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representatives from shenzhen and boston signed an agreement to enhance industrial design ties at the opening of the 8th china (shenzhen) international industrial design festival yesterday in bao'n district.
the five-day festival is themed "design reforms the future." on display are prize-winning robot designs, wearables and project shows for makers. a hackerthon will also be held along with a forum in which world-renowned industrial designers will share their ideas at the gem cubic exhibition center in bao'an.
during yesterday's launch ceremony, the city signed a memorandum of understanding (mou) with representatives from boston.
the mou will see the organizational experience of the america industrial design award (idsa) idea applied to the bougainvillea international industrial design contest in bao'an in the future.
charles austen angell, chair emeritus of idsa, said the mou is the first step in promoting the exchange of design ideas between the american city and a chinese "powerhouse economy.
angell, who first came to shenzhen more than 20 years ago, said he was amazed with shenzhen's growth.
angell said the future of industrial design is in city services, medical product design, health care products and education.
laura egoli, consul general of italy in guangzhou, said the festival is a platform connecting shenzhen and italian designers.
egoli, who is promoting the milan triennial to be held next year, said shenzhen needs to raise its profile with the outside world.
"i'm sure [designers] in italy don't know enough about the potential that exists here in terms of design," she said. "i think the presence of italian designers has to be improved and we need italian designers to discover shenzhen more."