China Design Now: Urbane Live No. 2 Today

This month's issue of urbane is adorned with a pretty neat cover image: a collage that forms a map of the Chaoyang district, with neighborhoods represented by bits of paper that have been collected from each of those areas. The design was done by one of China's many up and coming graphic designers, Guang Yu of Beijing-based MEWE design alliance, and was commissioned by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London for their ongoing exhibition China Design Now.

It was that exhibition that prompted us to ask the question of what exactly makes design Chinese, or "China"? In her feature this month, Kristina Perez puts the question to a few leading Chinese designers, including Ma Yansong, Ou Ning and Zhu Pei. Their answers, as you might expect, are far from simple or conclusive.

To continue the conversation, we've invited a few other big names to share their thoughts (and their designs) at Boloni's Lifestyle Museum this Saturday. Xiao Yong, professor at the esteemed Central Academy of Fine Arts and lead designer of the Olympic medals will be there, as will Liang Jingyu, the respected architect and founder of Approach Architecture, and Nod Young, the bold and, yes, young, founder of Khaki Creative. We will also be collecting donations for the earthquake victims. There will be food, drinks, and a free shuttle buses that leaves Guomao at 2pm (meet at the Starbucks in China World Tower 1, first floor of the shopping mall – facing Haagen-Dazs) and the Lido Hotel at 2.20pm (again meet at the Starbucks located at the East gate of the Lido Hotel) taking guests out to Boloni's "museum." If you plan to take the shuttle bus, please book a seat in advance by contacting Nancy on 5820 7700 ext 853 or e-mailing marketing@urbanechina.com.

May 17
What is China Design Now?
Free. Click here for full details.
3-5pm. Boloni Lifestyle Museum (8489 9001)

May 18
Pecha Kucha Vol. 5

If you can't make it on Saturday – and even if you can – there's Pecha Kucha on Sunday (urbane is sponsoring). Most of you should already know about the unique format that gives each of the ten guests only six minutes and 40 seconds (20 slides at 20 seconds a slide) to spill their creative beans. For this volume of the event, which is supported by urbane, the speakers include architect Neville Mars, fashion designer Hong Ying and our very own architecture columnist Bert de Muynck. RMB 20.
4pm. Yugong Yishan (6404 2711)

More design than you can shake a Lenovo-designed stick at.

Links and Sources
Urbane
Victoria and Albert Museum: China Design Now Exhibition
that's Beijing: StarvingArtist: 2-D