Kuala Lumpur Design Week 2010

Kuala Lumpur Design Week: 1st-16th May, 2010

I think it was by chance that KL Design Week happened to be scheduled around the same time I was back here. I had a last minute phonecall from my manager (while i was delayed at HKIA) about hosting a couple forums for the organizers at the National Art Gallery. 2 things came to my mind: Fuck Ya and Holy Shit I’ve never been to our National Art Gallery.

It’s only been Day 1 since their launch and I was already impressed by the roster of speakers they had invited to come. It was like our own little version of Ted talks on a much smaller scale and within the realm of design.

The Business of Design was our first forum and it included:

• NANCY CHEN (Taiwan)

• Akinori Kojima (Tokyo)

• Devil Robots (Japan)

• Atsushi WAKIMOTO (Japan)

• FREDRIK HÄRÉN (SWEDEN)

You’d think after a crazy night out on Friday that i’d be nodding off to this sort of excitement at 10am. No siree! One of my favourites would have to be Fredrik who actually wrote The Idea Book and talked about how design increased his profit by 50-fold! He empowered us to think differently and consider the basic fundamentals of ideas and design.

I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to these sort of things because it’s been too long since I’ve been cooped up in a lecture hall listening to a professor go on and on about paniers and conspicuous consumption. So design crap was all I could think about. I’ve got a pass to the Typographic Conference and this is sooo money that I think this probably equates guys getting tickets to the AV Shows in Vegas. I can’t wait to blog about that later!

I’m writing this blog to show some excitement about things happening in Malaysia and for you to check out the 20 showcases they have in 10 venues all around KL. Its worth seeing and its worth supporting our local talent – so don’t ever make the excuse that you never know about these things. (Hey, you’re already supporting your local Ah Lian right?)

Check out:  http://www.kualalumpurdesignweek.com.my/