Art Center College of Design‘s educational partner in China, ArtCenter Institute of Design, is hosting its annual workshops and design forum in Beijing this week. Themed ‘Innovations that Transform the World’, the three-part conference is focused on Animation/Movies, Transportation Design and Entertainment/VR.
Speakers in the Transportation Design sector include Manfred Fitzgerald, Hyundai Motor Co’s senior vice president; Former McLaren Automotive design director Frank Stephenson; Shao Jingfeng, design director of SAIC Motor passenger vehicle technical center; Dan Darancou, vice president of design at CH-Auto; and yours truly.
ArtCenter Institute offers short forums for the leadership teams of individual companies, focusing on the process of innovation, business and branding strategy and design management. The workshops were created to introduce the theory and practice of good design and the importance of effective presentations to working designers. ArtCenter Institute also holds events for students in order to prepare them for professional design careers.
Art Center tutors Jason Hill and Marek Djordjevic are instructing in workshops designed as an immersive experience for participants. The first workshop, instructed by Hill, is centered around the broad topic of Transportation Design. Those on the course are given an intensive introduction to the automotive design field and techniques, learning fundamental design skills including sketching and ideation, basic rendering techniques and digital presentation. Students learn the basic principles of transportation design including project brief, market and competitive product research, packaging and inspiration.
Marek Djordjevic’s workshop on advanced design is structured to improve the capability of more experienced designers, with attendees learning the methodology of automotive design and development from basic ideas to final design. The designers in attendance will also gain insight into the design process as a foundation for developing a creative culture within their respective companies.
Through the partnership with California’s leading design school, ArtCenter Institute has the unique advantage of bringing many of the design school’s reputable alumni to China. Beginning in 2014, ArtCenter Institute held nine ‘Create Change’ design forums in China attracting participants from over 100 Chinese companies. ArtCenter Institute also has a strategic partnership with the Beijing Industrial Design Center.
ArtCenter Institute is expanding its educational platforms in China. Last year, ArtCenter Institute launched a new opportunity for companies to learn from the professional expertise of prominent Art Center alumni and faculty, partnering with Chinese companies to build a culture of innovation and to give the companies a competitive advantage. Based on the company’s needs and goals, ArtCenter Institute put together a unique team of designers and business strategists to work with company leadership and designers on specific company projects or to help launch a new creative vision and strategy.
