On October 18, the much-anticipated 2023 Chengdu World Science Fiction Convention (2023 Chengdu Worldcon) opened. As an important part of the event, the 81st Worldcon Sci-fi Design Summit was held in the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum on the morning of the same day.

The 81st Worldcon Sci-fi Design Summit was held in the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum on October 18. (Photo/Chengdu Science Fiction Association)

The Summit drew a wide range of sci-fi fans from all over the world. Guests included Alexander Brandt, a new media artist, future designer, and Orientalist from Germany; Satoshi Ohashi, Director of China for Zaha Hadid Architects; Kuri, an illustrator; and Yang Yi, a Chinese New Zealand artist. They shared opinions on "Immersive Scene Attraction, Future Space Imagination, and Forward-looking Application" with designers closely related to sci-fi.

Immersive Scene Attraction

Sci-fi is called "the most realistic fantasy art." Compared with other industries, design has a stronger relationship with sci-fi. The distinctive aesthetic is an inexhaustible source of "inspiration" for countless designers who feed sci-fi through imagination and the art of beauty.

Focusing on attraction, imagination, and foresight, the Summit brought sci-fi fans into the world of the attending guests from around the globe with charming sci-fi design.

Alexander Brandt and illustrator Kuri, a finalist for this year's Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist, first shared their views on "Immersive Scene Attraction."

Alexander Brandt and illustrator Kuri, a finalist for this year's Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist, first shared their views on "Immersive Scene Attraction." (Photo/Chengdu Science Fiction Association)

Alexander Brandt talked about the application of new media design and the future development of scene curation, titled "Immersive Hard Sci-Fi: Experience Brought by Creative Design." He mentioned the concepts of "immersive movie" and "immersive education" and said that they are trying to push the experience to the extreme by creating immersive stories, allowing participants "to be not only audiences but also actors."

Under the title of "Depicting a Fantastic Dream," Kuri shared her dream with sci-fi fans from the perspective of sci-fi illustrations with brilliant colors, talented brushwork, and energetic composition.

Kuri shared her dream with sci-fi fans from the perspective of sci-fi illustrations with brilliant colors, talented brushwork, and energetic composition. (Photo/Chengdu Science Fiction Association)

Future Space Imagination

During this session, guests deconstructed design inspiration from nature and explored the scientific application of naturalism and futurism.

Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, the main venue of the 2023 Chengdu Worldcon, has come under the spotlight since its completion as it is in a highly futuristic shape with an effective integration of sci-fi and ancient Shu elements.

Satoshi Ohashi, Director of China for Zaha Hadid Architects, the building's designer, unveiled more details about the design of the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum. It borrowed many classic scenes from sci-fi works, such as "cosmic wormholes," "waterscape planet," and "tidal force fields." "Here, all our senses are engaged, and our imagination is stimulated throughout the tour," he said.

Satoshi Ohashi, Director of China for Zaha Hadid Architects, the building's designer, unveiled more details about the design of the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum. (Photo/Chengdu Science Fiction Association)

Chinese New Zealand artistic creator Yang Yi shared a unique journey. From the perspective of his many years of creative experience, he told a story with science fiction. He said this journey made him understand "the harmony between man and nature, as well as the mutual respect and love among human beings and between man and other species."

Ma Nan, founder of OPENCITY Metaverse Co-creation Community, starting from the relationship between science fiction and metaverse, told the birth of the world's first sci-fi metaverse community—it took them 449 days to complete this co-creation journey from design to launch in this parallel universe. "This is an attempt to bring science fiction into reality. Without science fiction, there would be no metaverse," said Ma Nan.

Forward-looking application

Then came a roundtable discussion themed "Forward-looking Application". Bing Yin, a multimedia artist from the China Academy of Art, moderated the discussion. Wang You, an independent curator and the founder of Wanyou Gravity Laboratory; Zhang Kejun, Vice President of the International Design Research Institute of Zhejiang University; Wang Sibo, a light painting artist and an advisor of the Light Painting World Alliance, and Sun Yue, the founder of Sci-Fi Space, discussed topics such as sci-fi design and urban construction, sci-fi design and ground practice, as well as application and future trends of sci-fi design.

The roundtable discussion is themed "Forward-looking Application." (Photo/Chengdu Science Fiction Association)

Sun Yue said, "I have visited every corner of the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum in the daytime or at night. There are many science fiction-related details hidden in different places. I think this museum is the most sci-fi scenario in Chengdu."

In Wang You's opinion, the most sci-fi place in Chengdu Plain is Sanxingdui. "The word 'sci-fi' is actually a combination of science and fiction. In Sanxingdui or the ancient Shu civilization, people used boundless artistic imagination to create miraculous bronze objects such as bronze masks with protruding eyes through the technical process of bronze casting. This shows that during the ancient Shu period, Chengdu planted the seeds of science fiction, which has grown until today."

Zhang Kejun believed that when science fiction comes to reality, the most sci-fi place in Chengdu is the National Supercomputing Center. At the same time, he was pondering two questions: Where is the future of technology going? What is the real meaning of art and technology? "Human aesthetics may no longer be the only criterion for assessing future design, and technology will take us to explore new (directions)."

As a light painting artist, Wang Sibo presented the work titled "Sci-Fi Photoelectric Planet" to show science fiction fans multiple possibilities of the unknown and the known, as well as the present and the future. He said that he will try to carry forward Chinese culture with light painting and hopes to start light painting of the creation of Chinese calligraphy in Chengdu.

As one of the first activities of the 2023 Chengdu Worldcon, the brilliant Sci-Fi Design Summit officially kicked off the event; from today to October 22, the 2023 Chengdu Worldcon will continue to bring wonderful content.