The 2026 Golden Pin Design Award "Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon" is set to conclude its annual Asian tour in Kaohsiung on Friday, May 8. This final stop features an exceptional lineup, bringing together three "Best of Golden Pin Design Award" winners: renowned Taiwanese designer Aaron Nieh, NK Kuo (Founder of Forest-Wood Archi-Tect.), and Yu-Ting Tseng (Project Manager at Tsang Yu Industrial Co., Ltd.), who will share the compelling stories behind their award-winning projects. Joining them are three seasoned jurors—Joe Fang, Hsiang-Han Hsu, and Yen-Ying Lin—who will provide professional insights from a jury’s perspective. Registration for the Kaohsiung salon is now open. Seats are limited, and early registration is highly encouraged.

Since opening its doors to global entries in 2014, the Golden Pin Design Award has emerged as a premier international platform for design excellence in Asia. Beyond recognizing excellence, the award is committed to amplifying the impact of winning designs through exhibitions and matchmaking initiatives. As a flagship platform for cultural and professional exchange, the "Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon" travels annually to major creative hubs across Asia—including previous stops in Kuala Lumpur, Chengdu, and Singapore—to share practical insights from both jurors and winners. Following events in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Seoul, and Bangkok this year, the 2026 tour will conclude in Kaohsiung, serving as the grand finale to this year’s design dialogue.

Leading the speaker lineup in Kaohsiung is Aaron Nieh, the first Taiwanese designer to be inducted into the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). His studio, Aaron Nieh Workshop, has a diverse portfolio spanning music, culture, and branding. Nieh is known for his deep conceptual involvement from the earliest stages of the creative process, using a masterful command of imagery and symbols to offer new perspectives on graphic communication.

Last year, Nieh’s studio received the "Best of Golden Pin Design Award" in the Communication Design category for the "Visual Identity for the Taichung Green Museumbrary." This project elegantly distills the concepts of architecture, art, and literature into a minimalist yet highly recognizable visual system, embodying the venue's spirit of cross-disciplinary fusion. In this salon, he will present "Minimalism as a Stance," offering an in-depth look at his design process—from initial conceptualization to final visual development.

Aaron Nieh Workshop’s work - Visual Identity for the Taichung Green Museumbrary.

Joining the lineup is Yu-Ting Tseng, Project Manager at Tsang Yu Industrial Co., Ltd. With a Master’s in Industrial Design from the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in Milan and prior experience at Compal Electronics and Whirlpool's global design headquarters, Tseng brings extensive international product development expertise. Transitioning from industrial designer to project manager, she specializes in using design thinking to integrate cross-departmental collaboration and bring innovative designs to life. 

Last year, the "Merrylock MK6070 Household Air-threading Combo Sewing Machine" that Tseng co-developed, won the "Best of Golden Pin Design Award" in the Product Design category. The project simplifies complex professional technology, integrating patented features like an air-threading system and precision tension control into an intuitive interface that redefines the sewing experience. Her talk, titled "Choosing Like a Child: Decision-Making and Trade-offs in Product Design," will focus on the logic and key decisions made under real-world constraints, reflecting on the critical trade-offs throughout the development process.

Tsang Yu’s work - Merrylock MK6070 Household Air-threading Combo Sewing Machine.

Following Tseng is NK Kuo, a practitioner of natural architecture and the founder of Forest-Wood Archi-Tect. A graduate of the Architectural Association (AA) School of Architecture in the UK, Kuo is guided by the philosophy of "thinking architecture with hands," focusing on the innovative application of natural materials and steam-bent wood crafts. As both designer and maker, he adheres to a "one project per year" ethos, sourcing from Taiwan’s sustainable forests while respecting the integrity of the material through a "whole-trunk utilization" approach. 

Kuo has achieved the rare distinction of winning the "Best of Golden Pin Design Award" three times, with acclaimed projects including "vortex@EMBERS" (2020), "Maker Space｜Popop Taipei" (2021), and the bamboo structure "Bridge Cocoon" (2024). In his talk, "Stepping into the Forest: Bending Trees and Bamboo into Architecture with Your Hands," he will reflect on his creative journey and explore the future possibilities of natural material innovation.

Forest-Wood Archi-Tect’s work - vortex@EMBERS.

Forest-Wood Archi-Tect’s work - Maker Space｜Popop Taipei.

Forest-Wood Archi-Tect’s work - Bridge Cocoon.

In addition to the winners' insights, the salon features three seasoned jurors providing first-hand perspectives on design trends. The panel includes Joe Fang (Creative Director of JOEFANGSTUDIO), an expert in music visuals, branding, and curation; Hsiang-Han Hsu (Founder of Hsiang Han Design), renowned for his research in industrial design and material processes; and Yen-Ying Lin (Lead Architect of YEN Partnership Architects), who brings extensive international architectural experience. Drawing from their years on the Golden Pin Design Award jury, they will share professional insights and selection criteria from their respective fields, helping the audience understand the core values and qualities that define exceptional design.

The 2026 "Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon" in Kaohsiung will take place on Friday, May 8, at 2:00 PM (GMT+8) at the TDRI South Lab (6F, Alto, Kaohsiung Music Center). Admission is free and registration is now open via Accupass (https://bit.ly/4ct9D4y). As seating is limited and no live stream will be provided, we encourage interested participants to register early for this exclusive opportunity to engage with the speakers in person.

The 2026 Golden Pin Design Award and Golden Pin Concept Design Award are currently open for entries, covering four main categories: Product, Communication, Space, and Integration Design. Winners will gain access to diverse resources, including opportunities for international exhibitions, media exposure, and professional business matchmaking. 

The registration deadline is Monday, June 15, at 5:00 PM (GMT+8). Entries completed with payment by Wednesday, May 13, at 5:00 PM (GMT+8) will benefit from an early bird discount, and applicants may continue to update their entry materials until the final deadline. For complete submission guidelines, please visit the official Golden Pin Design Award website (https://goldenpin.org.tw/goldenpin/en).