Packed with Surprises:
Unboxing Hong Kong at CICIF 2026

Hong Kong Pavilion for the China International Cultural Industry Fair (CICIF) 2026

  • Category: Public Space & Architecture, Placemaking, Art & Culture

    Type: Architectural Installation, Exhibition, Curation

    Client: Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)

    Construction: SYMA

    Location: Shenzhen, China

    Area: 615 sqm.

    Completion: 2026

Themed “Unbox Hong Kong”, the Hong Kong Pavilion is conceived as a three-dimensional “blind box” experience that invites visitors to uncover the city’s creative surprises layer by layer. Inspired by Hong Kong’s blind box craze, onebite’s designers imagined the pavilion as a playful pile of stacked boxes, each hinting at hidden stories and design talents waiting to be revealed, and echoing the thrill of unboxing in parallel with the city itself. Standing as a cluster of oversized, graphic “mystery boxes” in the exhibition hall, the pavilion emerges as a show-stealing landmark that captures the excitement of discovering Hong Kong’s most dynamic cultural and creative innovations.

Also surprising is the thoughtful trio of colours symbolising the essence of Hong Kong: light green for scenic beauty, purple for the mesmerising night sky, and light grey for urban concrete, together building a sense of playful anticipation.

Just as Hong Kong’s densely packed urban fabric conceals hidden gems of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, the pavilion’s box-like forms invite visitors to uncover unexpected stories, expressions, and creative voices within.

The China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (CICIF) is an annual showcase of the integration of culture, technology, and global innovation.

Commissioned by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), onebite designed the Hong Kong Pavilion for CICIF 2026, showcasing Hong Kong’s curated design talent and innovations to the international cultural and creative community gathered at the important cultural event.

For the curation, onebite’s designers undertook extensive research into Hong Kong’s creative landscape before pinpointing three distinctive themes — Craft, Emotion, and Phygital — and a remarkable line-up of homegrown artists and designers.

These iconic local creatives — G.O.D., Needless, KowloNeon, Leeeeee Toy, Louud, Glocal Mahjong, Bianca Tse, TINY, and Surreal Hong Kong — bring together a rich mix of practices, aesthetics, and creative voices. Each exhibiting artist reveals a different facet of Hong Kong’s many charms and its tangible and intangible heritage, collectively “unboxing” a more layered and surprising image of the city for global audiences.

At the Pavilion named “Unbox Hong Kong”, each “box” served as a dedicated platform to amplify their work through bespoke branding and curated surprises. The curation celebrated their individuality while connecting them through one shared narrative: a contemporary Hong Kong spirit that is playful, layered, and constantly advancing. Together, these artists honour the city’s traditions and histories, reimagining their possibilities in the present and future so that heritage, craft, and everyday culture feel freshly unboxed for today’s audiences and generations to come.

Every creative voice had its own moment to shine, while also presenting a collective portrait of Hong Kong’s vibrant contemporary creative scene. The immersive experience allowed visitors not only to explore the Pavilion but also to step into a living expression of Hong Kong’s evolving identity.

For the first time, the Hong Kong Pavilion at CICIF 2026 features an on-site exhibition shop, extending the visitor journey beyond the displays and offering guests a chance to take a piece of Hong Kong home.

Together, the “Unbox Hong Kong” Pavilion offers mainland and international visitors a vivid snapshot of a city that treasures its heritage while constantly reinventing itself. Framing Hong Kong through craft, emotion, and phygital innovation, it invites audiences to carry forward new stories, connections, and curiosities long after they leave the fair.

    • In the current age that embraces artificial intelligence, our pavilion was designed to bring along the human touch and Hong Kong’s hidden gems of tangible and intangible culture heritage, capitalised on a trending pop-culture format to make heritage accessible and exciting. The element of surprise fostered joy, curiosity, and social connection among diverse, like-minded visitors.

    • Through bespoke artist branding and an on-site exhibition shop, the impact extended beyond a transient visit. Visitors were able to take home a physical piece of Hong Kong’s culture, ensuring continued appreciation and economic support.

  • Team: Alan Cheung, Sarah Mui, Brenda Hui, Kaman Ip, Jason Lam, Joyce Siu, Katie Ng, Kevin Tang, Rachel Poon, Sherman Sun, Zita Szeto

    Photographer: Nam Wu

  • CICIF2026, Shenzhen, Installation, Exhibition Design, Placemaking, Branding, PublicSpace

more projects