Shanghai showcases designs for better lives
Dress with ancient Chinese features, including blue-and-white porcelain and traditional paintings, bamboo-made bicycles, nursing underwear for elderly people, new-energy concept cars with autonomous driving features and domestically developed aircraft — these well-designed products were on show at a recent local exhibition.
The majority of designs focused on industrial innovation, environmental protection, caring for the elderly and healthy dining.
The exhibition marked the 10th anniversary of Shanghai’s winning of a “City of Design” by an United Nations organization.
Design has a wide meaning for the city, covering fashion, architecture, daily life, industry, high-tech and other sectors. The Design City brand will boost Shanghai’s manufacturing and consumption sectors and fuel economic upgrading and development, the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization said.
Last year, the industrial, construction and fashion design industries contributed 146.2 billion yuan (US$21.5 billion) to Shanghai’s GDP, making it a leader among Chinese cities, according to the commission.
Shanghai has 137 municipal-level cultural and creative parks. Among them are 20 municipal-level cultural and creative demonstration parks with a construction area of over 7 million square meters, which have become a home for designers and attractions for residents and visitors.
The city is holding events to award top 100 well-designed products and best industrial designs, with judges from over 10 universities, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University. Some of the products were displayed in the exhibition.
Despite the pandemic, designers and companies were attending the events online or onsite, including such companies as SAIC, Weltmeister and H&M. Overseas brands also attended the exhibition, including a 100-year-old chopstick brand from Japan. Such products are expected to generate revenue of 430 billion yuan in Shanghai in the near future, according to the commission.
Fashion tied with Chinese culture and history
Dresses designed with Chinese culture and art include outfits themed with ancient blue-and-white porcelain as well as handbags and furniture designed based on “A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains,” a famous painting created by Wang Ximeng in the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
Dresses featuring Chinese art and culture themes
Gadgets for better lives
Underwear for the elderly is featured at the exhibition, with unisex designs, soft and thin materials, odor removal and support for connection to smartphones and various devices. The underwear is used in hospitals and nursing agencies and expected to benefit about 50 million elderly people in China, offering them a “life with dignity.”
Service robots are also demonstrated covering various applications in restaurants, museums, hospitals and schools. Robots with more and more smart features may help solve social problems such as labor shortages.
Different types of robots on show
Industrial products to boost tech innovation
At the industrial booth, Weltmeister presents its Maven concept electric car, which has a range of around 800 kilometers per charge. It also promises Level-4 autonomy and 5G connection.
A model of the China-developed airplane ARJ 21 is in the central booth of the show, with a transparent panel showing its internal setup. Power grids with smart and autonomous functions, supported by China Unicom’s 5G networks, attract visitors with the latest mobile communication and Internet of Things technologies.
A model of the Chinese-made ARJ 21 aircraft
Design for green and modern lifestyle
A bamboo-made bicycle, a concept model from bike vendor Yongjiu or Forever, doesn’t use plastic or rubber materials. The bamboo design makes the bike lightweight and improves mobility.
Japan-based Hyozaemon Co showcases chopsticks with edible decorative paint and a tiny package bag. The company encouraged users to take their chopsticks when dining out to avoid using disposable chopsticks.
A bicycle made from bamboo
