A Grounded Harbour for Foster Care
JC Project Bonfire Hub
Across Hong Kong, end-2023 government figures show more than 4,000 subvented places in residential care homes and foster care for children and youth under 21 who are not able to safely live with their families. With persistent waitlists and high occupancy levels, many of these young people navigate critical developmental years without the benefit of lasting familial foundation required to help them thrive.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has since launched JC Project Bonfire in 2023, envisioning a district-based network of community hubs to weave a vital support system around foster carers and vulnerable children. In 2026, the Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) broke ground on the first chapter of this vision in Tuen Mun, commissioning onebite to translate that community backing into a welcoming physical space.
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Category: Placemaking, Interior & Product, Design Thinking & Engagement
Type: Interior Design
Client: Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association
Location: Tuen Mun, Hong KongCompletion: 2026
Translating Lived Realities into Design
Before gathering at the drawing desk, our team sought to understand the everyday realities of the people who would frequent this space. Facilitated by our engagement and interior design teams, a series of KNOTIE-based design thinking workshops brought together frontline staff and foster families to voice what was previously unspoken.
These engagement sessions pinned down three priorities. First, the community called for an exclusive yet shared environment that balances conflict-mitigating private zones with adaptive flexibilities to suit every household's changing needs. Second, families expressed a longing for a gentle "treehole" where mind and soul could rest, where individuals could feel seen, and where emotional self-expression was welcomed without judgment. Third, the space had to act as an unyielding pillar of reassurance for foster parents. Their feedback was translated into a space integrating dedicated troubleshooting amenities, practical nursing facilities, and readily accessible guidance.
From these insights emerged the concept of a daily getaway for wellbeing, growth, and connection.
Themed “the Invisible Cave”, the interior space embraces wavy profiles and rounded edges, bathed in an earthy, pastel palette that instills the soothing, reliable warmth of a genuinely safe space, mirroring the bonds formed between foster parents and children.
The layout translates the broad spectrum of foster care into purposeful zones, organised across a sensory and play area, a “trial” living room, and a wellness area, alongside intimate me-time corners. Practical caregiver needs and troubleshooting support are seamlessly housed within the wellness area, offering nursing rooms, open co-working space, and cosy consultation rooms for professional guidance.
Dedicated Islands for Everyday Life
The “trial” living room is designed to mirror a domestic environment. This stress-free setting lets novice foster parents and children share meals, play games, and gently rehearse the rhythms of everyday household life together.
For moments when solitude is needed to reset, dedicated me-time corners offer private alcoves where anyone can step back, reflect, and recharge in complete calm.
Rising at the very heart of the sensory and play zone is the spatial crescendo of the hub: a whimsical wooden treehouse. Directly manifesting the community's desire for a restorative "treehole," the structure serves as an enduring emblem of wonder, safety, and shelter. Under its canopy, sensory play becomes a bridge to trust, and imagination becomes an act of healing.
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As Hong Kong’s inaugural foster care hub, JC Project Bonfire Hub in Tuen Mun transforms how foster care and community support intersect, establishing an empathetic precedent for public welfare design.
Beyond its physical footprint, JC Project Bonfire in Tuen Mun serves as a scalable, district-wide blueprint for the rest of Hong Kong. It demonstrates how participatory design can actively mend social fractures, translating community empathy into companionship and support.
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Team: Alan Cheung, Hillary Fung, April Kwok, Lung Mak, Sarah Mui, Yan Wu
Photographer: Tai Ngai Lung
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fostercare, interiordesign, communityengagement, JCprojectbonfire