On December 12th, the 14th Dragon Design Foundation Award (DDF Award) ceremony was held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, China. Professor LOU Yongqi, dean of College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University won the special award of “40 People of China Design During the 40 Years of Reform and Opening up”. Dr. FAN Ling, director of Design & Intelligence Lab of Tongji University, was awarded the title of China Design Industry Top Ten Youth. Professor ZHOU Hongtao, head of Innovation Field in College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, and adjunct associate professor WU Di were nominated for China Design Industry Top Ten Youth. Tongji University College of Design and Innovation was honored with the Outstanding Organization Award.
DDF Award is the first national award in the design field in China. What makes this year special is it is the 40th anniversary of Reform and Opening up for China. In the past 40 years, China developed fast in economy with a constant stream of new technologies, new industries, new types of business, and new business models. With the expansion of content design and industry scale in China, design played a more and more important role in people’s life, which has vigorously pushed Chinese Reform and Opening up forward. In commemoration of the practical experience and great achievements in the design field during this period, the DDF Committee decided to add the special person award of “40 People of China Design During the 40 Years of Reform and Opening up in the 14th DDF Award.
