DesignPF travels through China: from Shanghai to Changsha, from Shenzhen to Hong Kong

In September, 23 students from Industrial Design, Transportation Design and Visual Communication set off for China together with Prof. Cosima Striepe, Prof. Manuel Aydt and Stefan Barth. The excursion took them from Shanghai via Changsha and Shenzhen to Hong Kong.

The trip was made possible by the long-standing cooperation with the Hunan School of Design in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province. The universities have been engaged in a lively exchange since 2018. Students from Changsha visited us in Pforzheim in June - now it was time for a return visit.

Shanghai

To kick things off in Shanghai, the participants immersed themselves in the lively design scene. They visited design studios and museums, including the Shanghai Rockbund Art Museum and the Geely Car Showroom.

Changsha

The next stop was the Hunan School of Design in Changsha. The focus was on the five-day "FutureScaping" workshop, in which interdisciplinary German-Chinese teams examined the future of mobile working and living environments: They designed mobile workspaces for digital nomads, emergency shelters for climate refugees or new types in cross-transportation. During their visit to the Hunan National Museum, the young designers were able to marvel at over 2000 years of history and artifacts from the region.

Shenzhen

The following week, the participants traveled to Shenzhen, China's center for technology and innovation. During their visit to BYD, the group was welcomed by Head of Design Wolfgang Josef Egger. And the Mindray showroom offered the participants a glimpse into the leading medical technology company, which develops intensive care equipment, analysis devices and laboratory technology. Other stops included the Museum of Urban Development and Modern Art.

Hong Kong

Finally, nature showed its impetuous side: Typhoon "Raghasa" paralyzed Hong Kong for two days. Despite the delay, the group remained impressed - by the calm and routine with which the city reacted to the highest warning level T10. "It was both exciting and very interesting to experience," recalls Prof. Cosima Striepe.

Impressions from the students:

"It was all incredibly impressive! The size of the cities, the architecture, the crowds - you hardly had time to process all the impressions because there was something new around every corner. It felt like we had been traveling for much longer. And it was so much fun getting to know so many great new people. Both at the partner university, where we were so warmly welcomed for the workshop, and in our Pforzheim group itself."

- Katharina Rott, Transportation Design

"I was impressed by the futuristic and fast-paced way of life, which is very different to Germany: life is super fast in China, especially for young people. But it's difficult for me to combine this way of life with our understanding of sustainability."

- Laurin Hagedorn, Industrial Design

"Once again, a huge thank you for the trip. It was wonderful and I had a great time!"

- Clemens Müller, Transportation Design

"The scale of the cities was really impressive, I've never seen anything like it! The Changsha region is known for its spicy food. We really felt that! What was initially a real challenge soon became a culinary delight."

- Robert Schulze, Industrial Design

"No matter where I looked, I could discover something new. I have never experienced hospitality like in China. However, I have to admit that I was shocked by the consumption of goods. The surveillance also intimidated me at times. Nevertheless, the positive experiences outweigh the negative ones and I would travel to China again in a heartbeat."

- Leo Herzog, Transportation Design