Speakers discuss what defines good design

Architect Rem Koolhaas expressed his concerns about contemporary design turning into a surveillance system during a special lecture held as part of the Herald Design Forum 2014 in Seoul. In today’s globalized economy, digital technology, individualized culture and data-driven design that allows monitoring of the masses often put human freedom at risk, according to Koolhaas. “Design occurs at every level, how design can be simple and straight forward and how design can be complex, political, econ

Inspiration-seeking designers attended a design forum in Seoul on Wednesday to listen to dignitaries from around the world explain how they drew up original ideas during their youth. Speakers included Rem Koolhaas, Matthew Cockerill, Alexander Schill and engineer-turned designer Daniel Kim, among the 10 experts who shared their thoughts at the annual Herald Design Forum, now in its fourth year.This year’s forum title is “Expanding the definition of design,” and will discuss the influence of desi

In 1998, at age 21, Olivier Theyskens was already a darling of the fashion world. Ever since Madonna wore his dress to the year’s Golden Globes, his creations won many praises from fashion people around the world and the media. After wrapping up his own brand in 2001, he worked as creative director for Rochas from 2003 and then moved to Nina Ricci in 2006, both in Paris. In 2011, he moved to New York to work for Theory which he left in June. “It was like a systematic move every few years,” the d

An abandoned elevated railway line is reborn into a lovely public garden. A derelict factory becomes a food cosmopolis, attracting not just local grocery shoppers, but also foreign tourists.The former is the High Line and the latter Chelsea Market. Both in Manhattan, New York, they are regarded as the most celebrated urban reuse projects of our time. The architects behind the two projects shared their experiences in Seoul, a city with noticeable design aspirations. Speaking at the Herald Digital

Chris Riggs, a New York-based artist who is best known for its art toy “Dunny,” on Wednesday stressed the power of modern art that changes the way people feel, think and act. “Modern art has no boundaries. If you can think it, you can make it happen,” he said. “Everyone is born an artist. I just continued to be an artist, making art my life’s work.”The 40-year-old artist was delivering a special lecture during the Herald Design Forum 2014 that was held at Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza.A former

How to throw a party that is unforgettable, fun and classy?Celebrated caterer Peter Callahan, who has catered some of the finest events for Martha Stewart, Barack Obama, Vera Wang and many more A-listers, offers his food for thought: “shrink it.”He is known for specializing miniature versions of deserts and American comfort food favorites, including mini-burger, finger-sized tacos with mini Patron bottle margarita and teensy lobster rolls, starting the mini-food craze in New York.  Peter Callaha

For someone who garnered worldwide fame for working with chimpanzees, writing about plants appears to be an odd choice.But primatologist and environmentalist Jane Goodall said, at a recent talk, that protection of both plants and animals was essential to humankind’s task of preserving the environment. This is one of the reasons she emphasized the critical role plant life plays in our world in her book “Seeds of Hope,” Goodall said during a lecture Tuesday at Ewha Womans University.She said that

The 2014 Herald Design Forum raises questions about good design, its role in a fast-changing society