Day 2&3
Yesterday was long and once hitting the YMCA we just died. We visited Gold Peak and Kids II to check out their design studios. Both really interesting, I think GP’s is more up my alley as they had a series of labs set up to simulate different living environments there products would live in. Hotel, living room, kitchen, and so on. This let them bring in users and watch them use the products in the native setting they would eventually be in. Clever stuff, something I could see SCAD eventually developing as the department grows faster and faster.
Today was TTI and Hong Kong Polytechnic (a local design school here in Hong Kong). At TTI we were all floored by their nearly real models they create there. Walking around the studio space we got to play with real tools then would sometimes discover they were models. Really amazing stuff, I guess the benefits of being in a city with good model makers for cheap.
Hong Kong Polytech showed a slightly different version of SCAD. It seemed like a little less organized verison of Gulfstream. But full of excitement for design. People were creating all kinds of odd designs. Some out there stuff that shows these students are really thinking of new ways to do things. I think the unique atmosphere helps with that. The massive presentation hall in the middle walled in with glass. Seems really cool, some kind of space for general use at the building would be pretty neat. Also the research labs dedicated for just researching is another awesome idea. Our field is so research driven it that it makes sense for there to be areas for research only.
After all the tours everyone’s feet where dead, so we cruised back to the hotel and layed down a bit. Not long before I got a call from Silent Hawk and John to go clothes shopping. John landed himself a tailored suit. Silent Hawk and I found a few pawn shops but didn’t score anything good. We did find the Muji store and I got a shirt and some odd drinks. Some jelly drink and a melon soda. I might hit the shop up again before leaving to get some nice simple designed stationary. Speaking of which finally found some sweet pens here in in China. I’m not on the hunt for awesome office supplies.
Besides all this photos are on flickr. And I might sleep soon and aim to get up early.
