Data as a medium for inheritance and creativity of traditional design. A case study on data-driven modern creative design of ancient Chinese catering utensils

Traditional handicraft design, nowadays, is regarded as the inheritance of traditional design culture in modern times. However, due to the gaps between traditional design and modern design, the products of modern design are limited to the superficial cultural exhibition but lack practical cultural connotations. Regarding the gaps under the design context in China, we proposed a strategy of data-driven traditional design innovation. In this case study of ceramic footed cups from Yuan Dynasty, we elaborated the traditional craft graphic quantification method based on data analysis and identified the deep associations of design morphologic data of footed cups with the modern design knowledge and traditional cultures. Based on the study, we concluded that data are the key medium that integrates the gaps between traditional design and modern design. Finally, the models of data-driven traditional design innovation were summarized, and a design program based on data science was proposed.