Master Lecture “Designing Experience: Insights from Hubert De Malherbe”
HKDI is honoured to have collaborated with the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau to present a master lecture by renowned interior and product designer, Mr Hubert De Malherbe. We were delighted to welcome him for a thought-provoking session at HKDI on 11 March 2026. Hubert is the founder and president of Malherbe Paris, an internationally recognised design agency and one of the leading retail design agencies in France.
He showcased his latest project, the new restaurant Terrace Boulud located at Prince’s Building in Central, exploring spatial, brand and conceptual, one of the top locations in Hong Kong.
The project evokes the timeless elegance of the French brasserie legacy, while incorporating elements that reflect Hong Kong’s unique urban vibrancy and iconic greenery.
The lecture also offered a deep dive into his innovative “15 Min Ahead”, a design-focused study exploring the latest trends in luxury hospitality. It presents case studies of high-performing brands and insights into emerging trends, customer expectations, cultural sense and global markets. It also addresses the ongoing redefinition of luxury, the return of affordable items, and the pivotal role of design in shaping brand experiences. His sharing gave us real-world examples and practical frameworks to align emerging trends with evolving customer expectations in experience design.
HKDI students gained invaluable insights into luxury brand design and inspiration to apply in their studies and future design work. Most importantly, Hubert encouraged students to push boundaries and think critically about the evolving role of design in shaping the future of industries like retail and hospitality.
