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Beijing Design Week (BJDW) is an annual event, taking place in the fall in Beijing. First launched as a pilot effort in 2009, it has quickly become the leading international platform for design in China. In 2012, UNESCO named Beijing an “international design capital,” recognizing the city’s effort to foster innovation and be a leading smart city in China. The purpose of Beijing Design Week is to raise public design awareness as well as to help develop stronger design infrastructure and discourse in Beijing. BJDW is an initiative of the Ministry of Education of the PRC, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the PRC, the Ministry of Culture of the PRC, and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality. It is undertaken by Beijing Gehua Cultural Development Group and Beijing Industrial Design Center. Beijing Design Week 2014 is scheduled to run from 26th Sep – 3rd Oct.
- 1 Opening and Award Ceremony
The opening ceremony and the Beijing Design Awards mark the beginning of Beijing Design Week. The Design Awards honor organizations, individuals or pieces that excel in encouraging social progress, cultural development, trade promotion and urban construction. They enhance design education, communication, and consumption, and the development of the design industry as a whole. These awards also present China’s achievements in the design field, promote design innovation, stimulate the design industry and ultimately set the trend for Beijing’s design market. These awards are widely respected inside and outside the design industry as one of the most significant international design awards.
- 2 Forum
Beijing Design Week Forum is one of the main sections of BJDW. It places China at the center of a global conversation around the practical and intellectual challenges in an ever more interconnected world. Policy makers and industry leaders share their experience and wisdom during the day-long event. The BJDW Forum articulates itself around different themes depending on the year. Past speakers have included Daan Roosegaarde, Masayuki Kurokawa, Marcel Wanders, Min Wang… etc.
- 3 Guest City
Every year, BJDW hosts a guest city’s representatives to share their wisdom and experience. The aim is to promote institutional exchange as well as commercial and economic opportunities amongst the two cities. Past participants have been London, Milan, Amsterdam, and in 2014 it will be Barcelona.
- 4 Design Fair
Beijing design market is the platform for trading design and copyrights, products, talents and services. By integrating resources and improving professional services, it will develop markets at different layers and become an agent for design exchange, consumption and service. The development of Beijing Design Market focuses on two aspects: design trading and market consumption.
- 5 Design Hop
The design hop is the exhibition component of the BJDW. Located in different areas in Beijing, it showcases projects from renowned designers and companies from around the world. Design hop is one of the most dynamic sections of BJDW, it has events, exhibitions, installations, seminars and lectures. From the Dashilar area traditional hutongs, to the skyscrapers of Sanlitun, the design hop allows the visitor to explore Beijing in a unique manner.
- 6 Design Copyright Service
Initiated by Beijing Design Week and International Copyright Exchange Center, Design Copyright Service is a website for design copyright registration, which will set pre-existing rules for design marketization. With this initiative, the new rule of the design market will be “first the copyright, then the design.” The features of this service are: electronic notarization for design copyright conducted via internet, complemented with patent registration and the conventional approach of copyright registration, special technology for protection that cannot be reversed, exclusive digital password, database of national standard to ensure secrecy and safety of the documents.