Australian designers seek industrial design and manufacturing cooperation in China

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Increasing cooperation between Australia and China in industrial design and manufacturing is the focus this week in southern China’s Shenzhen city.

For the first time, Australia is represented at the Shenzhen Industrial Design Fair, the largest fair of its kind in the world.

The bicycle is an award-winning design with a carbon fiber frame. /CGTN Photo

Nielsen Design, one of Australia’s leading industrial design consultancy firms, are presenting their unique approaches to design and product development. These include the widely-used Pedestrian Button, and the Lee Francis Bicycle, a recreational bicycle with a patented carbon fiber frame.

The Pedestrian Button is among the most renowned works of Nielsen Design. /CGTN Photo

“It’s extremely important for our industry to establish strong international collaboration,” Adam Laws, Managing Director of Nielsen Design told CGTN, “Of course China, particularly Shenzhen and surrounding regions, have growing momentum as the center of new technology products and smart manufacturing.”

Swinburne University’s Center for Design Innovation also joins the exhibition with intelligent medical, sports and wearable devices.

A chair “Embryo” designed by Australian designer Marc Newson /CGTN Photo

Nathan Loutit, the center’s project manager and designer led a team from the University exploring opportunities for collaboration with local firms, research centers and industry clusters.

“Some of the design and innovation we are seeing now coming out of China in the manufacturing sector is remarkable, particularly around the development of artificial intelligence and devices.” Nathan Loutit said, “the potential for more research as well as commercial collaboration is really very good.”

The Australian delegation introduces its design concepts at Shenzhen Industrial Design Fair. / CGTN Photo

The Australian delegation also visits Chinese design companies and universities in Foshan, a manufacturing base in Guangdong Province.

Both Chinese and Australian delegates are convinced that China and Australia are complementary in industrial design, and there’s huge potential and opportunities for cooperation in both industrial design education and business.

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