I don’t divide architecture, landscape and gardening; to me they are one. —Luis Barragan

When it comes to great architecture, the most important thing isn’t always the building or its surroundings. Often what makes the biggest difference is the so-called “grey spaces.” These transitional, in-between elements such as staircases, hallways, porches, eaves and vestibules can blur, or even eliminate the boundaries between the inside and outside. They play a major role in determining whether a development is functional, or a living, breathing environment.

Contemporary architecture embraces grey spaces, such as open ground floors and terraces, to provide shelter from the wind and rain, or sunny places where people can relax and interact in comfort. The idea is not a new one. Traditional Chinese residences frequently feature grey spaces, including colonnades and corridors, windowed verandas, platforms, porches, waterside pavilions and boat houses. Classical Chinese gardens in towns on the southern reaches of the Yangtze River are often defined by their creative use of grey spaces.

In fact, grey space is a perfect representation of the Chinese philosophy “Unity of Man and Nature.” Rather than emphasising its existence and tangibility, grey space conjures images and creates an emotional connection between the building and its nearby environment when people are exposed to varied landscapes with every step they make.

Modern cities feature many underutilised grey spaces on public or private lots including areas under expressways, open spaces between residential buildings, unused parts of shopping malls, hidden corners in leisure plazas and public spaces inside hotels. The question is how to unlock the potential of these grey spaces through creative design? How to create more rest areas and leisure spots in bustling cities? Building upon the motto “We Create a Lifestyle”, HKR International (HKRI) strives to provide the best solution.

HKRI launched the “PRI²DE Creative Camp” Young Designers Development Programme in 2019, with the aim to build a platform for showcasing creative work and provide opportunities for young designers and artists to put their work into practice.

Hosted jointly by HKRI and the international competition platform, Young Bird Plan, the initiative is aimed at collecting design works of movable chairs from around the world. Using HKRI’s successful projects in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Bangkok as launchpads, the key thematic element “45” was chosen to celebrate HKRI’s 45th anniversary.

With the goal of creating a sense of place and delighting users through creative works from talented designers worldwide, the competition is aimed at bringing vitality to a variety of indoor and outdoor public spaces in Discovery Bay of Hong Kong, HKRI Taikoo Hui and The Sukhothai Bangkok. It also showcases the forward thinking and creativity of the HKRI brand through online and offline publicity, which helps increase awareness among the global design industry practitioners.

Discovery Bay in Hong Kong – An exemplification of Asia’s sustainable community development

Discovery Bay Overview

·Area: 650 hectares

·Project commencement year: 1979

·Total GFA: Approx. 1,006,000 ㎡

·Overall plot ratio: 0.16

·Current population: Approximately 20,000 permanent residents from 50 countries and regions, over 50% of whom are foreigners.

·Accessibility: 

- Ferry services offer a direct connection to downtown

- Bus services connect to the Hong Kong International Airport and MTR station

- Golf carts connecting the community

HKRI Taikoo Hui – A lifestyle shopping mall and a Shanghai landmark

HKRI Taikoo Hui Overview

· Grand opening: November 2017

· Total GFA: 320,000 ㎡, including a shopping mall, a subway with commercial space, 2 Grade-A office towers, 2 boutique hotels and a serviced apartment block, and Cha House, a century-old European style mansion

· Overall green coverage: 20%

· LEED certification: All HKRI Taikoo Hui buildings are LEED certified

· Metro: Above Metro Line 13, and adjacent to the West Nanjing Road Station for Metro Line 12 & 2

· Population: Connects over 200,000 white-collar workers from nearby Nanjing Road, and 300,000 permanent residents in the surrounding area

The Sukhothai Hotels & Resorts – An escape from the hustle and bustle of the city

Sukhothai means “dawn of happiness” in Sanskrit. The Sukhothai Hotels & Resorts is a curated collection of individualised hotels, each of which reflects the distinctive culture of its destination, and no two Sukhothai hotels are the same. Their sophisticated design, high quality facilities and hospitality that touches the heart mean that guests always feel at home.

The Sukhothai Bangkok – An urban oasis

· One of the city’s most famous resort hotels, the 210-room Sukhothai Bangkok is located in the heart of downtown and surrounded by commercial areas and embassies.

· Created by renowned designers Kerry Hill and Edward Tuttle, the hotel takes its inspiration from Thailand’s ancient capital, Sukhothai. It is surrounded by Buddhist temples and pagodas, as well as meticulously constructed lotus ponds that pay homage to the old-world elegance and beauty of the Kingdom of Siam.

· Its La Scala and Celadon restaurants and Spa Botanica have earned an excellent reputation.

· The hotel has won numerous domestic and international awards, including:

Ø Forbes Travel Guide – 4 Star Hotel

Ø Travel + Leisure Magazine – Best City Hotel in Bangkok

The Sukhothai Shanghai – A place apart

· The second in The Sukhothai Hotels & Resorts chain, The Sukhothai Shanghai is located within  HKRI Taikoo Hui commercial complex.

· A masterpiece created by the internationally renowned architecture firm, Neri & Hu.

· The blend of traditional Thai hospitality, great service and modern comfort delivers an exceptional experience.

· First class service

· Member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) community

1. The Entrant is required to choose either Discovery Bay, HKRI Taikoo Hui or one of the hotels from The Sukhothai Hotels & Resorts (in Bangkok or Shanghai) as the scene for its design. The design for the movable chair should revolve around eco-friendly towns or grey spaces in commercial projects in the core areas of the city, including shopping malls, residences, hotels, clubs, waterfront promenades, and leisure squares. Whether they are intended for indoor, semi-outdoor or outdoor use, the chairs must be easy to carry and display.

2. The design should reflect HKRI’s brand story, revealing in particular the theme element “45,” which celebrates HKRI’s 45th anniversary.

3. There are no restrictions in terms of materials, but the use of recyclable and environmentally friendly materials are encouraged.

4. Practicality and functionality of the chair design shall be taken into account. The prototype can be 3D printed.

1. Match HKRI’s vision, mission and values. The design should showcase HKRI’s 45th anniversary by integrating the theme element “45”.

· Vision: To be the pioneer of innovative living space.

· Mission: We strive to create a healthy, stylish and distinctive living experience through teamwork and passionate pursuit of innovation and excellence.

· Values: PRI²DE – Pioneer - Break new grounds; Respect - Value the individual and cherish our environment; Innovation - Think outside the box; Integrity - Uphold high ethical standards; Devotion - Be committed and passionate; Excellence – Consistency in the pursuit of quality standards.

2. Creative and contemporary: The overall design should be modern and aesthetically impressive.

3. Integrated: Inject vitality into commercial and community spaces to create an artistic lifestyle experience for users.

4. Practical and movable: The work shall be able to execute in the real world. The prototype can be 3D printed and easy to transport.

5. Sustainable: The use of materials for environmental protection and recyling is encouraged.

1. HKRI Corporate Video

2. HKRI 40th Anniversary Commemorative Book

3. On the RISE – From Dazhongli to HKRI Taikoo Hui

4. Discovery Bay, Hong Kong

5. HKRI Taikoo Hui

6. The Sukhothai Bangkok

7. The Sukhothai Shanghai

8. Related grey spaces information

1.The Competition is aimed at nurturing and supporting young designers. Entrants may participate as individuals or in groups. However, each group shall not exceed 3 persons. The team leader of each Entrant shall be under 35 years of age.

2. The Competition is open to professionals, students and amateurs with a background in design and art, including but not limited to product design, interior design, architectural design, landscape design and public art.

3. Each registration number can submit a maximum of 2 entries. If you wish to submit more than 2 entries, you should register separately to obtain another registration number.

4. All team members must register on the designverse’s official website in advance, and then be invited by the team leader to complete the team formation. For frequently asked questions, please browse the Q&A section on the official website.

2022.4.14 Call for entries

2022.6.19 Submission deadline

2022.6.29 Release of shortlisted winners

2022.8.01 Release of Top 10 & public voting

2022.8.14 Public voting deadline

2022.8.17 Release of Top 3, the Champion & Special Award for Sustainable Materials

The above timeline is for reference only. The specific timing is subject to the designverse’s official website.

■ Champion (1 winner): A prize of RMB 50,000 (pre-tax) + Prototype for Work + Certificate of Honour

■ Runner Up (1 winner): A prize of RMB 20,000 (pre-tax) + Prototype for Work + Certificate of Honour

■ Second Runner Up (1 winner): A prize of RMB 10,000 (pre-tax) + Prototype for Work + Certificate of Honour

■ Special Award for Sustainable Materials (1 winner): A prize of RMB 10,000 (pre-tax) + Certificate of Honour

■ Top 10 (7 winners): Prototype for Work + Certificate of Top 10 Honour

■ Shortlist: Honourable Shortlist Certificate

1. Register by logging into www.designverse.com.cn.

2. For the latest information about this Competition, please follow the official WeChat account: designverse设计宇宙 / 香港兴业国际 or the official Weibo account: @YoungBirdPlan / @香港兴业国际;

3. Contact the Competition Secretariat directly by adding youngbirdplan as your WeChat friend, or submit queries through the official website. We remain at your service to answer any further questions you may have.

HKRI

HKR International Limited has diversified interests in real estate development and investment, property management, luxury hotels and other investments in China and across Asia. We strive to create a healthy, stylish and distinctive living experience through teamwork and an unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence. The Company’s diverse portfolio includes Discovery Bay and CDW Building in Hong Kong, HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai, and a number of premium residential properties in Shanghai, Jiaxing and Hangzhou as well as The Sukhothai Bangkok and apartments, etc. HKRI has been listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong since 1989, under the Stock Code of 00480.Website: www.hkri.com

Young Bird Plan

Founded in 2013 by Isa Ye, Young Bird Plan, is an international competition platform for global design talents. With three key elements – fabrication, mentor guidance and an interdisciplinary jury – it is fast becoming a leading voice in global design fields like urban design, architecture design, landscape design, interior design, product design, logo design and fashion design. In the past five years, it has attracted participants from 1,045 top design institutions and 4,257 top design agencies domestically and worldwide, covering 310 cities in 75 countries.

The platform constantly connects and meets various demands from political, business, and academic circles and actively fills supply and demand gaps among designers, manufacturers, developers, urban operators and users. We are committed to design and innovation, and offering opportunities for creative minds around the world to participate in the creation process, so as to propel the implementation of design projects and products focusing on urban spaces and life aesthetics. Young Bird Plan is devoted to pushing urban development and offering high-quality solutions to product updates. As one of the most influential design competition platforms around the world, and based on approximately 30 competitions held in the past 9 years, we make every effort to create opportunities for young designers.