Taipei’s World Design Expo “No Virgins”
Click here tTapei’s 2011 World Design Expo is an exhibition held at the Taipei Pavilion (building) which is one of the 55 exhibitions at the Shanghai World Expo’s Urban Best Practices Area. It was held by Asia’s top designers from Miniwiz. Miniwiz is a Taipei-based company dedicated to upcycling consumer trash and industrial waste to create versatile, high performance, and ultra-low carbon materials suitable for uses ranging from buildings to consumer products. No Virgins is an exhibition held by using only recycled building products.
Amongst the busy crowd, stood the winding translucent walls of the Taipei Pavilion which were inspired by their city’s signature narrow alleyways and streets.
Inside the building, one can find a mixture of digital media, interactive installations, and exhibition space showcased Taipei’s new generation of designers and cultural innovators.
Floor-to-ceiling touch screens provided visitors with a physical miniature of Taipei, where friendly digital residents passed on some of the city’s best-kept secrets. Included in the installation was a voice-activated “shout out stage” that encouraged people to vocalize their love for the city. Winding around the boundary of the space was a gallery featuring prototypes of Taiwan’s best modern product design. At the center was a lecture hall and movie-viewing area bordered by a wine rack made completely of Miniwiz’s 100% post-consumer recycled.
The idea behind this was to have an artistically all-in-one representation of their hometown’s attraction and intrigue.
Also, since this exhibition was not permanent, after the exhibition, Miniwiz de-constructed their pavilion and reuses every last polli-brick in either architectural applications, or as educational aids to teach children in Taiwan about the potential of recycled products.
My Opinion:
I would rate this exhibition 9/10 because I really like the fact of how recycled materials are used and also it looks very professional, clean and organized. The most things I liked from this exhibition are that they compared the exhibition with their alleyways and streets. We, at MCAST Art & Design institute can combine this idea by giving the institute the look of a city found in Malta such as Mdina or Valletta. Also, since this exhibition was based on recycled items, we could use recycled items trough out the whole exhibition such as recycled pallets like it was used during last year's evolution. Another example would be that since media students worked in collaboration with Tribali and since Tribali had an event earlier this year by making use of recycled materials to create instruments, it would be a nice idea.o edit.
Amongst the busy crowd, stood the winding translucent walls of the Taipei Pavilion which were inspired by their city’s signature narrow alleyways and streets.
Inside the building, one can find a mixture of digital media, interactive installations, and exhibition space showcased Taipei’s new generation of designers and cultural innovators.
Floor-to-ceiling touch screens provided visitors with a physical miniature of Taipei, where friendly digital residents passed on some of the city’s best-kept secrets. Included in the installation was a voice-activated “shout out stage” that encouraged people to vocalize their love for the city. Winding around the boundary of the space was a gallery featuring prototypes of Taiwan’s best modern product design. At the center was a lecture hall and movie-viewing area bordered by a wine rack made completely of Miniwiz’s 100% post-consumer recycled.
The idea behind this was to have an artistically all-in-one representation of their hometown’s attraction and intrigue.
Also, since this exhibition was not permanent, after the exhibition, Miniwiz de-constructed their pavilion and reuses every last polli-brick in either architectural applications, or as educational aids to teach children in Taiwan about the potential of recycled products.
My Opinion:
I would rate this exhibition 9/10 because I really like the fact of how recycled materials are used and also it looks very professional, clean and organized. The most things I liked from this exhibition are that they compared the exhibition with their alleyways and streets. We, at MCAST Art & Design institute can combine this idea by giving the institute the look of a city found in Malta such as Mdina or Valletta. Also, since this exhibition was based on recycled items, we could use recycled items trough out the whole exhibition such as recycled pallets like it was used during last year's evolution. Another example would be that since media students worked in collaboration with Tribali and since Tribali had an event earlier this year by making use of recycled materials to create instruments, it would be a nice idea.o edit.
Tribali Language of God Music Video by MCAST A&D MEDIA STUDENTS
Tribali Band Members using recycled instruments
Wroclaw Museum of Contemporary Art
The museum of contemporary art in Wroclaw, Poland declared the winning proposal of an international competition or the architectural design of a contemporary art museum building.
An outstanding collection will be held in this museum and it will occupy a prime location at the heart of the city’s historic Old Town. Its purpose is to serve as an exposed and active contemporary art environment instead of as a normal traditional museum.
The design of this museum is spread between searching for a modern form that belongs to the site and also to Wroclaw’s artistic traditions.
An important part in the design was played by the fields of meaning of Wroclaw-based theoreticians (a person who forms, develops, or studies the theoretical framework of a subject) active at the turn of the 1960s-1970s, e.g. “the art of shadow”, “the architecture of matter”, or “the light and space relationship”. Based on these terms, the form of the museum is a square that matches the slightly “abstract” solid geometry. This officially reduced shape results from the accurate layout of the building’s internal functional space to suit the purposes of the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and enriching the museum’s collections. The square ideogram combines the concept of the shape and the functional space layout.
Apart from Wroclaw’s theoretical artistic traditions, the most important inspiration for the space organization in this museum was the square yard between Frycza Modrzewskiego, Bernardyńska and Purkiniego Streets that enables perfect development of the museum site. The concept of the urban space development has imparted its structure to each story inside the building. In the neighborhood of the church located just by the museum site, the mass of the building visibly deviates and so it outlines the important separation of both structures, alongside reflecting appreciation of the old cathedral.
The color of the museum building and its height (the building has been slightly embedded in the ground – 1 meter) were analysed in a reasonable process of the structure.
Around the museum, there are joined concrete squares attached to the ground which are exactly the same as the existing symbol of the main mass of the museum building.
In view of the nearby proximity of the College of Fine Arts, they establish fields for spatial public confrontation. Their structural shapes immersed in stripes of greenery create artistic and workshop activity spaces. The park around the MWW (with its structure reserved) creates an insular logical sequence that draws on the space geometry that is filled with the oval Raclawice Panorama, the cubic MWW building, and “scattered” functional sculptures, where the freedom and liberty of spatial organization is one of the key functions of a contemporary museum.
The paving of the square that is directly adjacent to the MWW is made from homogenous concrete that smoothly progresses into the dark and uneven façade of the building. The concrete surface, on both sides adjacent to the mass of the building, features strips of stairs that create an inner agora (a public open space used for assemblies and markets).
Regular cubic slots in the building’s façade are also a transformation of practical interdisciplinary nature of the internal and external function of light and an opportunity to fill the space of stone cubes with LCD screens, which may provide a great surface for video art. For the play of the light that fills through the lit-up holes, or by using the bottom parts of the surface, the museum building becomes lightened that projects its glowing form onto the nearby park.
One important component is the museum’s openness to any and all artistic interventions that mark constant changes in the façade structure. The museum’s stories are a logical response to the building’s functionalism, where the rooms (relative to the levels) are laid out in traditionalism to the constant origin idea of them being engraved within a square. In modeling the inside of the museum, the determination to create open and functional exhibition spaces was emphasized by symbolic repetitiveness of interior surfaces, movable walls in the exhibition zone, and spatial functionality (office spaces outside the square, exhibition spaces inside the square).
Vertical communication between the stories plays an important role, e.g. for the “rest zone” that is stylishly located park-wards, and independent staircases (three on each floor), which ensures easy movement of visitors.
For its “resonant” nature and pure spatial form, the museum hall mixes the spaces of smaller exhibitions, therefore being a harmonic sign of what is to be found on higher stories of the museum.
At the entrance to the hall there has been installed a longitudinal screen (of connected LCD screens). This visible projection may serve as a transfer of the visual announcement of temporary exhibitions.
In order to merge the expanded space of functionally diversified rooms, on each floor there is a multimedia information point. The exhibition and hall space, with its modular walls, may be adjusted to the various “thematic contents”, from performance through conventional exhibitions.
One modification of the structure causes another. This arrangement is also recalled in the museum’s interior. The surface indentation that leads to the building is not restricted with a framework, rather it is a response to the still debatable issue of “public space” that on its own defines social processes, and the museum’s accessibility.
The bottom of the surface is partly filled with glass which makes the mass of the building lighter and open to the space of the park.
The stone façade on each side gains a different dynamics, is spatially flexible relative to the different angles of light incidence. The cross-section through the façade gains in form sharpness for the sharpness of the external edges.
The ceilings in the exhibition part are made from suspended limitations that create a suitable mesh of square modules.
On the roof of the building there has been repeated the symbol of the square that strictly functionally lights the exhibition and conference room, projecting the shadow of the façade structure relative to the movement of the sun.
The color contrast plays an important role between the external structure (organic black stone color) and the building’s interior. Its whiteness becomes a neutral space, where the viewers’ main focus will be on the various forms of art.
The bright interior enhances the “mini architecture” (stairs, balustrades), adequately made from a stone material that loops the outer mass of the museum building.
My Opinion:
In my opinion, this museum is very professional, unique and original. I really liked the idea of LED monitors. From this exhibition, I thought of the idea that during MCAST Art and Design’s exhibition we can make a monitor showing what’s happening inside each room and also be interactive where people can use to see information about that specific rooms or see the student’s portfolio/work in that course.
Another idea which came to my mind which it’s not use inside this museum but I thought of it while reading, is to light up every section (each course’s section) in different colors.
An outstanding collection will be held in this museum and it will occupy a prime location at the heart of the city’s historic Old Town. Its purpose is to serve as an exposed and active contemporary art environment instead of as a normal traditional museum.
The design of this museum is spread between searching for a modern form that belongs to the site and also to Wroclaw’s artistic traditions.
An important part in the design was played by the fields of meaning of Wroclaw-based theoreticians (a person who forms, develops, or studies the theoretical framework of a subject) active at the turn of the 1960s-1970s, e.g. “the art of shadow”, “the architecture of matter”, or “the light and space relationship”. Based on these terms, the form of the museum is a square that matches the slightly “abstract” solid geometry. This officially reduced shape results from the accurate layout of the building’s internal functional space to suit the purposes of the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and enriching the museum’s collections. The square ideogram combines the concept of the shape and the functional space layout.
Apart from Wroclaw’s theoretical artistic traditions, the most important inspiration for the space organization in this museum was the square yard between Frycza Modrzewskiego, Bernardyńska and Purkiniego Streets that enables perfect development of the museum site. The concept of the urban space development has imparted its structure to each story inside the building. In the neighborhood of the church located just by the museum site, the mass of the building visibly deviates and so it outlines the important separation of both structures, alongside reflecting appreciation of the old cathedral.
The color of the museum building and its height (the building has been slightly embedded in the ground – 1 meter) were analysed in a reasonable process of the structure.
Around the museum, there are joined concrete squares attached to the ground which are exactly the same as the existing symbol of the main mass of the museum building.
In view of the nearby proximity of the College of Fine Arts, they establish fields for spatial public confrontation. Their structural shapes immersed in stripes of greenery create artistic and workshop activity spaces. The park around the MWW (with its structure reserved) creates an insular logical sequence that draws on the space geometry that is filled with the oval Raclawice Panorama, the cubic MWW building, and “scattered” functional sculptures, where the freedom and liberty of spatial organization is one of the key functions of a contemporary museum.
The paving of the square that is directly adjacent to the MWW is made from homogenous concrete that smoothly progresses into the dark and uneven façade of the building. The concrete surface, on both sides adjacent to the mass of the building, features strips of stairs that create an inner agora (a public open space used for assemblies and markets).
Regular cubic slots in the building’s façade are also a transformation of practical interdisciplinary nature of the internal and external function of light and an opportunity to fill the space of stone cubes with LCD screens, which may provide a great surface for video art. For the play of the light that fills through the lit-up holes, or by using the bottom parts of the surface, the museum building becomes lightened that projects its glowing form onto the nearby park.
One important component is the museum’s openness to any and all artistic interventions that mark constant changes in the façade structure. The museum’s stories are a logical response to the building’s functionalism, where the rooms (relative to the levels) are laid out in traditionalism to the constant origin idea of them being engraved within a square. In modeling the inside of the museum, the determination to create open and functional exhibition spaces was emphasized by symbolic repetitiveness of interior surfaces, movable walls in the exhibition zone, and spatial functionality (office spaces outside the square, exhibition spaces inside the square).
Vertical communication between the stories plays an important role, e.g. for the “rest zone” that is stylishly located park-wards, and independent staircases (three on each floor), which ensures easy movement of visitors.
For its “resonant” nature and pure spatial form, the museum hall mixes the spaces of smaller exhibitions, therefore being a harmonic sign of what is to be found on higher stories of the museum.
At the entrance to the hall there has been installed a longitudinal screen (of connected LCD screens). This visible projection may serve as a transfer of the visual announcement of temporary exhibitions.
In order to merge the expanded space of functionally diversified rooms, on each floor there is a multimedia information point. The exhibition and hall space, with its modular walls, may be adjusted to the various “thematic contents”, from performance through conventional exhibitions.
One modification of the structure causes another. This arrangement is also recalled in the museum’s interior. The surface indentation that leads to the building is not restricted with a framework, rather it is a response to the still debatable issue of “public space” that on its own defines social processes, and the museum’s accessibility.
The bottom of the surface is partly filled with glass which makes the mass of the building lighter and open to the space of the park.
The stone façade on each side gains a different dynamics, is spatially flexible relative to the different angles of light incidence. The cross-section through the façade gains in form sharpness for the sharpness of the external edges.
The ceilings in the exhibition part are made from suspended limitations that create a suitable mesh of square modules.
On the roof of the building there has been repeated the symbol of the square that strictly functionally lights the exhibition and conference room, projecting the shadow of the façade structure relative to the movement of the sun.
The color contrast plays an important role between the external structure (organic black stone color) and the building’s interior. Its whiteness becomes a neutral space, where the viewers’ main focus will be on the various forms of art.
The bright interior enhances the “mini architecture” (stairs, balustrades), adequately made from a stone material that loops the outer mass of the museum building.
My Opinion:
In my opinion, this museum is very professional, unique and original. I really liked the idea of LED monitors. From this exhibition, I thought of the idea that during MCAST Art and Design’s exhibition we can make a monitor showing what’s happening inside each room and also be interactive where people can use to see information about that specific rooms or see the student’s portfolio/work in that course.
Another idea which came to my mind which it’s not use inside this museum but I thought of it while reading, is to light up every section (each course’s section) in different colors.
Malta Design Week
The Malta Design Week is a 7 days exhibition created to promote and celebrate good design. It is a platform for local and foreign designers, architects, artists, artisans, journalists, critics, academics and entrepreneurs. In this exhibition, there will also be hosting and co-ordinating exhibitions, talks, workshops and launches.
Malta Design Week combines young creativity with established design brands represented in Malta to make it a cultural but however also a commercial event – thus connecting the gap between theoretical and practical realities while showcasing talent.
Each year, there will be different themes. It also happens in different locations. In 2011, the main event was exhibited at the Old University Building in Merchants Street, Valletta while satellite events was held in galleries, furniture and design stores, run-down buildings, artists’ and artisans’ studios and showrooms. There were different rooms which had different things exhibited in them and there were also exhibitions in the corridor. The exhibition consisted of paintings, fashion, furniture, hand-made jewelry, interactive installations and manual installations.
This year’s (2014) theme will be Micronation. The main event will be exhibited at Fort St. Elmo which is a space originally designed to function independently should the need arise. Visitors enter a self-governing space where innovation and creation are the constitutional foundation of its residing nation. The opening of Fort St Elmo to the public, following a full refurbishment project supported by the EU, is a historic event in itself. This extraordinary stone sentry has been closed for decades, and Malta design Week will be the first event to take place before the handover to Heritage Malta.
My Opinion:
In my opinion, this exhibition is much related to MCAST Art & Design institute’s exhibition since it features many different types of art and also the area is similar since it’s held in different rooms and corridors and also based on different stories levels. I attended this exhibition in 2011 and I enjoyed it because it had several of different interesting works done by Maltese artists. It also was very organized. The only thing I would change is to make it look a little bit more attractive rather than the traditional look and style of traditional exhibitions.
Malta Design Week combines young creativity with established design brands represented in Malta to make it a cultural but however also a commercial event – thus connecting the gap between theoretical and practical realities while showcasing talent.
Each year, there will be different themes. It also happens in different locations. In 2011, the main event was exhibited at the Old University Building in Merchants Street, Valletta while satellite events was held in galleries, furniture and design stores, run-down buildings, artists’ and artisans’ studios and showrooms. There were different rooms which had different things exhibited in them and there were also exhibitions in the corridor. The exhibition consisted of paintings, fashion, furniture, hand-made jewelry, interactive installations and manual installations.
This year’s (2014) theme will be Micronation. The main event will be exhibited at Fort St. Elmo which is a space originally designed to function independently should the need arise. Visitors enter a self-governing space where innovation and creation are the constitutional foundation of its residing nation. The opening of Fort St Elmo to the public, following a full refurbishment project supported by the EU, is a historic event in itself. This extraordinary stone sentry has been closed for decades, and Malta design Week will be the first event to take place before the handover to Heritage Malta.
My Opinion:
In my opinion, this exhibition is much related to MCAST Art & Design institute’s exhibition since it features many different types of art and also the area is similar since it’s held in different rooms and corridors and also based on different stories levels. I attended this exhibition in 2011 and I enjoyed it because it had several of different interesting works done by Maltese artists. It also was very organized. The only thing I would change is to make it look a little bit more attractive rather than the traditional look and style of traditional exhibitions.