Department of Cultural Affairs

Photo by LRM
At the entrance to the design exhibition, wooden cut-outs of animals represent the five urban groups that serve as the focus of “Taipei Street Corner Meets Design.”

Rewritten by Ariston Ramos
 
In 2016, the World Design Organization (WDO) named Taipei World Design Capital. Montreal-based WDO recognizes cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. Upon receiving that designation, any city then embarks on a year-long program that showcases its best practices in sustainable design-led urban policy and innovation that improve quality of life. 
 
Since 2016, Liu Dejian (劉得堅), Secretary General of Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DOCA), has been promoting design-related activities at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. “This is the right place to hold such activities,” he had said during a speech after receiving news of Taipei’s designation as World Design Capital.


LRM
DOCA Secretary General Liu Dejian at the exhibition.


LRM
The sign above the stall says “Useless Options.”

Despite the global outbreak of the pandemic this year, Taiwan has been very fortunate to be able to maintain a normal life and hold exhibitions.  This year, the curators of design-related events at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park have given the unifying theme of such events the name “Wait, Taipei, Chill Tai-Pak.” Its Chinese name (臺北街角遇見設計) however could be translated as “Taipei Street Corner Meets Design.”
 
Chill Tai-Pak has chosen five urban groups as the inspiration and target market for its designs: sick patients in hospitals, the elderly, new immigrants, dog lovers, and taxi drivers. Chill Tai-Pak designers will consider how the visual aspects of their designs could meet the psychological and spiritual needs of these five groups.


LRM
Visitors invite everyone to taste coffee made by an exhibitor.

From Dec. 11 to 13, the activity Taipei Humor Design Institute was held at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. The Institute was actually a short exhibition of amusing designs for Chill Tai-Pak. At the entrance to the exhibition, the organizers had installed wooden cut-outs of animals to represent the five urban groups. A similar exhibition will then be held from December 17th to January 3rd next year at the Bopiliao Historic District.
 
“I am very grateful to designers for expressing the uniqueness of Taipei street corners and for letting everyone feel the hospitality hidden in those corners,” said Liu during the opening press conference on December 11.
 
From the start of the opening press conference until January 10, 2021, designers for Taipei Street Corner Meets Design will showcase their creations on the street corners of Wanhua District. Residents and visitors to that district will see 18 categories of design. They include lighting installations, miniature models, outdoor installations and performance art, cosmetic embellishments for century-old Wanhua.