Overseas Designers Work With Leading Kiwi Co's

Overseas Designers Work With Leading Kiwi Companies

Three five-day workshops will bring together top international designers with leaders of New Zealand manufacturing and export companies in Christchurch later this month.

The designindustry workshops, founded by Dorenda Britten a year ago, will run from January 21 to February 8. They aim to bridge the gap between technology and creativity, and to help develop high-value, innovative products. Industry New Zealand is supporting the workshops.

Dorenda Britten says good design has often been seen as a cost rather than a way of creating new high-value products in New Zealand.

“An important part of the workshops is that the business leaders involved have the opportunity to develop new ideas around their product range and, in the process, come up with new products, thus increasing profits. The development of business-to-business networks is also an invaluable part of the exchange.”

Small groups of participants work hands-on, guided and inspired by the international designers whose diverse and extensive design experiences cover fields such as lighting, packaging, furniture and industrial design. No creative or manual skills are assumed.

The designers attending the workshops include:

Matt Sindall, a Briton working in Paris and professor of design at L’E.S.A.D.Reims

Werner Aisslinger, professor of product design at Hochshule fur Gestaltung and owner of Studio Aisslinger in Berlin

Swedish furniture designer Mats Theselius, professor at HDK, industrial design school Gothenburg

Paul Haigh, leader of a multidisciplinary design firm in New York

Uwe Fischer who holds the chair of industrial design at Stuttgart’s Academy of Fine Arts, and

Ed van Hinte, an industrial designer and design commentator with an aviation and space technology background.

The designers will also present a series of public lectures and there is an associated exhibition of the textiles of Avis Higgs at the Centre of Contemporary Art

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