taiwan pavilion at milan design week examines notions of sustainability rooted in heritage

TAIWAN PAVILION CONFRONTS PRESSING GLOBAL ISSUES

The debut of the Taiwan Pavilion at Milan Design Week converges fifteen Taiwanese studios and brands to confront pressing global issues through the lens of local material culture and reflections. The exhibition titled ‘Who is going to raise the questions? The questions are designed in Taiwan’, examines the role of design in contemporary society and the value of design thinking in raising the right questions in this age of complex transformations.

Curated by Eric Yu, Atelier SUPERB, and Tsung-Yen Hsieh, it offers a nuanced exploration of Taiwan’s rich cultural heritage and its forward-looking approach through diverse disciplines, from home accessories and furniture to sustainable textiles and materials crafted from post-industrial resources. Notable examples include MINIWIZ studio’s patented joint without mortar for bricks made from Polli-ber, a polymer composite derived from agricultural waste; Green Footprint Int’l CO.’s innovative use of recycled plastic from the toy industry to create modular and stackable seats; and UKL Enterprise Co.’s textiles made from pineapple leaf fiber, of which Taiwan is a large manufacturer and exporter.

all images courtesy of TDRI

QUESTIONING CHALLENGES FACED BY THE ISLAND NATION

Upon entering the Taiwan Pavilion, visitors are greeted by an immersive experience that ponders art and introspection. The entire exhibition hall is dotted with ‘dialogue’ and ‘thought’ balloons that evoke comic strips and create a dialect between thoughts and spoken words. The set designed by Atelier SUPERB, with graphics by S.SELECT LAB, divides the environment into three areas: the first collects projects focused on upcycling waste, the second welcomes sustainable brands and products with high recycled compositions, while the third is an interactive space with an area where visitors can write down their thoughts. Each of the exhibited products is accompanied by a question that stimulates deeper reflection and appears alongside LED screens that illustrate the production processes or capture the landscape of Taiwan. The views showcase both the beauty and the challenges facing the island nation, such as discarded waste littering the beaches.

Taiwan Pavilion debuts at Milan Design Week

REENVISIONING DESIGN TO QUESTION SUSTAINABILITY

The participating designers and brands, already awarded by the Golden Pin Awards selecting local excellence, represent a diverse range of perspectives on local identity and project values within broader issues, such as environmental impact and holistic design. The products on display prompt reflection on the role of design in the innovation industry, promoting a new paradigm of quality and production models that leverage technology to mark progress towards social and manufacturing sustainability goals. 

One of the exhibition’s overarching themes is the fusion of innovation with traditional craftsmanship. Exhibits such as Hsiang Han Design’s W Glass Project, which repurposes glass from ocean waste and the ITC sector, highlight Taiwan’s capacity to reimagine low-cost materials through sophisticated techniques, both artisanal and industrial. Similarly, s2studio’s bamboo chair showcases the integration of additive design with layered assembly techniques, minimizing production waste while harnessing the regenerative properties of bamboo.

confronting pressing global issues through the lens of local material culture and reflections

project info:

name: Taiwan Pavilion at Milan Design Week
executive organizer: Taiwan Design Research Institute

curator: Eric Yu, Atelier SUPERB

co-curator: Tsung-Yen Hsieh

designers: Atelier SUPERB, Eric Yu, Ming-Ching Hsu, Ai-Wei Kung

official organizer: Industrial Development Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan

supported by: Ministry of Culture, Taiwan

visuals: S.SELECT LAB

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom