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HKDI Graduates emerged with flying colours in international design competitions, pocketing the Gold award in the 25th Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards (APIDA) and five Certificates of Excellence in the Student Category (Interior Design) and Student Category (Product Design) of A&D Trophy Awards 2017. The awards are a testimony to recognition of the standards of HKDI students by the international design industry.

HKDI graduate of the Higher Diploma in Interior Design, CHU Ka-wing, clinched the APIDA Gold Award (Student Category) organised by the Interior Design Association of Hong Kong with his work “Music Therapy Tea House”, beating other high quality entries designed by counterparts from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia.

Feeling that city dwellers lead a hectic life, Ka-wing hopes to create a sanctuary amid hustle and bustle of the city. The inspiration of his teahouse is based on the floating restaurant on the bank of Shing Mun River in Sha Tin. Adding the style of Japanese teahouses and a heavy reliance on sunlight as well as making use of the man-made sound of rustling leaves and flowing streams, the teahouse will make customers feel relaxed and calm like staying in the countryside. Ka-wing was thrilled by the win and thanked his HKDI teachers for their dedication and arranging him for an internship in a design firm that hires him as a full-time staffer upon his graduation to take part in the interior design of hotels.

The HKDI trio, graduates of the Higher Diploma in Interior Design CHAN Yui-pan, CHEUNG Ching-hong and TAM Kwan-yiu, won Certificates of Excellence in the Student Category (Interior Design) of A&D Trophy Award 2017. Their works are purposed to create dynamic creative and exhibition space for local designers with a view to cementing the status of Hong Kong as the design hub of Asia.

The inspiration of Yui-pan’s work, “Self Space - Designer Working Studio”, is based on Lai Tak Tsuen in Tai Hang which is the only public housing estate in Hong Kong that employs the cylindrical design. The housing estate units are turned into co-working space for designers to encourage ideas exchanges and spur creativity. Yui-pan was also engaged full-time by his internship company upon her graduation to pursue a career in the interior design industry.

Ching-hong’s work “Urban Tribes Art Village” is based on design of the Kwun Tong Ferry Pier. Surrounded by water screens, the building provides artists with their own creative space which can also double up as an exhibition space to showcase their brainchild. Ching-hong is currently an assistant interior designer in an architectural and interior design company. He pointed out that HKDI provides project-based assignments for students to forge close links with the community, like providing interior design for residential housing and shopping malls to enhance their practical experiences.

Another awardee TAM Kwan-yiu creates an exquisite spiral staircase named “Ribbonic Platform” to furnish the K11 Museum Retail. The staircase will be connected to the interactive platform to allow visitors to appreciate the artistic showpieces in the mall. Upon graduation, Kwan-yiu was admitted to Year Three of the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in the Environment and Interior Design programme offered by Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She said the 3D spatial design skills taught and the encouragement to be bold and creative given in HKDI makes her better adapted to the self-directed learning mode of the university.

Meanwhile, HKDI graduates of Higher Diploma in Product Design FOK Chi-kin and HO Wing-hang were also awarded Certificates of Excellence in the Student Category (Product Design). Chi-kin comes up with a baby bottle set titled ‘Tiny Egg’ which is foldable like an accordion to provide convenience for parents when they go out with their baby. To prepare for a career in the design industry, he is now studying the top-up degree programme in Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Product Design offered by School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE), another member institution of VTC, in collaboration with Birmingham City University of the UK.

“PETfit” designed by HO Wing-hang is a tailored made treadmill for dogs that enables dog owners to exercise indoors with their dogs regardless of the weather. Wing-hang is currently a junior designer in a company specialised in the production of toy and home goods.