Rencently, Opening Ceremony for Work Exhibition of International Workshop of Power of Narrative held by Department of Environmental Design, College of Art and Design, Shanghai Business School, Opened. Under the guidance of Master Richard Dean Cato and his team from Dawnfinder Studio, 30 students of Department of Environmental Design who were admitted to the college in 2016 underwent 10 days of courses learning and completed the theme design successfully. Meanwhile, they held Completion Ceremony and Exhibition of Students’ Works and Achievements in the exhibition hall of College of Art and Design. Participants of the opening ceremony included: Chu Yanjie, Associate Dean of College of Art and Design, Shanghai Business School, Wu Qiang, Director of Department of Environmental Design, Teacher Wang Shanshan, Teacher Lei Yue and Teacher Sun Bowen from Department of Environmental Design, Master Dean from Dawnfinder Studio, Mrs. Xiong Jie, Director of Commercial Department of DeTao Masters Academy, Teacher Li Lufang, Translator and Teaching Assistant from Dawnfinder Masters Academy, Teacher Sun Xi, Course Assistant, from DeTao Masters Academy and students of Year 16 from Department of Environmental Design.

Group photo of teachers and students present at the exhibition

Master Richard Dean Cato is the Chairman of Design Strategies Company, which is a New Zealand company, and he is design master who has 40 years of working experience in New Zealand. He once participated in the design work of New Zealand’s National Pavilions of two sessions of World Expo (Expo 2005 Aichi Japan and Expo 2010 Shanghai China) and design of National Pavilion Business Center in Shanghai. With firm conviction of serving customers, Master Dean has been dedicated to the creation of immersive visitor’s experience based on his rich experiences. Others works of his included exhibition tour of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, which made a great success, Carter Observatory, Wellington, New Zealand, Exhibition of Zhenhe‘s traveling to the west held by National Library of Singapore and Theater of Golden Years of National Museum of New Zealand, an immersive theater and so on. 

Students’ works in the exhibition

With the continuous development of society, environment design is more than single architectural design or landscape design; rather, it is an emerging artistic expression for which design methods are adopted to make integration and creation, and it directly determines the audience’s experience of the whole space environment. International Workshop of Power of Narration was a comprehensive landscape and architecture design with the theme of modernity and originality and the narrative depiction behind constituted the design theme and key. 

The workshop course started with lectures and group exercises which lasted for two and a half days. At the beginning of the course, lectures were given to introduce the conceptual thinking framework of space narrative which was centered on tourists in specific venue. The students were required to set the theme by following the market rules, and then the key points about the interior space design were explained. Meanwhile, the students were required to consider the rational layout of the internal space by simulating people’s moving route. Then, the students should complete a project-based practical design which lasted for 7 days. On the last day, course evaluation and feedback was performed. 

Under the leadership of master Dean, 30 students of Year 16 from Department of Environment Design were divided into 6 groups and they presented wonderful and interesting works to the audience in the theme of environment design. 

During the past 10 days in the workshop, the students deepened their understanding of three-dimensional theme space and environment, polished their design and creation skills, and cultivated perceived, creative and green design concept, and they were able to transform the concept thinking into designs centered on tourists. By experiencing the entire design process, they grasped the essence of immersive environment space design of themed environment. At the same time, through the learning of international courses, students’ understanding of design had been improved and their professional skills were enhanced. 

Drafted by: Wang Shanshan

Photographed by: Wang Shanshan

Reviewed by: Chu Yanjie

Edited by Wu Guojun