Building on the legacy of Business of Design Week (BODW), the bodw+ Series is a brand-new programme designed to redefine how design shapes the world we live in. Through a thoughtfully curated lineup of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops, the bodw+ Series offers participants the insights and inspiration to think bigger, act bolder and embrace curiosity as the driving force behind meaningful change.
Happening across the year on 25 June, 25 September, and 23 October, each one-day event immerses participants in transformative ideas, all aligned with BODW 2025's unifying theme of ‘Curiosity’. What makes this series even more extraordinary is its collaboration with the year-round Partner Country of BODW 2025 — Italy— a global leader in design, art, and craftsmanship. Paired with Hong Kong’s unique East-meets-West position as a cultural and business hub, this partnership creates a powerful synergy that bridges diverse perspectives, merges global expertise and fosters groundbreaking ideas.
Whether you’re a passionate designer, visionary entrepreneur, inspiring educator, curious student, or simply a devoted design lover, you’ll discover boundary-pushing creativity and the seamless blend of tradition and technology in this vibrant creative community.
When Curiosity Meets Craft: Series 1's Revelatory Journey
On 25 June, something magical happened. The inaugural bodw+ Series transformed The Steps at DX design hub into a crucible of creative revelation, where Italian design mastery met Hong Kong's innovative spirit. This wasn't just another design conference—it was a masterclass in how curiosity becomes the catalyst for extraordinary breakthroughs.
Lorenzo Taucer, Director of Product Development & Marketing at Moroso, took participants on an exhilarating journey beyond conventional comfort zones. "Design is a living puzzle—balancing functional performance with a deeply human perspective," he revealed, his words resonating through the packed venue as he shared how partnerships with maverick designers like Patricia Urquiola and Ron Arad have kept the Italian furniture giant perpetually on the cutting edge. But Taucer's genius lay not in the telling, but in the showing—demonstrating how embracing uncertainty, tackling sustainability, and driving material innovation can transform everyday objects into profound expressions of human experience.
Lorenzo Taucer, Director of Product Development & Marketing at Moroso, captivates the audience as he shares insights on "Out of the Comfort Zone: Design as an Act of Brave Exploration," revealing how partnerships with visionary designers keep the Italian furniture giant at the forefront of contemporary design.
The morning's crescendo arrived with Fabio Verdelli, whose philosophy of "Gentle Tech" felt nothing short of revolutionary. As founder of Fabio Verdelli | Design Studio, he painted a compelling vision of technology that "whispers, not shouts"—a world where innovation enhances rather than overwhelms human connection. His showcase of the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, Trillo Speaker, and Traccia Keyboard wasn't merely product demonstration; it was poetry in motion, revealing how the most sophisticated technologies can feel as natural as breathing when guided by genuine curiosity about human needs. Verdelli's human-centred approach prioritises natural gestures, tactile experiences, and emotional connections, envisioning products that feel intuitive, warm, and deeply resonant.
Fabio Verdelli, Founder and Director of Fabio Verdelli | Design Studio, presents his revolutionary "Gentle Tech" philosophy at bodw+ Series 1, demonstrating how sophisticated technology can feel as natural as breathing when guided by genuine curiosity about human needs.
The cultural bridge-building moment came alive when Hong Kong-based textile and materials designer Elaine Yan Ling Ng joined the dynamic panel discussion. Her exploration of how traditional craftsmanship dialogues with future technology created an electric atmosphere, showing how curiosity transcends borders and binds creative communities across continents.
From Theory to Touch: Workshop Alchemy
The afternoon transformed ideas into tangible experiences through hands-on workshops that embodied the morning's insights. Taucer's "The Ergonomics of Failure" workshop challenged everything participants thought they knew about mistakes. Rather than obstacles to overcome, failures became raw materials for innovation—a radical reframing that shifted perspectives from setbacks to innovation catalysts. Participants explored how to interpret and reframe the transformative potential of mistakes whilst practicing turning constraints into design opportunities.
Lorenzo Taucer facilitates collaborative discussions in "The Ergonomics of Failure" workshop, challenging participants to reframe mistakes as valuable design resources and catalysts for innovation rather than obstacles to overcome.
Meanwhile, Verdelli's "Designing Everyday Companions" workshop invited participants to reimagine the humble door as a "Smart, Beautiful" gateway that combines intelligence with emotional warmth. Through sketching, guided critique, and collaborative experimentation, attendees experienced Italian design philosophy firsthand, discovering how thoughtful design choices turn ordinary objects into quiet, meaningful companions that enrich daily life.
Participants engage in hands-on experimentation during Fabio Verdelli's "Designing Everyday Companions" workshop, reimagining ordinary objects through the lens of Italian design philosophy and human-centred innovation.
The Digital Horizon: Series 2's Promise
As Series 2 approaches on 25 September, anticipation builds around "Strategic Design Meets AI: Driving the Next Wave of Innovation." With Professor Cabirio Cautela (CEO, POLI.design) and Stefano Carta Vasconcellos (Deputy Academic Director, IED) joining the conversation, this session promises to explore how strategic design helps organisations reimagine value and navigate uncertainty in an age of accelerating change. Here, AI transforms from replacement to amplifier—creativity's powerful ally when guided by the very curiosity that has fuelled Italian innovation across arts, architecture, fashion, and manufacturing for centuries.
Preserving While Progressing: Series 3's Culmination
The forthcoming Series 3 on 23 October will complete this transformative trilogy with "Craftsmanship & Design Innovation" and "Film Restoration," celebrating how Italian artisanal heritage—from leather and jewellery to cinematic preservation—demonstrates that traditional techniques can merge seamlessly with modern aesthetics, creating sustainable solutions that honour artistic legacy whilst embracing tomorrow's possibilities.
The bodw+ Series represents more than knowledge exchange—it embodies a philosophy of transformation through curiosity. Here, concentrated one-day programmes become catalysts for lasting change, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond individual participants to strengthen the Italy-Hong Kong design network and foster innovation ecosystems that bridge continents. Participants across sectors—from design professionals and industry practitioners to civil servants, educators, and tertiary students—benefit from these cultural exchanges that demonstrate how curiosity drives excellence in both communities.
Mark your calendars: Series 2 awaits on 25 September, followed by Series 3 on 23 October. Registration details are available through official BODW channels, with each series offering unique perspectives on curiosity-driven innovation that contribute to Hong Kong's vision as Asia's creative hub. These events promise to continue the journey of discovery, revealing new facets of how design thinking can reshape our world.
As BODW 2025 approaches, the bodw+ Series stands as testament to curiosity's transformative power—not merely as theme, but as fundamental methodology. Through explorations spanning furniture design, strategic AI integration, and heritage craftsmanship, participants discover how curiosity unleashes creativity, fostering the bold experimentation that defines both Italian excellence and Hong Kong's dynamic future. The series proves that when East meets West through the lens of curiosity, extraordinary innovation becomes inevitable.
Missed bodw+ Series 1 or want to revisit the transformative insights? Experience the complete journey of curiosity-driven discovery through our comprehensive on-demand platform, where Italian design mastery meets Hong Kong innovation in an accessible digital format. Explore bodw+ Series 1 On-demand and continue your design adventure at your own pace.
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