Selection result for 2019-2020 Rong Design Library X Pro Helvetia Shanghai Residency Program.

We are glad to announce the finalists selected for the 2019-2020 Rong Design Library X Pro Helvetia Shanghai Residency Program. Upon joint discussion between Pro Helvetia design department and the library founder Zhang Lei, we chose to award the following four designers, Laure Gremion, Joel Hügli, Karin Lorez (WEER), and Alix Szijarto with the residency.

Rong Design Library Residency Program

This Residency Program is co-initiated by Rong Design Library and Pro Helvetia Shanghai, Swiss Arts Council. Rong Design Library is the first traditional material library in China. For the past five years, the library has invited 30 designers from more than 10 countries to avail the residency in a village near Hangzhou, China. The cooperation with Pro Helvetia Shanghai is a special project that falls under the umbrella of this residency program. The objective is to create a critical learning environment to stimulate the discovery and rethinking between traditional crafts and contemporary design. It offers residents opportunities to exchange, experience, devote time to their design practice within a dynamic and vibrant environment by cooperating with local artisans.

Pro Helvetia Shanghai will support these four selected Swiss designers to become Rong Design Library’s resident for the period 2019-2020. The candidates will be able to research and study Chinese traditional handicrafts and materials (bamboo, silk, mud, copper, paper, etc.), and combine the learnt techniques with contemporary design. The designers will benefit from visits to crafts workshops, networking opportunities, database resources from the design library, one local assistant, and advisory support from the co-founders of the library.