TAIWAN DESIGN WEEK (TDW) 2024’S EXHIBITION INVITES VISITORS TO EXPLORE HOW AI SERVES AS BOTH A TECHNOLOGICAL TOOL AND A CREATIVE CATALYST, UNDER THE THEME ‘THE GATEWAY’
TEXT: TAIWAN DESIGN WEEK
PHOTO: KETSIREE WONGWAN EXCEPT AS NOTED
(For Thai, press here)
From automated processes to in-depth data analysis, from personalized services to accurate predictions, AI is reshaping business operation models and improving market competitiveness. However, this journey has not been without its challenges. When enterprises introduce AI, they face the complexity of technology implementation, data security risks, and cultural transformation problems.
Taiwan Design Week (TDW) 2024 highlights AI as a modern-day equivalent under the theme ‘The Gateway,’ inspiring new horizons for creativity. Over the past few decades, people have witnessed the rise of personal computers and the internet revolution, and today, AI is taking center stage—becoming not just a tool for efficiency but a co-creator in the design process.
“The gate is an icon emphasizing that there’s a way behind it. Right now, when we see AI, we might not be able to find a key to enter properly, but in a way that we still know that after this door, we can have our way to link with the future.” Tsung Yen Hsieh, the main curator of TDW 2024, shared this information with us.
This year’s exhibition invites visitors to explore how AI serves as both a technological tool and a creative catalyst. Additionally, numerous forums offer valuable perspectives on how to effectively tackle obstacles and grasp crucial tactics for utilizing AI technology.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Design Week
‘The Gateway’ at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park delves into the intersection of AI and design innovation. Among the key installations is ‘Digital Home,’ by SHARE LAB and MMR Team, where visitors’ subconscious inputs are transformed by AI into dynamic, interactive visuals, which can be 3D-printed to produce a tangible representation of the design.
Image courtesy of Taiwan Design Week
The exhibition also explores AI’s role in shaping architecture and cultural evolution. ‘Every Building’s OOTD’ translates textile patterns into architectural designs, while ‘Infinite Evolution: Local Mascots’ examines how AI can help local traditions adapt to societal changes.
Additionally, ,Taiwan Design Week has signed MOUs with Poland and Korea this time, strengthening international collaborations through the Taiwan Design Week platform. Following this, a collaboration between the Polish Office in Taipei and the Polish Graphic Design Foundation, alongside TDW, resulted in two exhibitions at Not Just Library, ‘Letters and Symbols’ and ‘The Ghosts of Tomorrow.’
‘Letters and Symbols,’ curated by Rene Wawrzkiewicz, presents letters, signs, typefaces, and logos. It is a collection of universal short stories about creators and their projects, helping everyone better understand the history and present of Polish visual design. Next is ‘The Ghosts of Tomorrow’ by Kuki Iwanski, a flag installation that highlights environmental issues, such as pollution and ecological threats. Created in conversation with AI, it uses abstract symbols to tell stories about future environmental challenges.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Design Week
Meanwhile, Golden Pin joined TDW as usual. Their exhibition was curated by the cutting-edge design team Atelier SUPERB. Starting with the nature of the works and issues of concern, six themes, including ‘Design Foundation,’ ‘Advocacy Pivot,’ ‘Tech Frontier,’ ‘Lifestyle Expansion,’ ‘Local Echo,’ and ‘Material Exploration,’ were planned to explore how design has had a profound impact on social innovation, technological applications, sustainable development, and local culture.
Supported by the Industrial Development Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and executed by the Taiwan Design Research Institute, TDW serves as a platform to connect Taiwan’s design community with the global stage. As Taiwan’s prowess in manufacturing and technology has already gained international recognition, TDW now aims to showcase the strength of ‘Designed in Taiwan’ to the world.
Taiwan Design Week 2024 wrapped up on the 15th of December, 2024, at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. However, the exhibition at Taiwan Design Museum Hall 03 will be ongoing until February 2, 2025.
For the Poland exhibitions, ‘Letters and Symbols’ and ‘The Ghosts of Tomorrow,’ at Not Just Library is set to continue until January 12, 2025, while the 2024 Golden Pin Design Exhibition at Taiwan Design Museum (Hall 01, Hall 02, Hall 04) runs until April 6, 2025