Creative Steps
Business of Design Week gives William To a chance to indulge in his passion for products.
I started out as an adviser for the media marketing campaign in 2003 and 2004 of the Business of Design Week (BODW). In 2005, when the project director resigned six weeks before the event, I was asked to jump in on a full-time basis and I've been director ever since.
I'm really not a designer per se, I was in advertising for 18 years. My background is not in design, but advertising is all about design too. The power of advertising was the first influence in design that made me step into this field.
I'm interested in product design, architecture, graphics and, because of my training in advertising, we basically have to be in touch with different industries and all aspects of design.
Creativity prevails in a commercial city like ours. In fact, more businesses will use design as a powerful tool to stay competitive.
Meeting all the great designers at the event is just as exciting for me as it is for the guests who attend. Those who have passion in what they do inspire me the most. A couple from Japan - Takaharu and Yui Tezuka; both architects, who completed the Fuji Kindergarten project - have piqued my interest. Their work is incredible.
There are so many legends in the field who inspire me, but Tadao Ando and I. M. Pei are on the top of my list. Of all the personalities to have visited Hong Kong, Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind and Ando were most exciting for me. Why? Because Gehry was one of the first big names to attend BODW, when nobody had heard of this programme, he was the reason a lot of other big names followed.
Libeskind is a great inspiration because he is so brilliant but he was so friendly and approachable. Tado, because I'm a big fan, really big. Tado's work changed my perspective on design. I was speechless when I saw his Church of Light, he made me understand what less is more means.
This is a project that is partially funded by the government but, as it expands, we need private patrons and sponsors. Every year, we have a sponsoring country and we delegate 35 per cent of the speaker's slots to the sponsoring country's speakers. This year, Italy will be well represented. We have a host of Italian legends attending - all under the same roof for the first time. I don't think even in Italy this congregation of top designers have gathered together. In saying that, I must also emphasise that the event puts in a lot of attention to local designers and international designers - this really is a world event.
I predict that more projects and business will come from China, local designers will set up branches there. I look forward to the time, in the near future, when elementary and secondary schools will put more emphasis on creative courses, when local students will read more and play fewer video games. From a design perspective, the West Kowloon Cultural District being completed soon is something I'm looking forward to. We need that to stay in competition and sustain Hong Kong's reputation as 'Asia's world city'.
