SHENZHEN is a major design hub and one of the leading design cities in China. Since the first design company was founded in Shenzhen in 1982, the concept of modern Chinese design was gradually formed here and has increasingly become a part of the city and its residents. Shenzhen was officially designated as a City of Design by UNESCO on Dec. 7, 2008 and became the first city in China joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The city has a large creative workforce drawn from across the world. With the deepening and extension of design, creative industries and architecture in Shenzhen, a growing number of old factory units have been renovated into creative parks, such as OCT-LOFT and F518 Ideal Land. The city regularly holds major events such as Creative December, Shenzhen Design Week, the Shenzhen Global Design Award and the Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents. The city’s creative industries have boomed following a policy decision in 2003, with the “culture + technology” model becoming central to its economy. (SD News) | 