Design expert Peter Zec will share his thoughts on the value of good design, centering on the idea of simplicity, at the Herald Design Forum 2018.

As a speaker for this year’s Herald Design Forum “Designing Future,” Zec, founder and CEO of the prestigious Red Dot Design Award, will talk about his ideas on what constitutes good design, on Sept 14. 

“Many products that have become modern design classics have lasting appeal because of their simplicity and elegance, their quality and user-friendliness,” Zec told the Herald Design Forum.

“The concept of simplicity plays a decisive role in the history of design. Ever since industrialization, the principle of simplicity has prevailed and proven itself time and again,” he continued.

Zec will discuss how the principle of simplicity became a model for success and is a recurring theme in the history of design.

Based in Germany, Zec took over Design Zentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen in 1991, turning the institution’s decades-old national design contest into an international event.

The design professional changed the black dot of the contest’s logo into a red one, inspired by the little red stickers placed below sold artworks in galleries. He also renamed the competition the Red Dot Design Award.

The Red Dot Design Award is the only design competition in the world that presents the winning objects in its own museums, located across continents. With about 2,000 exhibits, the Red Dot Design Museum Essen in Germany currently shows the world’s largest exhibition of contemporary design.

For nearly 30 years, Zec has been working as a design consultant and an adviser to global clients and companies. He also travels around the world to speak on the importance of good design.

To share his ideas with a larger audience, he has published a number of books related to design, including, “Who’s Who in Design” in 2003 and “The Design Value -- a Strategy for Business Success” in 2010.

In 2016, Zec was awarded honorary citizenship of Seoul City in recognition of his contribution as a member of Seoul International Business Advisory Council.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)