Design District Hong Kong 2020 | Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Design Centre is the organiser of Design District Hong Kong (#ddHK), a 3-year design programme that envisioned Wan Chai and Sham Shui Po districts as a pop-up ‘open-air design district gallery’. It celebrates authentic culture and creativity and uses design to embody the collective Hong Kong identity and the residents’ affection for this city made possible by the everyone’s contribution and perspiration.

After our involvement with #ddHK 2018/2019, we are honoured to once again be appointed as lead creative partner for the final year programme, transFORM by #ddHK in 2021. As part of this programme, #ddHK invited seven local and international artists to enliven the waterfront of Wan Chai to Central with their artworks. Each art piece is inspired by the rich history of Wan Chai district and the city's unique colour palette and featured public spaces that welcome the public to rest and relax, play with interactive installations, and immerse themselves in a vibrant, art-filled experience.

Onebite’s contribution, #APARTOGETHER 《#一齊一個人》, is our team’s creative response to how public facilities could adapt to social distancing measures during the waves of Covid-19 pandemics. Each module enabled public space users to rest and hang out “together” while keeping “apart”.

The centrepiece of our series of nine pavilion-style outdoor furniture pieces is The Lead”《首》, which we have the privilege to conceptualise and realise with the Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association, incorporating elements of their world-famous Tai Hang Fire Dragon to bring good health and blessing to the city and all visitors.

The other eight furniture pieces are designed to allow visitors to enjoy a quiet sunset moment alone to having a solo ride on a merry-go-round. Each of the furniture pieces is thoughtfully designed so that visitors can enjoy these public facilities at a safe distance from other visitors. The names of these eight pieces all start with #One and end with Together, such as #One in #Rhythm Together and #One in #Balance Together. There is also a sphere made of rattan topping these eight structures. Done in collaboration with Breakthrough Art Studio, this emphasised thr sense of figurative and visual connection between structures, allowing visitors to enjoy #metime alone but not feel lonely.

By creating an installation that seemingly keep people apart but are actually connecting them together by communal activities, onebite hopes the installation will dispel the perception of loneliness and isolation during Covid-19, and improve everyone’s mental health by providing a refreshing space for contemplation, romance, and fun in the new normal.