Dezeen School Shows: a redesign of the Bumble dating app, which prioritises friendships, is among the projects from Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Also featured is a film exploring the impact of Hong Kong’s colonial history and a proposal for a brand that discourages food waste.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Institution: Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Courses: BA(Hons) in Social Design, BA(Hons) in Advertising Design, BA(Hons) in Digital Media, BA(Hons) in Environment and Interior Design, Innovative Business Design (MDes) and Transitional Environments Design (MDes)
Tutors: Chun Hung Jonathan Yu, Kam Fai Chan, Chun Hei Charis Poon, Michael Chan, Sandy Ng, Stefan Sonntag, Amelie Chan, Daniel Elkin, Gilles Vanderstocken, Sylvia Liu, Susan Evans and Laurent Guitierrez
School statement:
“In a world where design often speaks louder than words, these projects remind us that its true power lies in empathy, inclusion and storytelling.
“From reimagining accessibility through the eyes of wheelchair users to creating spaces for stray animals and exploring emotional farewells, each design project in this feature brings forward a deeply human perspective. These designs don’t just solve problems – they tell stories, evoke emotions and invite us to see the world through different lenses.
“These works are a reflection of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design’s commitment to cultivating socially engaged designers.
“Through interdisciplinary learning, community collaboration and a strong foundation in critical thinking, students are empowered to explore the emotional and societal dimensions of design.
“The projects featured here exemplify how education at this QS-ranked 22rd design school goes beyond technical excellence – it nurtures designers who create with heart, purpose and impact.”
Wheel We Go by Arthur Keung, Huen Hei Alyson Tse and Ellen Tsoi
“Over the past year, Wheel We Go has collaborated with various wheelchair users as critical design participants to reimagine accessibility.
“By prioritising their lived experiences, we co-develop solutions to address real-world barriers, including physical, social and systemic obstacles, creating an inclusive environment for all.
“Our team members combine social science and collaborative design to generate access-knowledge.
“We challenge outdated norms to shape a society where everyone benefits, especially as populations age. Through research collaboration with individuals from diverse backgrounds, we transform observations into action.
“We hope that the access-knowledge gained from wheelchair users in Hong Kong can be applied in future architectural design, social sciences, and healthcare, truly creating an ‘accessible’ society from the perspective of wheelchair users.”
Students: Arthur Keung, Huen Hei Alyson Tse and Ellen Tsoi
Course: BA(Hons) in Social Design
Tutors: Chun Hung Jonathan Yu, Kam Fai Chan, Chun Hei Charis Poon, Michael Chan and Sandy Ng
Voices of the Voiceless by Ching Ngai Harry Chau
“Yau Ma Tei is renowned for its abundance of community cats, which are a distinctive feature of the area. However, a closer examination reveals that many of these cats face various challenges that threaten their wellbeing, whether it be store cats or strays.
“Additionally, the cats themselves can sometimes contribute to these issues, creating a complex situation that remains largely hidden from the public view.
“Throughout this project, I’ve gained various insights regarding the cat situation in Yau Ma Tei. Eventually choosing to help the stray cats and their caretakers, which led to the creation of the ‘Transitional Housing for Stray Cats’.
“This new cat box/house will be placed as a safe location for stray cats to gather and stay, while also providing convenience for the caretakers and volunteers to provide regular caretaking.
“And once animal shelters have vacant spaces, these cats can be relocated from the cat box and be put on for adoption.”
Student: Ching Ngai Harry Chau
Course: BA(Hons) in Social Design
Tutors: Kam Fai Chan, Chun Hei Charis Poon, Chun Hung Jonathan Yu, Sandy Ng and Michael Chan
Bumbling Your Way by Nicole Keming Lu
“Bumble is a female-driven dating app that builds long-term connections and prioritises women’s safety.
“However, in Hong Kong, the previous Bumble has remained a narrow perception as a dating app, with mixed effectiveness of the ‘women-first’ insight, and a lack of features for long-term connections.
“Therefore, my project will show that Bumble has been repositioned from a women-focused, dating-based application to a connection-prioritised, friends-making platform through a four-stage campaign called ‘Bumbling Your Way’: stage one (Bumble Like Us), stage two (Find it, Spark it!), stage three (Connect to Shine), stage four (Ready to Spark and Shine).”
Student: Nicole Keming Lu
Course: BA(Hons) in Advertising Design
Tutor: Stefan Sonntag
Can-do-ness by Ji Won Kim
“Cantonese is undoubtedly the most widely spoken language in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, most non-local residents in Hong Kong don’t speak Cantonese, limiting their experience in Hong Kong.
“‘Learn Cantonese, Unlock Your Can-do-ness’. Take the enabler term ‘can’ from the word Cantonese to exhibit what learning Cantonese can bring to non-local residents’ lives.”
Student: Ji Won Kim
Course: BA(Hons) in Advertising Design
Tutor: Stefan Sonntag
Whirl – Wander, Wreathe, Welcome by Yim Hiu Tung Fish
“The two sisters woke up on the tram and entered a city that felt both unfamiliar and familiar.
“Initially, they happily wandered through the streets, but the atmosphere gradually turned strange and the younger sister’s memories were triggered.”
Student: Yim Hiu Tung Fish
Course: BA(Hons) in Digital Media
Tutor: Amelie Chan
Echoes of the Past by Yanni Coco Gong
“This project explores the creation of a coastal aeolian memorial at Thunder Cave, Cape D’Aguilar, Hong Kong, aiming to preserve and celebrate the unique acoustic and morphological features of the cave.
“The concrete structure sits within a geo gap formed by a collapsed sea cave, designed to endure for millennia, emulating the cave’s natural soundscape through its interaction with wind, water and pebbles.
“Inspired by resonating tubes and wind instruments, the design incorporates elements such as a dual channel to funnel wind, ‘fipples’ akin to a recorder’s mouthpiece and a resonating chamber to amplify sound.
“The upper level remains unoccupied to ensure optimal airspeed and functionality, drawing on architectural concepts of ‘unoccupiable voids’.
“The memorial serves as an intersection of natural and human history, designed for those who appreciate the symbiosis between landscape and soundscape.”
Student: Yanni Coco Gong
Course: BA(Hons) in Environment and Interior Design
Tutor: Daniel Elkin
The Choreography Space by Sin Ting Nancy Lau
“The designer of this project is a dedicated dancer whose capstone research explores the concept of Chinese hell and its representation of human punishment.
“Inspired by Jiang’s 2008 painting, the designer reinterprets its essence through performance, selecting five key pieces as the foundation for choreographic exploration.
“The analysis focuses on the structural geometries within the paintings, which inform the development of movements that reflect the dynamic energy depicted in the artwork.
“Each choreographed step carries distinct textures – walking, rotating, waving and more – culminating in unique flows that convey individual narratives.
“This inquiry prompts a deeper consideration of how space interacts with movement. For the designer, space is flexible and intangible, explored through the body as a medium of expression.
“The research represents a synthesis of visual art and dance, revealing profound connections between spatial design and performative storytelling.”
Student: Sin Ting Nancy Lau
Course: BA(Hons) in Environment and Interior Design
Tutor: Gilles Vanderstocken
Vego – Ugly Fruit and Vegetable Biscuits by Xufan Lin, Jiayu Sun, Jiashuo Zhang and Hongbo Zhang
“Vego’s statement is using ugly fruits and vegetables waste problem to solve by extracting natural food colouring and freeze-dried pulp to make healthy biscuits and the rest of the inedible material is made into painting pigments, so that Vego can create a zero-waste economy.
“As Vego moves forward, the team will continue to expand our business model by adding functional colour formulations and developing a colour database of Vego’s proprietary pigments to ensure the continued competitiveness of the brand.
“In order to increase the effectiveness of the brand, in the mid to late stages of the project, Vego plans to enter into agreements with farmers in remote areas to buy ugly fruits and vegetables from the source and to help farmers increase their income.
“Through various actions, Vego hopes to truly realise the zero-waste principle and transformational economy.”
Students: Xufan Lin, Jiayu Sun, Jiashuo Zhang and Hongbo Zhang
Course: Innovative Business Design (MDes)
Tutors: Sylvia Liu and Susan Evans
Prosperous Together with Water – Regenerative Design in Luk Chau Village by Huizi Hu, Ke Li and Qinyu Yao
“The Luk Chau Village project on Lamma Island, Hong Kong, is centred on a circular economy framework that transforms the water challenges posed by climate change into a driving force for sustainable village development.
“By reimagining the relationship between water and the community, the project establishes a closed-loop system whereby water becomes a fluid energy carrier while facilitating ecological restoration and economic rejuvenation.
“This circular economy thinking goes beyond the traditional linear development model to create a more resilient, self-sufficient and renewable village. The transformation of Luk Chau not only improves local resilience to climate change, but also provides a replicable development model for other coastal communities.
“This demonstrates how systemic thinking can turn environmental challenges into regenerative development opportunities and ultimately, contributing to the mitigation of climate change globally.”
Students: Huizi Hu, Ke Li and Qinyu Yao
Course: Transitional Environments Design (MDes)
Tutor: Laurent Guitierrez
Postcolonial Queen by Sit Hok Shing Zack and Yip Tsz Yau
“Postcolonial Queen is a video poem and collage film that satirises Hong Kong’s complex identity through dance, city visuals and a reenactment of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit.
“It captures nostalgic memories shaped by colonial history, using bamboo scaffolding to represent societal changes and mirrors to reflect surface-level modernity, hinting at deeper identity questions.
“The narrative weaves together collective memories and personal stories, contrasting the historical event of the queen’s visit with a young woman’s reflections on her past relationship.
“This intermingling of narratives invites viewers to explore the fluidity of identity and the evolving essence of Hong Kong amid tensions between progress and tradition.”
Students: Sit Hok Shing Zack and Yip Tsz Yau
Course: BA(Hons) in Digital Media
Tutor: Amelie Chan
Partnership content
This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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