Hong Kong Design Centre

Design touches almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives. Showcasing exemplary designs and projects that meaningfully address critical issues from healthcare to sustainable development, the “DFA Awards 2021 Exhibition: Design Redefines Our Times” was held from 21 to 29 May at The Mills in Hong Kong to kickstart Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC)’s 20^th anniversary celebrations and to inspire both design and non-design communities.

Honourable guests and partners at the DFA Awards Exhibition, as a kick-off of the 20^th Anniversary of Hong Kong Design Centre.

Prof. Eric Yim (left), Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre and Mr Freeman Lau (right), DFA World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer 2021 and Founder of KL&K Creative Strategics.

Attended by HKDC’s invited guests and partners, as well as DFA World's Outstanding Chinese Designer 2021 Freeman Lau and selective local award winners, a kick-off ceremony and a VIP tour were held on 20 May. At the event, HKDC announced the launch of a series of thrilling celebration activities, from a new design knowledge platform bodw+ to live TV broadcast for Knowledge of Design Week, a Design Spectrum exhibition to mark the 25th Anniversary of the HKSAR, and Fashion Asia Hong Kong forums and exhibitions exploring the metaverse.

This year, the DFA Awards 2021 Exhibition showcased 180 winning projects of DFA Design for Asia Awards, the impressive works of the 16 awardees of DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award, as well as the portfolios of three design trailblazers of the DFA Lifetime Achievement Award, DFA Design Leadership Award, and DFA World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer. All of these award-winning talents and designs demonstrate how creativity is only limited by one’s imagination, and here are some of them.

GREEN@COMMUNITY, a new community recycling network launched by the Environmental Protection Department, provides more than 160 collection points in all 18 districts in Hong Kong.   

You might have be drawn to the GREEN@COMMUNITY stores that have been popping up over Hong Kong in recent years – a rebranded community recycling network by Environmental Protection Department, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, with a view of instilling a green living culture into the community. The project has won a DFA Design for Asia Awards - Grand Award for its sustainable recycling system which covers 18 districts, providing more than 160 collection points for at least eight common types of recyclables. Its stores are not only appealing and clean in design, but lays out clear guidelines on its facilities to educate the public how to recycle.

The Calcium Brick Collection “CARRELÉ” is a proof that bio-waste can also be turned into useful resources.

If solid bio-waste is good enough for the medical industry, that's proof that it has great strength and stability, these properties may potentially be used in other industries such as architecture.

DFA Design for Asia Awards - Silver Award winner of the Product & Industrial Design discipline, CARRELÉ - THE CALCIUM BRICK COLLECTION designed by British-Chinese textile designer Elaine Yan Ling Ng takes upcycling to a whole new level. She miraculously transformed calcium carbonates in discarded eggshells into eco-friendly tiles in timeless hues, not only to reduce waste but also to explore novel applications of materials. “If solid bio-waste is good enough for the medical industry, that's proof that it has great strength and stability and, with a change of formula, these properties may potentially be used in other industries such as architecture,” said Elaine.

The North Lantau Hospital HK Infection Control Centre (HKICC) was built in a record time of only 4 months, while complying with the infection control requirements of public hospitals.

The North Lantau Hospital HK Infection Control Centre is able to provide intravenous medication and oxygen therapy, which can help alleviate the pressure of isolation beds in public hospitals.

A time-bound project, the North Lantau Hospital HK Infection Control Centre (HKICC) was granted a DFA Design for Asia Awards – Grand Award with Special Mention for its advanced construction methodologies. Built in just 120 days, the building manages to comply with the infection control requirements of public hospitals, while sharing their burden amid the pandemic. Technology and innovations take centre stage in this project, including VR and AR technologies and a smart-site management system to facilitate project supervision. “HKICC is able to provide intravenous medication and oxygen therapy, which can help alleviate the pressure of isolation beds in public hospitals,” a spokesperson of the Hospital Authority said.

Hong Kong Designer Kevin Cheung worked with Petit h, a recycling brand by Hermès to create an artistic decoration with over 5,000 silk offcuts. 

A designer’s role is to interact with the community and do social good in their practice.

Designers can play a pivotal role in social improvement, as exemplified by Kevin Cheung, winner of the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award 2021. His portfolio includes “Scenography” with Petit h (a recycling brand by Hermès), where more than 5,000 silk offcuts were mounted on bamboo circles to form leafy decorations. With the goal of turning unused materials into new designs, Kevin believes design supports social change. “A designer’s role is to interact with the community and do social good in their practice,” he said.

Want to see more outstanding design projects that have made their mark in Asia and beyond? Stay tuned for the Design Spectrum exhibition in November to celebrate the HKSAR’s 25th anniversary, which will pay tribute to the creative development of local design power in the last 25 years. Follow our social media channels for more details!