TAIPEI --(ASIA TODAY)-- The MRT has become an essential part of daily life and an important cultural space for the residents of Taipei. 2016 is a year in which to celebrate both the 20th anniversary of the MRT and also Taipei’s designation as the World Design Capital. Designers have therefore been invited by the Department of Cultural Affairs of Taipei City Government to reinvent the appearance of the MRT.
First ever collaborations with 15 designers shows the creative new look
As part of the “Design Station” project, well-known design companies such as Whitelight Motion, Neil Tien design studio , Balance Wu Design, Liberté Design, and agoood are turning various stations into culturally creative spaces.
Visitors to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station will be able to see a wall, 40 meters wide and 2 meters high, which depicts the main visual image of WDC and also includes information about all upcoming WDC Signature Events. Moreover, all the signage in the station has been reinvented by various artists and designers, including Neil Tien design studio and Audience, who worked together on the “Mind the gap between the train and platform”, “Be careful of the closing doors”, and “Charging Station” signs. Whitelight Motion, who designed the presidential campaign main visual for the current president, Ing-wen Tsai, and the image production for the 27th Golden Melody Awards, has produced a new promotional film for the MRT which is on display on platforms.
The indoor plant pots and umbrella holders have also undergone a makeover. Balance Wu Design have created a conceptual pot plant called “Micro Green City”, a miniature of daily life in the city reimagined as a modern green oasis. The umbrella holder offering complementary umbrellas to MRT passengers during the rain has been redesigned by Liberté Design as an elegant heart-shaped sculptural form in an eye-catching shade of orange.
On the wall inside Exit 5 of the MRT station, visitors can find a creative design themed around the topic of “Swimming City”. This work represents a collaboration between the Children Are US Foundation, a local NGO which supports children with learning difficulties such as autism, and design team agoood. The project invited the children to draw images which were integrated into the design, the theme of which was inspired by one child’s drawing of a “Fish man”. Design director, Pili Wu, expressed that during his interaction with the children he had a strong sense of their unique approach, and felt happy to allow Taipei residents and visitors to feel inspired by their talents and energy.
Other than the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station, another eye-catching project is the Small Shop Signboard Manufacturer project. This project has been remade in the form of an illustrated preview in the Zhongshan Metro Mall. All the splendid stores and shops in neighborhoods with redesigned shop fronts, such as Dazhi Market, Cisheng Temple Market, and Wanhua Qingcao Lane, are presented in the station walkways.
In the MRT Taipei Main Station along the Tamsui Line, artwork by indigenous artist Yosifu is on display outside the elevator shaft. An internationally renowned artist from the Amis tribe, Yosifu has used three vibrant images to beautifully decorate this elevator shaft. Also appearing in the MRT Taipei Main Station are various installations, including “Touch City” by Wonderfuldesign Studio which changes color with heat, “Read City” by Mr. Sheep which examines the cultural heritage of Taiwan through its architecture, and “Fragrant city” by Dot Design which depicts the workplaces of designers and craftspeople through scent. Lastly Black Tailors’s “Design in motion” installation will launch in August, a creative interactive exhibition that will surely delight unsuspecting passersby.
Design Lightning: WDC’s very own MRT, bus and YouBike are currently on the road.
The MRT, bus and YouBike are all essential public transportation services, which have undergone a design transformation through the Design Lightning project. The WDC MRT train will start operation from Monday, July 18. Inside the train there are promotional signs designed by illustrators Audience, Zzifan_z, and Rapture.Design. The usual “Priority Seat” and ”Smoking and Food Prohibited” signs have been re-illustrated with a touch of humor. The works of three illustrators can be seen inside six train cabins of the WDC MRT trains.
A LINE sticker series by popular illustrator Magai have also been launched, and now appear on both the YouBike and the bus. The series will be available on LINE during August and September. The series of eight stickers celebrates that transformation of life that design can inspire and communicates the spirit of the WDC. Characters include Xiaozhi, a designer who often works late and declares “I am going to bed…”, a street seller named Huage who is holding the bubblegum packaging designed by Aaron Nieh, and Xiaofang, a college student who loves exploring the culture and history of the city.
Design Station, Design Lightning will be on display until October 31. Through a series of visual delights along the MRT Bannan Line, all the residents and visitors will have a brand new travel experience. To ride a bus on route 266 through the lively business district or on the YouBike through the small streets, you will see a vibrant city full of life and beauty.
For more information, please visit:
2016 World Design Capital Taipei Official Website: wdc2016.taipei
2016 World Design Capital Taipei on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/taipeidesign/
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