Ikea and Pies

“creating a better everyday life for the many people”

http://ikea.com/

1998 – Ikea opened its first store in China in Shanghai.
There are now 4 Ikea stores in China located in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

“the Scandinavian way”

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CN/local_home/shanghai.html

IKEA contends that it has been a pioneering force in sustainable approaches to mass consumer culture. Kamprad refers to the concept as "democratic design," meaning that the company applies an integrated approach to manufacturing and design (see also environmental design). In response to the explosion of human population and material expectations in the 20th and 21st century, the company implements economies of scale, capturing material streams and creating manufacturing processes that hold costs and resource use down, such as the extensive use of particle board. The intended result is flexible, adaptable home furnishings, scalable both to smaller homes and dwellings as well as large houses.
Newer IKEA stores are usually very large blue boxes with few windows. They are often designed around a "one-way" layout which leads customers along "the long natural way".

Design reform
As pointed out by circuit lecturer Will Novosedlik, IKEA embodies the principles of design reform begun by William Morris and John Ruskin, insofar as the company seeks to elevate public taste by providing quality goods at affordable prices.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA

Notes/ thoughts:

"The Scandinavian Way" - as found on the Ikea China website. China is buying into and embracing european furnishings, lifestyle products. There is even a link on the website homepage to Swedish Food!

>>Feeling apart of a different culture? a new culture?

If i had a New Zealand company that created products that were popular in China perhaps i'd also sell Meat Pies on it!

NZ pies are also very popular with overseas Asians and is something that is missed when they return home.

Hong Kong–born, London-educated collector-dealer-art adviser-curator-publisher Pearl Lam "I celebrate and exaggerate differences," she pronounces. "I'm against unity." .. she established Contrasts gallery, which invites designers and artists to blur boundaries between disciplines and cultures, past and present.

She hopes young Chinese artists and designers can learn from her juxtapositions, too. "Many of them think that just by following Western ideology, they can be successful, not understanding that the West has a different history," Lam explains. As China develops at a breathless pace and the West takes ever more interest, she adds,

"Strong Chinese art should be about the reinvention of tradition—merging Western media, for example, with Chinese art and philosophy, to create something entirely new."

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/apr2007/id20070419_489433.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_cutting-edge+designers

Catking

Contemporary European styled furniture for China and the world market. No presence of Chinese culture within the products nor in the photographs – it’s been made to look completely western/European.

Shelving and storage are the dominant products in the range as this is very important to apartment dwellers. With the very limited amount of space available it all needs to be used efficiently.

http://catking.com

Mayland

There's a big chunk of research i have that i haven't posted! So here is some of it.. part 1

About Mayland:

[International Exposition home living museum] is not only the world's top brand home territory, will become the future home international best practice and cultural currents of release platform. Enjoy the luxury brand used only for the aristocracy, has become the target pursued by Asians. Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan -- have representatives in Asia, China, Thailand and India -- a new giant of Asia today. are enjoying the royal supplies from Europe, the desire to create the international top fashion design.

To enhance the global competitiveness of Chinese domestic retailers to achieve a comprehensive upgrading of China's domestic retailers...

http://www.maylandgz.com/operation.php?category_id=37&subcategory_id=42

One of the key statements that came from this was "Building Leisure into Life". Their slogan. When you go on holiday (holiday = leisure time) to a foreign land.. say europe, you are immersed in their design and furniture. By having foreign furniture in your house, this would start to make you/help make you feel like you were living in that someplace else also, perhaps on holiday even - Transition.

Scenery Trends

Quoted from Alex's Comments on my blog + Emilia's

"it is the new trend right to have sceneries of high rises and cloudy sky! :) "
- Alex's comment on my blog

"nice benches..Bhavesh should design one for the roof top..I'm sure he is thinking about it!..so the people can enjoy the views of high rises and cloudy sky! :) its the new trend for scenery!"
- Alex's comment on Emilia's blog

Sounds interesting! I shall look into it further.

Parks and Benches in China

A bit of information about Parks in China:

• Most people go there to sit and read the newspaper
• Some parks have animal bans
• In certain cities there are parks every 2 square kilometres
• During the day parks are popular with older people - the 65+ crowd and at night popular with the younger crowd.
• Old people go there for taichi in the morning. During the day they chill out, dance and play chinese chess.
• People also go there to walk their dog(s).

A bit of information about Park Benches/ Seating Benches in China:

• People steal public property eg. Park benches. They dismantle them and sell the parts.
• Homeless people sleep on benches at night.
• Karen commented that she never sits on public benches in China. They are always dirty, dusty and children often stand on them.
• Marko commented that alot of them aren't that nice, however there are some better ones in parts too.
• Karen also commented that the benches are Symbols of the City. Every city has different benches.

Transitional spaces

Transitional spaces is my term for the spaces you travel between where you are now, and your destination. The spaces you are in during transit.

From the topics I researched into, Transition was one of the main themes that I noticed. Whether it be the transition of China towards Westernisation in a visible manner, or the transition of the mind to another place through the european furnishings of an apartment.

Examples of products that are in the tranisitional space includes public furniture. However where a transitional spaced product could go and could be is numerous - a door >> transitions you from the outside world into your private world. The product could be a/for a staircase, footpath, road, sign post.

I wish to create a "product for the people", not a "private product"

Feedback I received about this through the small class discussion raised the following points:

• Sharing public spaces
• Public spaces can be dangerous because of thieves
• A transitional space product would work better in a place of common interest eg. building foyers, parks.

Life is about experiences and to enhance the experience of transitioning would make life just that little bit more interesting yes? - perhaps the product could help you to create your own adventure between where you are now and where you're going next.