A fashion collection inspired by 1970s clubbing culture and a project that imagines humans with crustacean exoskeletons are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at the Hong Kong Design Institute.

Also among the projects on show are a self-care tool that aims to help boost young people's immune systems and a project that explores using caverns to tackle Hong Kong's shortage of land.

Hong Kong Design Institute

School: Hong Kong Design Institute

School statement:

"Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) was established in 2007 with the mission to be a leading provider of design education and lifelong learning across various design disciplines, including architecture, interior and product design, communication design, digital media and fashion and image design.

"With 'creativity in action' as the cornerstone of its pedagogy, HKDI maintains a strong network with the creative industries. This provides students with essential practical experience and with the international design academia to offer extended learning opportunities for students through international exchanges, joint workshops and lectures.

"Each year, HKDI nurtures the largest number of professional designers in Hong Kong with critical thinking, cultural sensitivity, social responsibility and international perspective."

Trappist Retreat Centre by Sinji Lau

"This project aims to revitalize an abandoned Trappist Dairy Farm which has been desolated for over 30 years.

"The new Trappist Retreat Centre is not only a museum with exhibits, it also provides an experiential and memorial place for visitors to understand the site's history as a monastery. It provides a place for relaxation amidst their bustling urban lifestyle."

Student: Sinji Lau
Course: HD in Architectural Design, BA (Hons) Architecture
Email: [email protected]

Parallel City – HKDI exhibit at the Venice Biennale by Ben Chen, Brian Leung, Samson Li, Edison Eg, Johnson Wan and Cho Ting Wong

"Land supply has been a long-standing challenge for Hong Kong. This project explores the possibility of cavern living to tackle the shortage. Here, the cavern is separated into four layers – community service, residential, natural untouched landscape and utility layer vertically.

"Basic life requirements such as ventilation, light, electricity, water are delivered by 'columns of life'. The main city transportation network passes through the site which suits the fast pace of life in Hong Kong."

Student: Ben Chen, Brian Leung, Samson Li, Edison Eg, Johnson Wan and Cho Ting Wong
Course: HD in Architectural Design, BA (Hons) Architecture
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] and [email protected]

Nirvana Bookstore by Kelly Tsang

"The needs of visually impaired people are always neglected by society. The inclusive design of Nirvana Bookstore fulfils the needs of both the visually impaired and full-sighted people.

"It demands users to perceive the bookstore with different senses through the usage of textured surfaces, multi-sensory, accessibility, holistic design and spatial layout."

Student: Kelly Tsang
Course: HD in Interior Design
Email: [email protected]

That's alright by Elektra Liu

"This is a caring and playful project that provides an easy self-care tool to assist young adults to get through stressful situations in both digital and physical ways.

"This project aims to enhance wellbeing during the pandemic – to let users stay physically, mentally and emotionally well, reduce their stress, improve the immune system, increase their productivity and raise self-esteem."

Student: Elektra Liu
Course: BA (Hons) in Graphic Design
Email: [email protected]

Life-form by Sing Chung

"Compared with other animal species, humans possess more advanced cognitive abilities but a limited physiological capacity to adapt to extreme heat and cold conditions. In comparison, other animals adapt faster for survival and thrift in the natural environment.

"This project is inspired by crustacean's biological features – their hard exoskeletons and diurnal changes in their environment. It imagines humans possessing those characteristics, gaining the ability to adapt to extreme environments."

Student: Sing Chung
Course: HD in Fashion Image Design
Email: [email protected]

Obsessed Disciple by Rainie Wong

"Baroque and 1970s clubbing culture feature the use of exaggerated motion producing drama, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, architecture, dance, and music.

"Their histories inspired the development of Obsessed Disciple – an overly ornate, theatrical and extravagant fashion collection featuring complex embroidered patterns, luxurious materials, embellishments and jewel-like accessories."

Student: Rainie Wong
Course: HD in Fashion Image Design
Email: [email protected]

Belide's World by Lok Him Wan

"This is a collaborative project with the international fashion brand Max & Co. The project outcomes include a series of fashion images, film and a social media strategy.​

"Belide's World is inspired by a surreal, fantasy and bizarre world, with extraordinary characters and wonderful tea parties. This project conveys playfulness, curiosity, whim and mystery while motivating people to unleash their creativity in all possible ways."

Student: Lok Him Wan
Course: HD in Fashion Media Design
Email: [email protected]

Musubi by Pui Yee Chan

"Musubi is crafted via traditional techniques such as bundling, weaving, and tangling that are layered into modern clothing and then adorned with conventional patterns from Japanese culture.

"With ropes tying different garments into one outfit, its silhouette smoothly combines both ancient and modern forms with a twist to remind viewers that there is always beauty in details if they learn to look close enough."

Student: Pui Yee Chan
Course: HD in Fashion Design
Email: [email protected]

I'm looking good by Charice Lai

"This is about another kind of beauty aesthetic on non-binary/gender-fluid/ genderqueer/androgyny people. Hong Kong lacks gender recognition legislation against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

"This project aims to promote the equality, rights and needs of the LGBTQ community and urge the general public to recognize the uniqueness and beauty of the LGBTQ people."

Student: Charice Lai
Course: BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Imaging
Email: [email protected]

Re-establishment of the local 'Landmarks' in Hong Kong by Alexander Lo

"This project is to revisit and reestablish some of the local landmarks in Hong Kong. Through a photographic journey, it captures previous footsteps and stimulates memories over the last 11 months.

"From peaceful rallies and assemblies to bold demonstrations, they all started from the beginnings of meeting at some famous buildings or landmarks like Jardine House, Chater Garden and Statue Square in central or other districts."

Student: Alexander Lo
Course: HD in Film, TV and Photography – Photography Stream
Email: [email protected]

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the Hong Kong Design Institute. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.