In London, a center for exellence

By Zhang Chunyan (China Daily) Updated: 2014-05-26 07:12

A pair of porcelain Chihuahuas created by a Chinese designer are also on display. The center is an independent initiative for showcasing cutting-edge work.

Because the table is an abstract art form, it can be matched with multiple views and various scales. The movie creates a surreal environment, as if there is no border between the real and the unreal world.

Asianera, a Chinese designer, is showcasing its gongbi-style China products. Gongbi is a traditional Chinese painting style that is characterized by highly detailed brush strokes. The subject matter often pertains to realistic and narrative forms, rather than being interpretive or abstract.

Qu says the center will provide a permanent home for exhibitions and events, and will seek to enhance cooperation with global designers.

Chinese firm acquires US luxury design company

Ron Mueck: depicting realism through sculpture

"The center is also inviting leading British designers to further strengthen ties between the two sides," he says.

It will also strive to be a driving design force for all sectors of the built environment and increase the sharing of knowledge. "We will exhibit changing patterns of Chinese design and host events that will cover all the major aspects of design. But our main crux will be to drive home the message 'created in China' rather than 'made in China'."

The center will also play an important role in catering to the varied tastes of Chinese people in areas such as culture, fashion design and antiques.

Qu, who is also the China business development associate at Building Design Partnership Ltd, a firm of architects and engineers that employs more than 800 people in the UK and internationally, says China can gain extensively through such initiatives.

"The UK is one of the most advanced creative and cultural industry centers in the world," says Qu who was the key architect for big-ticket projects like the Wulin Road project, a new district linking West Lake, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, to the city center; Guangzhou Tennis Center; and Nantou Square in Shenzhen.

Though he started off as an architect designing residential projects in Shanghai and Suzhou, he says the real breakthrough in his career came after he joined BDP in the UK.

The British firm's considerable exposure to architectural designs and master planning projects and the practical experience it gained by being associated with big global projects have taught him more about design, Qu says.