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Giving Dutch design a helping hand
By Yao Minji |
April 27, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE rapid real estate development in China has attracted and provided opportunities for designers and architects from all over the world. Many Western architects have adapted to the different architectural culture and work environment and created amazing projects.
In the midst of this, the Dutch creative industry stands out particularly, due to strong competitiveness and networking. This thanks in part to the Dutch Design Workspace in Shanghai, a special incubator platform for the Dutch creative industry in China set up in 2010, supported by the Dutch government.
The platform's recent Dutch Design in China Yearbook includes more than 40 companies already based in China or those have done projects here. Many are newcomers to the city, while the group is constantly growing.
Dutch designers are particularly strong in design for daily life, public space, social and elderly housing advocating sustainability.
"Within the incubator program we work closely together with the Dutch and Chinese governments. By bridging policies between the two countries, the designers are able to share more and can help to develop more innovative projects and solutions for the future," Giel Groothuis, initiator and director of the Dutch Design Workspace, told Shanghai Daily.
The platform connects designers to a stimulating creative business environment with shared facilities, local experts and a support team to get a quick start with creative business in China.
Currently, they are helping more than 25 companies start out in China, and one or two new companies are added every month.
"Our plan is to keep a well-balanced business community and develop the business model of our incubator further. With this model, we can think about expanding to other cities and countries," explained Groothuis, who recently opened a similar platform in Mumbai.
The architect first came to Shanghai in 2005, to work for a Chinese architecture firm. It was his first time to China, when he didn't know what to expect.
"I was really surprised when I finally arrived. The scale and speed of things are impressive, so is the mix of old and new lifestyles, old and new buildings - all kinds of contrasts in the city," he recalled.
After a while, he spotted the need in the city to connect the Dutch creative industry together, for professionals to reflect on their work, share experiences and think together about the complex work they do in China. He has since moved from being an architect to an intermediary agent between clients in China and Dutch designers through the Dutch Design Workspace in Jing'an District.
"One of the biggest challenges is the cultural understanding; the time frame here is just different. Chinese are more practically minded and many projects start and the criteria and guidelines are made during the process. This requires designers to work very flexibly," Groothuis explained.
"But Dutch designers are very suited to working internationally. As a small country with a very multicultural society and a history of exploring the world by sea, we have an advantage in this field."
In the midst of this, the Dutch creative industry stands out particularly, due to strong competitiveness and networking. This thanks in part to the Dutch Design Workspace in Shanghai, a special incubator platform for the Dutch creative industry in China set up in 2010, supported by the Dutch government.
The platform's recent Dutch Design in China Yearbook includes more than 40 companies already based in China or those have done projects here. Many are newcomers to the city, while the group is constantly growing.
Dutch designers are particularly strong in design for daily life, public space, social and elderly housing advocating sustainability.
"Within the incubator program we work closely together with the Dutch and Chinese governments. By bridging policies between the two countries, the designers are able to share more and can help to develop more innovative projects and solutions for the future," Giel Groothuis, initiator and director of the Dutch Design Workspace, told Shanghai Daily.
The platform connects designers to a stimulating creative business environment with shared facilities, local experts and a support team to get a quick start with creative business in China.
Currently, they are helping more than 25 companies start out in China, and one or two new companies are added every month.
"Our plan is to keep a well-balanced business community and develop the business model of our incubator further. With this model, we can think about expanding to other cities and countries," explained Groothuis, who recently opened a similar platform in Mumbai.
The architect first came to Shanghai in 2005, to work for a Chinese architecture firm. It was his first time to China, when he didn't know what to expect.
"I was really surprised when I finally arrived. The scale and speed of things are impressive, so is the mix of old and new lifestyles, old and new buildings - all kinds of contrasts in the city," he recalled.
After a while, he spotted the need in the city to connect the Dutch creative industry together, for professionals to reflect on their work, share experiences and think together about the complex work they do in China. He has since moved from being an architect to an intermediary agent between clients in China and Dutch designers through the Dutch Design Workspace in Jing'an District.
"One of the biggest challenges is the cultural understanding; the time frame here is just different. Chinese are more practically minded and many projects start and the criteria and guidelines are made during the process. This requires designers to work very flexibly," Groothuis explained.
"But Dutch designers are very suited to working internationally. As a small country with a very multicultural society and a history of exploring the world by sea, we have an advantage in this field."
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