Asian Convergence 2023 unveiled in HK, unleashing future of design

With the mission of sharing the latest trends in the design industry and embracing the convergence of Asian designs, Asian Convergence 2023 officially kicked off on November 27th, 2023. Comprised of five core programs, this momentous event is jointly organized by The Hong Kong Federation of Design and Creative Industries (FHKDCI), The Design Alliance Asia (tDA Asia), and Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) as the lead sponsor, and will take place in Hong Kong and Zhuhai till Dec. 15, 2023.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) evolves, the future signifies remarkable possibilities and challenges too.  Under the theme of "Artificial Intelligence", Asian Convergence 2023 explores the new opportunities and creative possibilities brought by the application of AI in reshaping traditional design approaches. The event also discusses the latest breakthroughs in AI and its impact on the creative industry and education.

The keynote presentation, "AI Unleashed: Exploring the Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence", was attended by over 400 design practitioners and students. Six prestigious speakers including Jeroen van Erp, Partner and Creative Director of Fabrique; Lev Manovich, Founder and Director of the Cultural Analytics Lab; Shajay Bhooshan, Associate Director of Zaha Hadid Architects; Tai Lee Siang, Programme Director of Design and Artificial Intelligence of Singapore University of Technology and Design; Park Ji-eun, CEO of Pulse9; and Keith Li, Chairman of HK Wireless Technology Association (WTIA), shared their research findings and insights on AI from different perspectives, from cultural studies, architecture, digital branding, IT, entertainment industry to and education. They believe that AI is reshaping the future of design and encouraging designers to keep learning proactively. They also emphasized the irreplaceable role of human intelligence and sensibility, which requires designers to intervene and make judgments on the results generated by AI tools to fully leverage the advantages of AI and enhance efficiency.

The "Asian Convergence Showcase 2023 – Asia's Best Design Practices" features over 30 projects from 19 Asian designers/design companies, presenting not only well-known Hong Kong projects but also outstanding examples from across Asia. These designs demonstrate the skillful integration of different ethnic characteristics and design elements, such as Indian Kalamkari (a type of cotton cloth printed by hand), Vietnamese lacquerware, and Chinese ink painting, injecting Asian culture into problem-solving design. This convergence of Asia's best design practices inspires the industry by presenting exclusive insights on technology, design language, brand management and more, promoting mutual communications and exchanges among the Asian designers.

Mr. Freeman Lau, Chairman of the FHKDCI, stated, "In this era of AI, it is important to have timely discussions within the design industry. Through discussions, we hope to provide new insights into sustainable design principles and drive exchanges, consolidating interaction among Asian countries and the Greater Bay Area to collectively shape a sustainable and brilliant regional design development."

Ms. Amy Chow, Project Director of Asian Convergence 2023, emphasized, "Hong Kong designers may encounter stiff competition from their fellow designers in the region. Nevertheless, Hong Kong's favorable geographical location, distinctive cultural traits, and thriving business environment present an opportunity to enhance collaboration among designers. Hong Kong has always been adept at fostering cooperation, and our organizing of Asian Convergence reflects this intention. Given the cultural and geographic similarities across Asia, as well as the shared development needs, it is more fitting for designers within the region to engage in collaborative efforts, turning competition into cooperation."

Other fabulous activities of Asian Convergence 2023 included the renowned annual conference "AsiaMeets 2023" and two engaging workshops hosted by architect and curator Wendy Teo and designer and photographer Aik Beng Chia.