PoChih Lai
Born in Taiwan. Graduated from Design Products, Royal College of Art in 2012. A highly motivated and enthusiastic entrepreneur with a good knowledge of engineering and design. Exposure to woodcraft, metalwork, and various functional products, including an innovative new milk steamer and an alternative extreme sport equipment – STAIR ROVER.
His works had exhibited in ‘Formosa Show’ in London Design Week 2011, ‘Homeless Design’ in Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano 2012, ‘Pininfarina in London 2012′, and ‘Design with heart’ by Sebastian Bergne – Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne 2013 – Cité du design. 2012, the STAIR ROVER project was ranked as “The Best Design Video of the Year” by Dezeen and was shortlisted in “vimeo Stuff Pick.” He was noted as “the Renaissance man” by Dwell Asia Magazine in 2012 and was selected in “The Product Design Star” by Loft Publications in 2013. In the same year, he grained the seed funding of WAVE 6 from RCA Incubator supported by NESTA, and now he is the director and founder of STAIR ROVER Ltd.
“I need to push the idea forward, not just through the design of appearance but through the true invention in new mechanics at the same time.” PoChih has been encouraged to explore the intersection of function, beauty and intelligence while he studied at RCA. He believes that usefulness should never be subservient to self-expression. PoChih values design as integral to communication, not merely as empty visual stimulation.
Email : pochihlai@me.com
2013
- ‘Design with heart’ by Sebastian Bergne - Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne 2013 – Cité du design
- Director & Founder of STAIR-ROVER Ltd.
2012
- RCA Incubator Wave 6 shortlisted
- InnovationRCA Entrepreneur’s Launchpad 2012
- Graduate from MA Design Products, Royal College of Art, London
- Pininfarina Design Competition Show in Italian Cultural institution, UK
- ShowRCA 2012 in Battersea, London
- WIP Show in Henry Moore Gallery, London
- Homeless Design Project selected in Salone del Mobile 2012, Italy
2011
- Hitachi Beyond Grey Workshop
- Formosa Show 100, London
2010
- WIP Show in Henry Moore Gallery, London
- Critical Visualisation Workshop
- Enroll at MA Design Products, Royal College of Art, London
2009
- Study in HDG Non-profit Experimental Woodworking School, Taiwan
- the Rock Plan II, Eastern Furniture Design Seminar III
2007
- Military service
- Graduate from BSc Industrial Design, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
- Taiwan Young Designers’ Exhibition 07
2005
- Practice in Diamond Interior Design Studio
- :phonk studio workshop 2006
- Work in HAM Gallery
- Practice in Fuzu Design Studio
2003
- Enroll at BSc Industrial Design, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
