Three months in one of the most respected design studios in the world, which also works for clients such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and Acer, have been completed by FFA doctoral students of arts and design and FME employees, Darina Zelenitca and Pavol Lupták. Thanks to the Erasmus+ program, they were able to gain three-month’s experience in Taipei, but also get to know the local culture. How did they fit into the CRE8 design team?
“There are companies that inspire you, but you don't dare to reach out to them. And then one day you just close your eyes and click “send email”,” Darina Zelenitca recalls how it all began. She and her colleague Pavol Lupták did not think about e-mail for a while. "The chance that it would work out was very small. But a few days later, they informed us that they had accepted us. That was a magical moment! Sometimes it's important not only to dream, but also to try," adds Zelenitca.
The CRE8 studio is the largest design studio in Taiwan and has been among the top 50 in the world according to the IF Design ranking for several years. It specializes mainly in the design of consumer electronics. In addition to corporate giants in the industry, it is known for helping lesser-known brands such as Corsair rise to the ranks of global players – for example, thanks to the design of a computer mouse, whose exposed internal structure has become a characteristic visual element of the entire brand.
At CRE8, both Pavol and Darina have been involved in real work for international clients. Pavol worked on two large projects – one in the field of transport design and the other focused on home appliances. Darina was involved in the design of beauty equipment for aesthetic clinics, and also a home appliance designed for a specific market. They are not allowed to mention any details, as these are often completely new devices that do not yet exist on the market. "We were an integral part of the design team, from the initial concept to the selection of the final variants," says Pavol Lupták. "Our colleagues worked incredibly creatively and hard; each designer in the team developed at least ten unique concepts, from which nine designs were usually selected to be presented to the client. Such an approach was a challenge for us, but it turned out that it really brings results – not to be satisfied with the first ideas, but to take your creativity even further," adds Lupták.
Design as a way of thinking
It was not the only inspiration they took away from the internship. "They very openly discuss all proposals. The whole studio is surrounded by glass walls, where sketches are glued, and the whole consultation takes place near them," Zelenitca describes. Although the studio was initially unsure how useful the Czech interns would be to them, they soon found out that they could fully involve them in creative teams. Each such team is managed by a design manager who manages communication with clients and assigns work. After the client is satisfied with the design, the order is transferred to the Development Department, where senior designers expertly fine-tune the details of the design and move the idea towards the final form intended for the market. "Unfortunately, we were not there long enough to see any of our designs transformed into a real product. However, it is interesting that CRE8 not only masters industrial design, but also has constructors and graphic designers, so they can cover the entire product development process from concept, through design and construction solutions, to packaging design, branding, and advertising," adds Lupták.
However, the language barrier, in this case Chinese, posed a challenge. "Sometimes we literally got lost in translation, but Google Translate helped us a lot," Zelenitca laughs. However, the stay in Taiwan was not just about work. "Taipei has two and a half million inhabitants in an area which is the size of Brno. Which means that there are people everywhere, at any time of the day or night," Lupták describes. On top of that, a specific climate and food, and no kitchens in apartments – it is much faster and more affordable for Taiwanese to eat outside. "When we returned, we were most looking forward to a simple home-made meal," Zelenitca adds with a smile.
The inspiration for the students was not only the design of the products themselves, but also the overall functioning of the Taiwanese company. "Everything is thought out there – the subway, bikes for rent available every hundred meters, services provided 24/7. You can see that behind them is a well-thought-out design and an emphasis on the user. And people are extremely considerate and patient so as not to disturb others," says Lupták.
During their internship, together with their design manager, Willie Wu, they organized a workshop for industrial design students at Tatung University in Taipei on the topic of "Jobs in the Future". They were based on the idea that many of today's practical, manual, or service professions remain almost untouched by technological innovations. Therefore, the students' task was to imagine one of these professions in the future, at a time when advanced technologies, smart devices, and innovative tools will be integrated into the work process that will increase safety, facilitate work, or improve overall efficiency.
They both agree that the internship has brought them a new perspective and fresh energy to work and study. And the people of CRE8 were also satisfied – they are considering welcoming other interns from abroad in the future.