Blending AI, photography and 3D rendering for the Macao Design Awards 2023 Exhibition

The future of design should feel both familiar and unsettling. At Tokyo Station, Ieong Kun Lam, art director at Indego Design, presented the Macao Design Awards 2023 Exhibition, exploring the theme ‘The Future of Design’ through a provocative blend of AI, photography and 3D rendering.

Using a process of deconstruction and reconstruction, everyday objects and Tokyo’s cultural symbols were reimagined into strange, evocative hybrids – never jarring, but always slightly off. This aesthetic of ‘disturbing harmony’ invited reflection, challenging viewers to question how technology reshapes culture. The cross-cultural dialogue was central, with Macao designers embedding their perspective into Tokyo’s symbols, creating imagery that felt respectful yet boldly reinterpreted.

The medium was as important as the message: illustration, rendering and photography were deployed strategically to balance tension and coherence, guiding viewers through an intellectual journey rather than serving purely as decoration. Subtle distortions in texture, form and composition forced pauses – provoking thought about design’s role in shaping uncertain futures. Press Play to watch Lam explain how the exhibition was less about visual spectacle and more about sparking awareness: showing that design, when made strange, opens new ways of seeing the world ahead.