Made in China: an alternative design strategy

Chinese manufactured products are operationally effective but have styling (materials and finishes) which is trend-following of the general world market rather than trend-leading. As such, the Chinese have carved out a space in the market place by emulating stylistic elements that are characteristic of established brands. The aim of this research is to develop a design strategy that can effectively create products that are unique and innovative, and will differentiate products from the general market trends by stylistically imbuing them with elements of traditional and contemporary culture. In the case of this research project, Chinese culture. Sony and Braun products were examined to better understand how these products are imbued with culture - based elements that are highly recognizable as originating from their respective countries. In particular, direct comparisons can be made between the early years of Sony and contemporary Chinese manufacturing companies such as Haier and Cacos. Project One focused on developing a design strategy based upon aspects of Chinese culture such as music, dance and the proportions of musical instruments. In contrast, the approach in Project Two was derived from experiential, spiritual and emotional sources of Chinese culture. In progressing from Project One to Project Two, the approach has moved away from the direct application of “form” to a more individualistic interpretation. The developed design strategy was tested through the design of a music electronic appliance called the Butterfly-E. The design strategy was validated when Sampo, a global manufacturer secured a copyright agreement of my design.