Abstract

This paper describes an exploration into the absorption of local cultural elements and how these can be synthesised into new concepts from abstract elements into product designs. A cultural transfer design workshop was held with students from the IDE department at the Royal College of Art in the UK and Art and the Design Academy of Tsinghua University in China, in collaboration with traditional Chinese craftsmen. This workshop is one part of the international collaborative IDE “GoGlobal” project in 2010. Through methods including: craftwork, market observation, case study, brainstorming and concept design, the workshop results demonstrate an understanding of the transferred object from its aesthetics and ethical context of local traditional art and essential factors producing a mature, culturally transferred response. As design research, the workshop is both a rethink and experiment to discover the value of Chinese elements in products through the interaction of individual designers and teams. Analysis of the transfer is conducted in respect of both global and Chinese markets.