NTU partner with Gwangju Design Center for international industry events

GDC, an international cultural organisation funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), invited students and staff from the University to participate in the Gwangju Design Biennale (GDB) and the Gwangju Urban Design Forum as part of an ongoing partnership.

Moonlight 'DALNIM' by Dr Daniel Shin on display at Gwangju Deisgn Bienale

NTU was one of three UK universities asked to partake in the eighth edition of the GDB, which hosted artworks by designers from 47 countries and 300 world renowned organisations.

The biennial event, that took place between 7 September – 31 October 2019, allowed over 300,000 visitors from across the globe to experience design through a wide range of exhibitions and events across the city.

A total of eight artworks from NTU were on display over the course of the event, created by current undergraduate BA (Hons) Graphic Design students Frauke Schoyaki and Martha Grant, and academic staff members including Katherine Townsend, Associate Professor in Fashion and Textile Crafts; Emma Prince, Course Leader for Fashion Design; Grant Baker, Senior Lecturer in Product Design; Dr Daniel Shin, Senior Lecturer in Product Design; Benedict Carpenter, Principal Lecturer in Fine Art; and the Advanced Textile Research Group.

Dr Daniel Shin, Senior Lecturer in Product Design, and Dr Dorothy Hardy, Research Fellow in Manufacturing of Functional Electronic Textiles, both delivered talks addressing the GDB’s 2019 theme of ‘Humanity’, presenting a design vision for a sustainable society and human community.

Dr Dorothy Hardy said: “The Gwangju Design Biennale was a burst of creative exploration. It was an honour to be part of this mixture of the practical, curious and artistic.

“I met representatives from industry and academia and found a warm welcome in South Korea, which is itself a fascinating mixture of tradition and the ultra-modern.”

NTU academic staff members Vince Conway, Senior Lecturer in Architectural Technology, and Professor Mohammad Gamal Abdelmonem, Chair in Architecture, were also invited to speak at the Gwangju Urban Design Forum, an event hosted by the City of Gwangju and supported by various institutions including the GDC.

The forum, which took place on 20 September 2019, saw experts in urban design from the UK, Japan, Italy and South Korea come together to debate matters around creating identity for the city of Gwangju.

Vince Conway said: “The Gwangju Urban Design Forum was an exciting opportunity to bring likeminded individuals together to discuss global approaches to urban design.

“The forum gave me the opportunity to discuss certain urban design and branding strategies for Nottingham, whilst relating aspects to cities in South Korea.”

Professor Mohammad Gamal Abdelmonem added: “The collaboration and partnerships between NTU and GDC are very fruitful.

“Having discussed policy and strategic visions of urban development with the Deputy Mayor of Gwangju, who is a former planner, I came to see great prospects for knowledge exchange and partnership on urban planning, development and branding of both Nottingham and Gwangju due to their long histories.”

NTU also collaborated with GDC as part of the Korea Design Membership (KDM), a programme that gives design students from South Korea the opportunity to experience new ways of learning overseas.