Zhejiang University: BRIDGE Design Week kicks off

“To achieve the UN’s SDGs, we need to consider multiple aspects – technology, art, culture, humanity, and business – and come up with creative, practical solutions to specific development challenges,” Prof. SUN Shouqian, secretary-general of Innovation Design Alliance of China, said at the opening ceremony of the BRIDGE Design Week 2021, which was held on Sept. 4 at Zhejiang University.

BRIDGE (Better Responsibility Initiative – Design for Good Earth) Sustainable Design Action, co-hosted by Zhejiang University and Alibaba Design Committee, is aimed to bring together a new generation of designers and design educators to construct a bridge to a sustainable future through the lens of design. As introduced by Prof. LI Min, director of the Zhejiang University Office of Global Engagement, the initiative is part of Z4G, ZJU’s sustainability action plan in response to the UN 2030 Agenda. “In the face of major challenges, concerted actions need to be mobilized more broadly. We, as innovation-driven universities, have greater responsibilities to shoulder and unique roles to play,” she said in the welcome remarks.

“Sustainability involves not only sustainable environment and resources, but also sustainable society and culture,” said Dr. XU Tu, senior UX design expert from Alibaba Design Committee, encouraging young designers to approach sustainability in an integrated manner.

Starting from Aug. 8, the BRIDGE is composed of three stages, namely Vision, Design and Action. In the first stage, advisers and mentors from Alibaba Design Committee, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University delivered lectures online sharing relevant design skills. With the Design Week kicking off today, 10 teams, comprised of 80 students from 17 universities around the world, will begin the design work focusing on five sustainable development goals.