STORY BY Vira Tanka | PHOTOS BY Taiwan Design Research Institute
Design is transforming industries, shaping cultures, and redefining societies. Recognising its power, the Taiwanese government established the
Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) in 2020 as a global think tank for design-driven innovation. Leveraging Taiwan’s design strengths, TDRI aims to propel industrial development and economic growth. As part of this vision, Indonesia Design attended Taiwan Design Week (TDW) in December 2024, an event that showcased Taiwan’s creative potential on the international stage.
TDRI’s origins trace back to 2003, when Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs founded the Taiwan Design Centre (TDC). Tasked with elevating Taiwan’s design landscape, TDC fostered aesthetic awareness, drove industrial transformation, and internationalised local talent. This initiative led to global accolades for Taiwanese designers and the successful hosting of international design events.
In 2020, TDC evolved into TDRI, integrating designers more deeply into research and development. This shift placed them at the heart of industrial decision making. TDRI’s mission is threefold: to enhance design influence through cross-sector collaboration, to launch innovation platforms for young designers, and to elevate businesses by embedding design into their operational strategies.
Despite its relative youth, TDRI has already made a global impact. By participating in international exhibitions, hosting design forums, and organising prestigious design awards, it continues to elevate Taiwan’s design industry on the world stage.
A Global Platform
Held from 7 to 15 December 2024, the second annual Taiwan Design Week (TDW) drew 250,000 participants, including designers and industry experts from 20 countries. The event served as an international exchange platform, featuring exhibitions, forums, and networking events.
With the theme ‘Gateway,’ TDW explored the intersection of technology and human creativity, highlighting AI’s role in reshaping design, architecture, and cultural narratives. The event showcased Taiwan’s vibrant design community, with artists, scholars, and tech innovators presenting groundbreaking works.
The exhibition invited visitors to experience AI as both a tool and a creative force. Notable installations included “Digital Home” by SHARE LAB and MMR Team, where visitors’ subconscious inputs were transformed into dynamic, interactive visuals by AI; “New Taipei Station: The Digital Nomad’s Playground” from Tunghai University, which reimagined Taipei’s central station as a futuristic, ever-evolving space; “Every Building’s OOTD”, which translated textile patterns into architectural designs; and “Infinite Evolution: Local Mascots”, which explored AI’s role in adapting traditional cultural symbols for the modern era.
For the first time, TDW welcomed Poland as a partner country. The Polish Office in Taipei and the Polish Graphic Design Foundation curated “Letters and Symbols – Stories of Designers,” an exhibition featuring works in illustration, graphic design, public signage, and social design, adding a global perspective to the event.
Beyond exhibitions, TDW featured a series of forums at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, exploring key themes such as micro-mobility, design talent development, and the future of borderless design. Guided tours of design studios and factories in Hsinchu, Yingge, and Dadaocheng provided an inside look at Taiwan’s thriving creative industries. Esteemed architect Johnny Chiu also hosted a private studio tour, offering insight into his work at JC. Architecture and Design.
Honouring Excellence
A highlight of TDW was the Golden Pin Design Award Ceremony, held on 13 December 2024, at the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Centre. As Taiwan’s most prestigious design competition since its inception in 1981, the award recognises outstanding design across Asia.
The 2024 edition attracted entries from 21 regions, with winners hailing from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Poland, Singapore, and the United States. Out of 138 finalists, 32 received top honours across four categories: Product Design (10 winners), Communication Design (7 winners), Integration Design (5 winners), and Spatial Design (10 winners).
Three projects received the highest distinction, the Golden Pin Concept Design Award. Final selection jury member Shigenori Asakura praised the winning works for conveying powerful messages that enrich industries, society, and everyday life whilst maintaining exceptional design quality.
Amongst reputable designs were JC. Architecture and Design’s “The Penghu Ferry” (Product Design) and “The Moving Craft” (Spatial Design). Some of the notable winners included Snøhetta’s “Beijing City Library,” Forest-Wood Archi-Tect’s “Bridge Cocoon,” and IDIN Architect’s “Harudot Chonburi by Nana Coffee Roasters.” In the Communication and Integration Design categories, highlights included “Borrowed Objects” by hidden domain design studio, “Taipei MRT Zhongshan Station Redesign” by MORPHO DESIGN, “SHELLMET” by TBWA/HAKUHODO, and “Hello, Human!” by Milkxhake.
Investing in Future Generations
To further strengthen Taiwan’s global design presence,
TDRI actively nurtures young talent through international study programs, industry-academy collaborations, seminars, workshops, and exhibitions. One of its flagship initiatives, the Young Designers’ Exhibition (YODEX), serves as a launchpad for emerging designers, connecting them with enterprises and industry leaders.
By fostering talent, promoting innovation, and creating global opportunities, TDRI continues to shape Taiwan into a powerhouse of design excellence. Taiwan Design Week and the Golden Pin Design Award are just two shining examples of how the country’s creative vision is making waves at the global level.