Dezeen School Shows: tableware designed to heighten all five senses and a restaurant enterprise that brings families together by communicating the needs of elderly family members are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Also included is an animated film about a white fawn in a world of bright colours and a donation kiosk that raises advertising money for small non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Institution: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
School: School of Design
Courses: BA (Hons) in Environment and Interior Design, BA (Hons) in Digital Media, BA (Hons) in Interactive Media, BA (Hons) in Product Design, BA (Hons) in Social Design, BA (Hons) in Communication Design and Master of Design (Design Practices).
Tutors: Peter Hasdell, Jae Oh, Newman Lau, Brian Lee, Heiward Mak, Chan Kam Fai, Kenny Chow, Lee Chi Wing and Shera Park.

School statement:

"PolyU Design has been an important hub of design education and research for Hong Kong since 1964. It is a place where East meets West, allowing students to develop their design expertise while gaining an in-depth understanding of industry and society, with a unique international and cultural perspective.

"PolyU Design attaches equal importance to design theory and application, integrates art with science, actively promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and learning, emphasises high-quality design education, conducts high-level research, and provides consulting services.

"The school is leading in Asia and 16th globally on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) art and design rankings. Academic programmes are offered at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels in highly diverse design expertise.

"The research and academic programmes are based on five central tenets, including developing an open mind frame, steering positive change, establishing visionary entrepreneurship, practising authentic expression, and designing responsibly.

"Many design projects of PolyU students are human-centric, cultural-driven and embrace the latest technologies.

"In this school show, 10 amazing projects are selected from undergraduate programmes in advertising design, communication design, digital media, environment and interior design, interactive media, product design, social design, and master of design (design practices).

"These projects address the topics of harmony and building positive relations with people and our surroundings."

Unconscious or Conscious? by Lam Yuen Wai Janis

"Are you affected by the world unconsciously? Or are you controlling your own path consciously? Different spatial settings of pathways impact people's behaviour in relation to motion, time and visual perception, creating our own unconscious experiences.

"This project explores the narrative of pathways and how these affect people unconsciously. Spatial illusions are created throughout these pathways, speculating on the influences and impacts of architectural elements and the directionality they might have on our unconscious and conscious decision-making to experience space.

"Inspired by the mid-level escalators in central, an abstract futuristic site is developed by connecting various pathways on different levels to create a spatial network with repetitive patterns and forms to generate contiguous illusions of dimensional encounters."

Student: Lam Yuen Wai Janis
Course: BA (Hons) in Environment and Interior Design
Tutor: Peter Hasdell

White by Ho Tsz Ching Helen and Chow Hiu Yim Ceci

"White is an animated short film. A small white deer followed the herd out of the forest where it originally lived and went into a world full of colour.

"Here, everyone pursues beautiful colours. Fawns that want to stay white choose to be dyed the same colour, in order to blend in with the herd.

"The white deer felt lost in the pursuit of colour, and his beautiful colour turned cloudy. He met a little man who kept his white colour and reminded him of his original intention."

Student: Ho Tsz Ching Helen and Chow Hiu Yim Ceci
Course: BA (Hons) in Digital Media
Tutor: Jae Oh

YouNgold by Lau Chi Ching Sandra and Wong Hoi Ki Hidy

"Hong Kong's ageing population is on the rise, which places extra pressure on the community.

"In many Asian families, there is poor communication among family members that may build a barrier between them.

"YouNgold is a customised restaurant platform that helps young people know about the needs of their parents. It also aims to help reduce the risk of disease and bring families closer together."

Student: Lau Chi Ching Sandra and Wong Hoi Ki Hidy
Course: BA (Hons) in Interactive Media
Tutor: Newman Lau

Pit-a-Pat by Tam Tsz Shan Iris

"We start the journey of saving money for our future wishes with a piggy bank. What if there could be a piggy bank for our community's future too? Pit-a-Pat is an all-in-one donation platform for small non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It aims to strengthen community bonding and resilience.

"Small NGOs have a little marketing budget and unstable funding sources compared to well-established NGOs. However, small NGOs are flexible in directly helping local residents and their work deserves recognition and support.

"By setting up donation kiosks in MTR stations for every district in Hong Kong, Pit-a-Pat helps small NGOs get low-cost advertising opportunities and reach a wider donor and donee base. Each kiosk focuses on small NGOs that are active in the district.

"For donors, Pit-a-Pat provides a transparent, convenient and engaging experience in donating and connecting with NGOs in their community.

"Users of the Pit-a-Pat app can track causes they support and set up fundraising projects to tackle immediate community issues."

Student: Tam Tsz Shan Iris
Course: BA (Hons) in Product Design
Tutor: Brian Lee

The Moon, Sky and You by Sze-To Wun Chung Alex and Lin Hei Yau

"The Moon, Sky and You is a live-action film. It is a tragic romance of a pair of young lovers fighting against a hitman organisation with violence, forgiveness, and redemption.

"It also represents the dumb and purity of witnessing the end of our path in secondary school.

"Besides the story, when it comes to a dilemma, The Moon, Sky and You is interested in the relationship between and answering that which they know they shouldn't do. Adults will wisely step back because of the responsibility on their own.

"However, teenagers will step forward with their irrationality and see behind walls. Nothing is black and white. It is our lifelong lesson to find the balance in both of them."

Student: Sze-To Wun Chung Alex and Lin Hei Yau
Course: BA (Hons) in Digital Media
Tutors: Jae Oh and Heiward Mak

Gap Time by Ng Pui Ki, Liang Lijuan Laris, Yiu Tung and Cheung Yip Pui

"The design team focused on diversifying the usage of the young generation and salaried man's daily gap time. Dedicated to adding fun to people's stressful lives, the team hacked into how they use spare time, such as waiting, taking transport, etc.

"They have successfully prototyped and organised four workshops, in which many meaningful impacts have taken place between the participants as a result of co-creation.

"Designated co-design and co-operative exercises, where participants are inspired, motivated and unleashed, serve as a springboard for their imaginative practice and act as conversation tools for sparking discussion with each other.

"The designers intended to cover three main levels of objectives, including to be aware of gap time, to act in a fun way, and rethink the inside value.

"In light of these, they designed a game design package, an integration of an app, and a gap time diary to provide a connected experience to players, even people who are not involved in the workshop."

Student: Ng Pui Ki, Liang Lijuan Laris, Yiu Tung and Cheung Yip Pui
Course: BA (Hons) in Social Design
Tutor: Chan Kam Fai

Waternow by Chung Tsz Kin Edward

"Hydration is essential for our body to function. It has been a prevalent topic in other countries but is receiving less concern in Hong Kong.

"It is rare to see people in Hong Kong drinking water with their water bottles. This may be because of the coffee we drink in the morning or the milk tea at night, but these beverages are not enough to keep us hydrated most of the time.

"Waternow is a brand new experience of drinking water. It aims to create a metaverse that turns drinking water into a gaming experience for long-term habits.

"To bring awareness to the importance of keeping hydrated for the general public and motivate them to drink more water, this design includes virtual and real experiences, metaverse, smart water checkpoints, and AR interaction technology."

Student: Chung Tsz Kin Edward
Course: BA (Hons) in Interactive Media
Tutor: Kenny Chow

Zzity by Tsang Hui Ching Deborah

"In Hong Kong, a 24/7 city where the pace of life is too fast, Hong Kongers' sleeping time is compressed and fluctuates arbitrarily.

"It's been a long time for those living in this city to have a good rest. Hong Kongers value neither sleep nor bedtime and morning period. People have little sleep and start another morning hurrying before even being fully awake, which has caused people to become exhausted and numb.

"Hong Kongers need a new living space that allows a lifestyle change and enables them to take a good rest. Thus, Zzity was created – a unique resting space for everyone.

"Zzity is a fictional city with its urban landscape shaped according to the owner's bedtime and morning habits. The owner decides their Zzity character, which they can maintain or change every day. Is it a resort, a country, or a planet in outer space? The owner will make their choice!"

Student: Tsang Hui Ching Deborah
Course: BA (Hons) in Communication Design
Tutor: Chan Kam Fa

Geniors – Let Knowledge Bridge by Liu Qinyi Alix and Wu Qianxi

"This project focuses on the seniors' mental needs and the generation gap aggravated by the ageing society in China. In response to this social phenomenon, Geniors is founded on the concept of knowledge inheritance.

"With the belief that every senior is a treasure of wisdom, we build a cross-age sharing community that covers both online and offline.

"The online platform includes Geniors APP and WeChat mini programme, enabling the senior to share professional experience and thoughts with the youngsters. The offline event includes interactive installations in public and activities. Government, local community, senior college, and other knowledge-sharing brands are considered to be involved as collaborative parties.

"Geniors re-bridges the two generations and provides seniors with new ways to recognise their worth. As a result, elderly people can enjoy fruitful retirement years and benefit together with young people from communication across generations."

Student: Liu Qinyi Alix and Wu Qianxi
Course: Master of Design (Design Practices)
Tutor: Shera Park

A.Ware by Lam Sze Yu Billy

"Five senses are how people perceive the world. However, people forget the experience of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch during eating because of the fast pace of living.

"A sensory eating experience can be created through concentration and focus while practising mindfulness, which is a method of achieving good mental and physical health.

"So, how can design enrich the sensory experience while eating? Can it be a new way of serving food?"

Student: Lam Sze Yu Billy
Course: BA (Hons) in Product Design
Tutor: Lee Chi Wing

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.