Shigeru Ban is no ordinary architect.Unlike conventional architects of this era, Ban does not only use iron or steel as the primary materials to structure houses, museums, community centers or churches.Shigeru BanHe uses paper tubes, cardboard, beer crates, containers and other inexpensive recycled materials to “design and rebuild” places and buildings devastated by natural disasters or conflicts such as earthquakes, tsunamis and civil wars.As he uses those materials so beautifully with an aesth

Tommy Li, a branding designer known for his audacious visual designs and black humor, is one of Asia’s few designers with a global presence spanning across Hong Kong, China, Macau, Japan and Italy.The Hong Kong-based designer currently heads the Tommy Li Design Workshop, which was selected among the 10 best branding companies in China by Chinabico.com in 2010.He has received over 580 local and international awards for his innovative design concepts, including the Gold Pencil Award from the One S

Global brand designer Bob van der Lee said South Korea’s public and private sectors have made tremendous progress in design over the years, but not yet in branding.Bob van der Lee (Total Identity)Korean companies are still focusing too much on branding their products around their features and qualities in an effort to boost sales, but not on developing stories behind those products, he said in an interview.They still need to work on creating their own unique identities and legacies that can appe

In this digital world, information is becoming increasingly easier to access. But not for all. Such accessibility still falls far short for people with disabilities. Young entrepreneur Kim Ju-yoon has turned to the issue of discrimination in information accessibility and decided to tackle it with the power of technology and design. His belief in the fair distribution of digital benefits led him to create smartwatches for the blind that are light, affordable and as appealing as other smartwatches

This is the fifth in a series of articles introducing key features at the upcoming Herald Design Forum 2015 to be held in Seoul on Nov. 10. -Ed. 　Design today seems to be the horse that is pulling the cart. No industry can survive without it anymore.From leaning on design as a strategic marketing tool to subtly expressing a company’s signature values, industrial design has been constantly evolving to where it stands now.Contemporary sofa “Platform for Viccarbe” by Arik Levy (Courtesy of the desi

Design is about more than aesthetics. Its role has expanded to diverse areas of life, helping people live efficiently, safely and comfortably. It has brought innovations in all aspects of life, from consumption of products, living environment and use of technology to how we work in organizations. “Design impacts everything around us. Design means adding creativity into every aspect of our lives, not just choosing the color and form of a product,” said Janne Kyttanen, a designer and pioneer of 3-

This is the fourth in a series of articles introducing key features at the upcoming Herald Design Forum 2015 to be held in Seoul on Nov. 10. ― Ed.Forget about the magic of unwrapping a bar of chocolate Charlie Bucket oh-so-dearly held in his hands in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” It is time to push the “print” button of the “Magic Candy Factory,” and voila! Gummies will start dropping out right in front of your eyes. Avoid stool, 2014 (jannekyttanen.com)Katjes, a German manufacturer of je

Marti Guixe (copyright knolke/Imagekontainer)For Marti Guixe, a world-renowned designer, food is an object that has to be carefully designed and contextualized to enhance its usability and consumption for the mass.In an interview with The Korea Herald, Guixe, who has been designing food since the 1990s, said food design is beyond art that has to converge different fields of knowledge and studies to create its concepts and ideas.Designers need to consider various political, socioeconomic and ergo

This is the third in a series of articles introducing key features at the upcoming Herald Design Forum 2015 to be held in Seoul on Nov. 10. --Ed. 　Food has certainly been an important part of Korean culture and lifestyle. Try any number of channels on the television these days, and you will find food at any time of the day. Celebrities take mouthfuls of gourmet meals while chefs whip up dish after dish of their secret recipes. No wonder the recent Washington Post wrote an article on how “sexy co

Seoul Fashion Week for spring-summer 2016 was held from Oct.16-21 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. (Yonhap)Seoul Fashion Week is arguably the biggest and single most important event in Korean fashion. Held twice a year since 1997 -- once in spring and again in autumn -- it is an occasion for the country’s most visible designers to present their collections, offering style previews for the seasons ahead. This year’s event, which ended Wednesday, was therefore a chance to check on Korea’s pres

As Seoul has a reputation for trendy men whose devotion to fashion and skin care tops in the world, menswear collections by Seoul-based designers are some of the must-see shows at the ongoing Seoul Fashion Week.  Beyond Closet (left), Helch es Helch (SFW)Here are the highlights of menswear shows from Friday to Sunday. Munsoo KwonOne of the hottest emerging menswear designers in the Korean fashion scene, Munsoo Kwon presented light, sporty looks for the 2016 spring-summer season Saturday.Inspired

This is the second in a series of articles introducing key features at the upcoming Herald Design Forum 2015 to be held in Seoul on Nov. 10. - Ed.A film festival’s star-studded red carpet is brought to your home in a 360-degree panoramic view. Virtual reality and hologram technology provides an alternative to live concerts, enabling fans to digitally interact with their stars -- dead or alive. Entertainment today mingles with new technologies, churning out innovative new ways of engaging people

Alvy Ray Smith, cofounder of Pixar, talks about Moore’s Law, driving force of his innovations in computer graphics

Daegu aims to reposition itself as design hub with annual festival

2014 Herald Design ForumThe annual Herald Design Forum returns for its fifth edition on Nov 10, bringing together the design world’s big names to Seoul. This year, the forum will explore the potential of design when it integrates with other fields such as technology, management, psychology, humanity and art. It will focus on how design acts as an intermediary and comprehensive platform between different industries, merges them, and creates new values in the process. The forum signals the start o