Born in Dalian, in 2007, received the Art and Design Bachelor’s degree in Tsinghua university, Beijing, China. After the graduation I joined the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad The LOOK and IMAGE department as an assistant Project Manager in charge of the Look and Image Design for the Beijing University Technology (volleyball competition venue of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games) and the Look and Image work for China Agricultural University (the wrestling competition venue of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games), also designed the Look of the city and scenes for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Na XING joined the School of Design in 2008 as a PhD student to focus on the relationship between the urban design, the designs of the Public Furniture/Facilities and the people’s daily lives changing.

RESEARCH TITLE
Designs of Public Furniture/Facilities for the Outdoor Public Spaces of Shopping Centres in Modern Cities: A Comparative Study in Beijing and Hong Kong.

NAME OF PhD ADVISORS
Prof. SIU Kin Wai Michael
 

SHORT INTRODUCTION / DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH PROJECT
In recent years, more foreign researchers have started to consider the quality of public spaces of shopping centers. Under current urban developments, shopping centres as well as their surrounding environments have close relationship with our daily lives. However, it is still a topic less concerned in Asian countries. This study is expected start this important topic of research in Asia and to establish a design knowledge and experience related to the topic. This study also aims to establish a research framework of the topic for further investigation in the future. According to use the case study approach and methods, this study will focus on the public furniture/facilities in outdoor public spaces of shopping centers in both Beijing and Hong Kong. A comparative study on two cities will be carried out.

The research aims to review and discuss the role of outdoor public spaces (including open spaces) in modern cities, focus on the changes of the outdoor public spaces under the current urban developments, to explore the characters of public furniture/facilities in outdoor public spaces of shopping centers through user research and also the different public furniture/facilities with the different functions in outdoor public spaces of shopping centers by comparing the city/urban developments, cultures, lifestyles, etc. between two modern cities in China: i.e., Beijing & Hong Kong, to generate insights and experience for designs and further research directions for the designs of public furniture/facilities for the outdoor public spaces of shopping centers in other modern cities with Chinese communities. Though the comparative study, the relationship between the urban designs and public furniture/facilities will be analyzed. Through the comparative study of Beijing and Hong Kong a best concept of public furniture/facility design will be obtained.