# HASHTAG 2018 JOINT-SCHOOL DESIGN EXHIBITION
Exhibition space design 2017-2018
Location: Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taiwan
Collaborating universities and faculties: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Dept. of Industrial & Commercial Design / Undergraduate Program of Creative Design), National Taipei University of Technology (Dept. of Interaction Design / Undergraduate Program of Creative Design), National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (Dept. of Digital Media Design)
The “# Hashtag 2018 Joint-university Design Exhibition” was a cross-disciplinary exhibition showcasing more than 100 graduation projects of more than 200 students from five design departments of three top technology universities in Taiwan.
Role: Exhibition space planning section team lead & designer
ORIGIN AND LOCATION
The exhibition was held at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei City. It took place in three of the buildings which were camphor factories in the old days, and the area is about 1260 square meters in total. The location is a popular place for the citizens of Taipei City to spend the day when they want to visit exhibitions, performances, and cultural activities. The exhibition is named “# Hashtag”, as it aims to connect people from different places to communicate, like how the use of hashtags can connect individual posts on the internet, so that the ideas of the exhibitors can be shared with more people. The Huashan Park is ideal for the exhibition as it offers big enough space for five design departments, much freedom for exhibition planning, and a large number of visitors. One thing to note is that, due to the historical sight protecting laws, we could not attach anything to the walls, the floor, and the ceiling.
SECTION PLANNING
The exhibition is divided into four large sections according to the form and nature of the exhibits: product and graphic design, space design, interaction design, and film and animation. The sections require different space planning and display methods. Each large section is further divided into small areas according to their theme, such as land and culture, home and life, etc. The visitors start from the product and graphic design section, where the exhibition is more static and the exhibits are often more functional, then move to sections that are more relaxed and entertaining, such as the interaction design section. In this way, a smooth experience is created as the visitors’ mental workload decreases along their journey.
FLOOR PLAN
The placement of the exhibits and walls aim to guide the visitors to move through a single flow due to the limited area of the space and the number of the visitors. The product and graphic design section and the space design section require tables of different sizes to display their exhibits. The interaction design section requires dark rooms (which are mostly 3*3*3 m in size) for projections and immersive experience. Other areas include the reception area and a stage and seating area.
DESIGN ELEMENTS
Visual Identity: The walls and signs follow the visuals designed by the visual communication section of the organization team, which consist of crossing and overlapping lines (of the hashtag symbol), spray paint texture, and the colors dark blue and hot pink.
The feeling of space: To create a larger spatial feeling within the limited space, semi-transparent webs are fixed into wooden frames as walls separating the exhibits, and they are spray-painted with overlapping lines to create the effect of multiple layers of spaces within the exhibition hall.
Special materials: The section signs are hung at the center of three-dimensional wooden frames as well, and are made with laser-engraved and spray painted transparent acrylic sheets.
Flexibility: To cope with the diversity of the exhibits, the tables and platforms come in different sizes and forms.
EXHIBITION DAY
The exhibition lasted for four days, and was a huge success. Aside from the numerous visitors, the Vice Minister of Culture and the Mayor of Taipei City have also attended and given high praise to the exhibition. Both visitors and exhibitors have also expressed their satisfaction with the space planning of the exhibition.
