The first speaker to take the stage was Vivian Toh, co-founder of Tsubaki Studio, which co-organised the Salon. She began by sharing her personal journey of founding CUTOUT with her father’s encouragement. She generously shared her 13-year experience in running the magazine, including how they infused design meaning and direction into each issue, making it uniquely distinct. Their goal was not only to create visually engaging content but also to provide readers with a meaningful reading experience.
Additionally, she shared branding and packaging design cases that were completed during the pandemic, discussing how creativity can embody brand value and adapt to the rapidly evolving e-commerce market. Lastly, she emotionally expressed her belief that despite the challenges designers face in the rapidly advancing technological era, their role will become increasingly indispensable due to their ability to create unique visual narratives and brand identities. She encouraged fellow designers in attendance to inspire and support each other.
Designer Ocean Ou from Taiwan shared their process and experiences in transforming discarded fishing nets into eyewear products and designing a business model for achieving circular sustainability. His presentation captivated both the live and online audience, leading to lively discussions about the transformation of materials, their practical applications, and even inquiries about purchasing channels in Malaysia.
Next, NK Kuo shared his expertise on utilising the characteristics of wood and traditional craftsmanship to create unique and environmentally friendly wooden structures, realising the concept of natural architecture. The audience was deeply intrigued by his design philosophy, prompting numerous questions seeking further insights into his creative concepts, processes, and technical details.
The final speaker, Malaysian interior designer Alan Fong, invited by Ideathon, shared the rapidly changing landscape of interior design from a technological perspective, discussing visible trends shaping the future. He also shared his own design cases, demonstrating how they employ technology as an aid to meet diverse needs such as transparency and remote collaboration, ultimately achieving more user-friendly spatial utilisation.
The 2023 Golden Pin Salon in Kuala Lumpur concluded successfully amidst lively interactions with the audience! Looking ahead, the Golden Pin Salon will be held in Shenzhen in June. Stay tuned for the latest updates on the event through the official website or WeChat official account.
About the Golden Pin Design Award Group
The annual Golden Pin Design Award is the longest-running international design award that celebrates products or projects expressly created for Chinese-speaking communities, offering entrants an unprecedented opportunity to prove their prowess in the world’s largest market.
The Golden Pin Design Award Group is comprised of two international awards — the Golden Pin Design Award, the Golden Pin Concept Design Award — and the Young Pin Design Award for students in Taiwan.
The Golden Pin Design Award Group is executed by the Taiwan Design Research Institute and organized by the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Ministry of Economic Affairs acts in an advisory capacity.
For the latest news on the Golden Pin Design Award, visit:
Official Website: Goldenpin.org.tw
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International Media Enquiries
Golden Pin Design Award Team | Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI)
Zoe Lo, Press Coordinator
press.gpaward@tdri.org.tw