our lives, like the introduction of social distancing, the use of personal protection equipment, the reorganisation of businesses through the implementation of WFH (work from home) and through the exploring of digital communication strategies. Her session focused on child-centred case studies whereby designers worldwide and SMEs/StartUps tried to enhance the physical and digital dimension for children, coming up with interesting initiatives for both their entertainment and education. She concluded her keynote address by saying that “involving new skills and capabilities for personal and professional well-being and growth will be possible only by exploring the new best practices between the collision of the physical and digital dimension.”
Prof. Luca Fois focused on mobility as correlated with wellness. It is significant for a child to understand mobility, which is interaction between velocity, space and time. Mobility teaches children about their emotions and how to manage them. Mobility (both physical and digital) means communication between different people, while creating different experiences. Design can help create the balance between the physical and digital world. It is strategic for a better future, it is a universal language which connects differences and similarities, and a bridge to favour understanding between different cultures”, he added. Quoting Paola Antonelli (Senior Curator of the Department of Architecture & Design at The Museum of Modern Art in New York), Prof. Fois concluded by saying that “The future of design is to design the problems of the future, so to help design their solutions”.
Luigi Campanale focused on smart cities, highlighting the importance of innovation & sustainability through urban regeneration projects. He explained that heritage preservation and adaptive reuse are instrumental for the implementation of smart and creative cities and introduced the concepts of resilient and self-sufficient cities, capacity buildings and smart hubs, and spoke of the importance to combine tradition and innovation. He then highlighted the joint project “Re-youth KLCCD (Kuala Lumpur Creative and Cultural. District)” done with Think City and several Malaysian universities. “The pandemic did create challenges, but it is also created opportunities to rethink society through a more effective use of technology and a more balanced economy in order to create harmonious, more sustainable developments”, he said.
Daniele Campetella from the Biesse Group (which specialises in designing, manufacturing and distributing technologies and solutions for processing a wide range of materials, from wood to glass, stone, plastics, advanced materials and metals) spoke about the relationship between machine and design. “While incomprehensible at first glance, the two are, at a closer look, intimately connected and reciprocally influenced. The transformation of materials into shapes & geometries according to aesthetic yet functional designs must necessarily pass through the availability of adequate technology. Machines are no longer just a production medium, but a sophisticated tool that combines design and manufacturing into one”, he said.
Ending the webinar, Manolo Bossi shared his knowledge in adapting to the new normal and showcased various different product designs he realized (pitchers, stools, vases, tables) in his career, as well as items he created through innovation and cultural contamination between Italian and Malaysian traditions. “Differences are the engine for innovation”, and cultural contamination enriches designers enabling them to generate new energies and to give life to distinctive projects, thus paying homage to the diversities experienced. The designer ended his session by encouraging young designers in Malaysia to explore their land and culture. “Exploring helps designers to form ideas on the products they are investing in and helps them to innovate”, he ended.
The partnership between the Embassy of Italy and UniKL MIDI will continue to provide young designers in Malaysia a platform for their creative ideas, in order for them to improve and innovate design solutions in adapting to the challenges and opportunities which will emerge out of the pandemic.
The Italian Trade Agency has handled the advertising campaign.
Those who missed the online event are welcome to watch it again on the Embassy of Italy in Malaysia and UniKL MIDI’s Facebook pages.
Italian Design Day 2020 in Malaysia : https://www.facebook.com/ItalyinMalaysia/posts/1718897444933236
