We will make Guangzhou brand from now on
Guangzhou is a big southern city like Beijing and Shanghai. The economy has already made great progress, but how creative is the culture? Although it hasn't become a big trend yet, there has been a rising creative scene by people steadily carrying out their work to discover their originality.
“Guangzhou Opera House” was completed in 2010 by the world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. The surrounding area is a place for relaxation.
In addition to the indoor observatory at the “Canton Tower”, there is also a Ferris wheel called “Pod ride”. At the outdoor observatory, there’s even a freefall ride called “Quick Fall Chair”.
From the “Canton Tower” observatory, 433 meters above the ground, you can see the Guangzhou cityscape, which has achieved rapid economic development.
From the bottom, you can gaze up at the 600-meter-high “Canton Tower”, which features a drum-like, unique twisting shape. This overwhelming height can be seen from various places in the city.
Modern shops, creating
one product after the other!
Zen Zheng of “Leaping Creative” has a reputation for design that incorporates user experience and storylines. “There are still few companies in China that can handle comprehensive branding, and we are proud of being in unique position in that field,” says Zheng. Among them, “HEYTEA” is a unique café with over 30 stores in China. Famous for Cheese tea, the café features a clean, white design, inspired by the Japanese Zen spirit. “There should be a way to express locality while incorporated global trends and practices,” says Zheng.
Zen Zheng／In 2010, he established “Leaping Creative” in Guangzhou after product and brand design experience in London. The company has over 40 staff, including space, product and graphic designers. His main work includes “SUOFEIYA WORKSHOP”, “emoji @ Urban village”, and “HEYTEA”.
In addition to popular store design and branding such as “HEYTEA”, Zheng has created a wide range of work, including regional branding.
Traditional dim sum and
a new Chinese food trend
Guangdong Province, where Guangzhou is located, is the home of dim sum. Although it is now becoming rare to see the traditional dim sum carts, Guangdong is still the gourmet capital of China. In addition to modern Chinese food such as “Nouvelle Chinois”, which incorporates Western cuisine, innovative dishes such as cold sweetened pork and lobster porridge are prevalent and have evolved.
Artistic expression without fixed concepts
Wingo Wu is a unique photographer who doesn’t have any professional school or studio experience. He used to work for a large client, but for the last five years, he’s been refining his photographic expression by devoting himself to his true interests. He has also worked as a member of the production unit “VK” and is getting many apparel-related jobs through this unit, participating in concept work. He strives for originality in his photos, not bound by any traditional conventions or methods.
Wingo Wu／Inspired by Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, Wu started taking pictures of flowers without learning from anybody else. Many of his works exhibited at competitions are shot on monochrome film. He was busy setting up his own company in 2018 and now focuses more on his creation.
There are a number of facilities that are renovated from large warehouses and are lined with offices and stores. Young people gather here.
Showing Guangzhou’s
originality on your own
Gary has devoted himself to wide-ranging activities, including graphic design, space design, furniture / interior shop ownership and music bands. He is expressing his ideas as “DBG”. “It is an abbreviation for Designed By Guangzhou,” says Gary. “I have been wondering what the originality of Guangzhou is. It is not an easy question to answer, yet if my work goes out into the world, it will inevitably be known as having Guangzhou origin. If there is no Guangzhou brand, you can create it on your own.”
Gary／After graduating from an art university in Guangzhou, he started design work and became independent in search of his own style. His motto is to receive work that suits your own growth and lifestyle. He created the band “Monster KaR” in 2006 and has released three albums so far. He has also directed a music festival.
There are many rental bikes available. Once you register, you can borrow it with a smartphone and park it anywhere. As expected, this is a technologically advanced city.
Exhibits from China’s two leading artists, Song Dong’s “Borderless Museum” and Fei Yi Lang’s “Fei Arts” are next to each other. These museums appear out of nowhere to visitors in the market place.
Reborn as a city of technology
Guangzhou’s unchanging face
Although the city has undergone significant economic development and major transformation to the urban city over the past decade, there are still traditional lifestyles you can see in the back alleys, including grocery shops, massage parlors, and beauty salons. For payment in Guangzhou, electronic “WeChat Pay”, using the message app “WeChat”, is prevalent. It can be used even at the greengrocer in the back alley.
Guangzhou | Article List
- Share
- Next FACT No.15
