"We're relying on the famous collections, strong brand names and individuals like the designers featured at the opening shows to promote the hub," says Ole Bouman, director of the Design Society.

"While exploring these shows, visitors will pick up the many clues and tips on how to be experimental and gradually turn into designers themselves. It's an explicit invitation to think like a designer."

Apart from the gallery space already open to the public, meeting rooms, designers' workshops, designer stores and other gallery spaces are due to open soon. Bouman says about 75 percent of the Design Society's space is already in operation.

He says that thanks to new metro lines connecting the city center with Shekou, visitors will be able to spend hours at the cultural hub studying examples of good design from over the centuries.

Reeve says the Design Society team was in no hurry to set out a specific plan for the cultural hub over the next five to 10 years, especially since they are only halfway finished setting up the current collaboration.

"What I'm very keen to do is to wait for maybe three to six months after the opening and see how the general public uses the Design Society and the V&A gallery and see how they respond. It's important to evaluate such things before deciding what happens next," he says.

"But I think we already have a feeling that it's going to be a success. Maybe in a year or so, it will be time to discuss future projects for the V&A and China."

Contact the writer at linqi@chinadaily.com.cn