Organised by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), with Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the Lead Sponsor, this year’s BODW CityProg (CityProg), themed “20s: Reflect・Refresh・Reset ”, launches a new initiative, “Design !n Action”, to promote “business for good” and nurture new generations. The new initiative brings together local design and creative talents and companies to create Shared Value with the community.
“OpenHouse! HK” is a tailor-made career sharing programme for local design students at tertiary level or above to enhance their understanding of the design industry. The programme has received huge support from ten design institutions, including the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the City University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Design Institute, the Hang Seng University, the Hong Kong Community College, the Hong Kong Institute of Higher Education, Caritas Institute of Higher Education and Chu Hai College of Higher Education, with more than 120 design students participating. The programme will involve nearly 20 local and international companies and designers from various disciplines, including product and industrial, visual communication, creative media, environmental, interior, architectural, fashion and textile and social innovation design.
The programme features four themes: “Smart Living with Creative Technology”, “Branding Strategy ”, “Placemaking and Community Making”, and “From Commercial to Public Usage.” Participating designers will open their studios and share information about the industry, allowing design students to visit and gain knowledge and experience the industry’s ecology, and to learn about sustainable trends. The programme is free of charge.
Smart Living with Creative Technology: Design Tomorrow’s Lifestyle
With the flood of technology, 5G, blockchain and AI are becoming popular for smart living applications and are gradually changing the way we live. The trend is to incorporate technology into product design, in addition to creativity and aesthetics. Lamborghini Hong Kong, a luxury car brand; The Woolmark Company, a leader in textile innovation and woollen technology, and Kitchen Infinity Holdings Ltd, a well-known Italian kitchen and bathroom design company, will open their studios for students and share their experiences with innovative technology and design, as well as the future of the product market.
Placemaking and Community Making: Design a Sustainable City
The sustainable city is an influential issue in recent years, based on the synergistic development of the economy, society and the environment, through the design of urban space to achieve ecological and environmental protection, cultural continuity and aesthetic comfort. Hong Kong is also a home to a number of social design and social innovation-based enterprises, including the Social Venture Hong Kong, founded by the “Father of Social Enterprise” Mr. Francis Ngai, which supports the development of local social enterprises. One Bite Design Studio and Tony Ip Green Architects Ltd which use urban architectural design to bring positive change to society; and MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node run by a top US university. These organisations will share with students the opportunities of designing sustainable cities and the challenges faced by the industry from a variety of perspectives.
Branding Strategy: Creativity Fuels Business Goal
The importance of branding should not be overlooked. A good brand image helps to enhance the quality of the brand, further promote the company and brand and expand the influence of the product. In the face of fierce market competition, “design power” has become a key differentiator for brands. The new brand marketing strategy focuses on striking a balance between emotion and rationality, and using visual multimedia design to convey brand messages. Creative multimedia design and marketing companies eMotionLAB Ltd and Touches Ltd will share with students how to tailor-make marketing strategies for brands through animated videos, online promotions and microfilms, as well as showcase behind-the-scenes production of TV commercials and multimedia and future market trends.
From Commercial to Public Usage: Create Place for People
The limited supply of land in Hong Kong has led to the emergence of “commercial public space”, which is often used for a variety of land uses in urban planning. Ronald Lu & Partners and AB Concept, the planning, design and architectural firms involved in the development of Victoria Dockside in Tsim Sha Tsui, have added greenery and art installations to the Victoria Dockside project, as well as a culturally and sustainably themed shopping mall in the vicinity. This will facilitate the development of commercial activities while maintaining sufficient public space. The above two units will share with students more information on the design and development of commercial public space with other interior design and architecture firms New Office Works, Shadow Design, Ida & Billy Architects Ltd, Orient Occident Atelier, Tino Kwan Lighting Consultants, Steve Leung Design Group Limited and Haw Par Music Foundation Ltd.
Tino Kwan Lighting Consultants
Lammy Yeung | Community Manager
lammy.yeung@hkdesigncentre.org | 3793 8469
