TAIPEI (9/1 - 9/3)

Hello designers in Taiwan! In these last couple of days, I feel as if I've already seen and experienced so much. I was initially worried about the long class days but I don't feel exhausted in the slightest—besides the long walking and jetlag maybe. I landed around five am on Sunday and promptly met up with Pfeiffer and Sydney at the baggage claim. I was planning on making my way to the hotel by myself but (shoutout) Pfeiffer made the connection that we were all landing around the same time and reached out. It made navigating a foreign country a lot less daunting—especially because Sydney knew some Mandarin. Having got in so early on Sunday, we were able to explore the city and get our bearings before the program started. In that time we had breakfast, shopped in Taipei 101, and visited a farmers market. 

When everyone finally landed, we had dinner and said cheers to the start of the study abroad. We visited the Shilin Night Market briefly but jetlag got the best of us and we all passed out by 10. The next day we had a quick breakfast at the hotel and were on our way to the Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) by 8:30. My first impression of the TDRI was the space it was in—a former tobacco factory turned creative haven. Just about everyone who worked there wore all black, so you knew they were real designers. We were fortunate enough to talk with the Vice Director of TDRI, who might just have convinced me to apply to an internship there next summer (assuming I keep my Mandarin Duolingo streak). After we heard from TDRI, we walked down a floor and across the campus to the Trash Kitchen. Trash Kitchen was a lot smaller but just as impactful—turning trash into upcycled designer pieces. After a quick lunch break, which was delicious, we took taxis to the National Palace Museum. I was amazed to find that the museum was home to the Jadeite Cabbage and the rock that looks like pork belly.

I got a post card and bottle opener that looked like a jade pendant (which I've been faithfully carrying in my back pocket ever since). That night we had another group dinner, only this time with the students at Shih Chien University. They were super welcoming and the food was awesome. The highlight had to be controlling a robot arm with what looked like a hand mounted iPad. The instructor only had the power set to 10%, for obvious reasons. Allegedly it moves two meters a second at full speed— which will certainly knock you out. The next day we met with our groups again, and after some student intros and technical difficulties, set out to gather materials for our design sprint. Although none of us knew what we were doing and were pressed for time, we picked up some fun materials and hurried over (as fast as one can with a barrel) to catch up with the group. We caught up with the class in the middle of a tour of Dadaocheng, Taipei's oldest district. We got to learn more about the history of Taiwan, the Xia Hei Temple of the City God, and how to navigate a local fabric market. The tour ended near the Ningxia Night Market so, predictably, we went there afterwards. I had stinky tofu (which was ok) but also the best mango of my life. I'm still thinking about that mango as I write this and begin to try and reflect on what has been a genuinely transformative experience. 

Although I didn't touch on it earlier, Professor Shikai's presentation was a highlight of my learning thus far. His attitude towards design, and his photo vase series, was both engaging and inspiring. I came into this program looking to open my eyes to culture and design outside of what I'm used to. His work exemplified this—merging his culture with his designs in really compelling ways. I liked his suggestion to try dumb things. Design can be scary, especially when we're always comparing our work with others. Talking with the students at Vision Base has made me realize that design is really a universal thing. They love to wear black and laser cut just as much as we do. This trip has also made me feel like more of a designer, despite having done pretty much no design work so far. I'm constantly trying to figure out who I am as a designer, and I think exposure to other works helps me realize what exactly I like and don't. The intricacy and maximalism of some of the pieces in the museum, especially the 18 layered ivory ball, contrasts with the modern minimalist design trend. Although I don't want to be minimalist, I certainly don't have the patience or skill to carve 18 layers of ivory. But just like that ivory, I feel like I'm carving back the layers of myself and my design sensibilities through exposure to new things. It might be too early to know anything, but I'm eagerly looking forward to the rest of the trip. 

-Austin