HKDC launches first “Design Spectrum” campaign to showcase local creativity

The Hong Kong Design Centre has partnered with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and been given assistance with sponsorship by the HKSAR Government's Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) scheme to launch a large-scale design campaign entitled, “Design Spectrum”. Taking place at 7 Mallory Street, it is URA's first preservation-revitalisation project comprising a cluster of 10 pre-war Grade II historic buildings built in the 1910s.The campaign, based around Asian design philosophy, features an array of year-round exhibitions, workshops and seminars to showcase Asian arts and crafts, design, and aesthetics while exploring how these elements are integrated into people's daily lives. The campaign also aims to promote the use of design and innovation to drive value creation while connecting Hong Kong innovative designs with the rest of the world.Curated by Amy Chow, a world-renowned interdisciplinary design expert, Design Spectrum will roll out a series of exhibitions with four themes, namely materials, reading, lifestyles, and creative industries. The debut exhibition “Material Modernity: Incredible Bamboo, Paper & Wood”, running from July 19 to September 8, 2019, will look into the visual culture and language of Asian design through material innovation. The exhibition features more than 90 award-winning designs by designers from across Asia, including Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The campaign will also unveil an art installation by renowned architect William Lim. He has utilised bamboo to create an artistic flower plaque installation, paying tribute to the art of bamboo scaffolding and Hong Kong's cultural heritage.Lim stated that, “Bamboo is a versatile and environmentally-friendly material, which is widely used in Hong Kong's construction industry and bamboo is arguably the most symbolic material that can represent Hong Kong. Flower plaque, on the other hand, is another important cultural symbol of the city. Hence, the commission work ‘The Flower Plaque’ is a key fixture of the local traditional celebratory and festive events.”In addition, innovative designs from homegrown young designers will be displayed in the Design Showcase of Design Spectrum. Featured in the showcase are; Aries Sin (founder of fashion brand MODEMENT),  Xavier Tsang (founder of candle and fragrance studio BeCandle). and Maggie Tse (founder of jewellery brand AOGP).To engage design enthusiasts and industry practitioners, Design Spectrum will roll out a series of workshops and seminars:Sin, Tsang and Tse will host a “Design Lifestyle Workshop”."IDK Design Thinking Workshop: Materials Inspired by Nature", will offer design solutions in the style of collaborative creation, allowing participants to discover the possibilities of various raw materials.Lastly, a session entitled "Designer Sharing: Material Modernity" will be co-hosted by Zhang Lei, founder of the Hangzhou-based studio Pinwu, and renowned Hong Kong designer Freeman Lau. They will discuss the Material Modernity exhibition while sharing design stories regarding raw materials such as bamboo, wood and paper, dissecting the secrets behind developing design objects into a sustainable industry.