Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon Kuala Lumpur 2023 Explores the Value of Design

Held on the evening of 11th May 2023 at PAM Centre Bangsar was the Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon, an exciting event filled with the generosity of knowledge and the enthusiasm in receiving it.

Reappearing in Kuala Lumpur for a third turn is the stimulating Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon, featuring four main speakers – comprising Taiwanese and Malaysian designers and creatives who are also recipients of the Golden Pin Design Award – to discuss “The Value of Design: Exploring the Economic, Social, and Cultural Impact of Design.” Attracting many designers and design enthusiasts both in person and online, this event is a joint effort between the Taiwan Design Research Institute and Tsubaki Studio to give a boost to the design scene in Malaysia as well as to create awareness about the prestigious Golden Pin Design Award.

The first speaker to take the stage was Malaysia-based Vivian Toh, co-founder of Tsubaki Studio. She shared her personal journey of founding and running CutOut Magazine for 13 years, including how they infused design meaning and direction into each issue to make it uniquely distinct. Her goal was not only to create visually engaging content but also to provide readers with a meaningful reading experience.

Additionally, Toh talked about 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 expressed her belief that despite the challenges faced in the rapidly advancing technological era, the designers’ role will become increasingly indispensable due to their ability to create unique visual narratives and brand identities.

Ocean Ou, Founder of Duolog Design LLC revealed his process and experiences in transforming discarded fishing nets into eyewear products and designing a business model for achieving circular sustainability. The Taiwan native’s captivating presentation led to lively discussions about the transformation of materials, their practical applications and inquiries about purchasing channels in Malaysia.

Next, NK Kuo of Forest-Wood Archi-Tect 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 further insights into his creative concepts, processes and technical details.

The final speaker, Malaysian interior designer Alan Fong from Millimetre Design, invited by #Ideathon, explained about the rapidly changing landscape of interior design from a technological perspective, discussing visible trends that are 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 utilization.

Overall, the 2023 Golden Pin Salon in Kuala Lumpur concluded successfully with engaging interactions with the audience. Looking ahead, the next salon will be held in Shenzhen in June so stay tuned for the latest updates on the event through the official website or WeChat official account.