#1 Community Green Station opens in Shatin

Hong Kong opened the first of 18 recycling stations, with workshops and educational programmes firing to life in 2015. Located near Shek Mun MTR station in Shatin, the Community Green Station, while temporary, demonstrates a step in the right direction for our city, and a commitment to waste management. Read more.

#2 TUVE Hotel opens in Tin Hau

TUVE hotel focuses on luxury by way of refined materials

Hong Kong’s first out-of-box hotel, TUVE, conceived by Design Systems LTD. With its lack of signage, its unassuming exterior and its different approach to luxury – it’s all about refined materials, TUVE challenges the paradigm of the traditional Hong Kong hotel. Find out more here.

#3 Ovolo Southside redefines Warehouse Style in Wong Chuk Hang

Vibrant city style at Ovolo Southside

Another first for the city was Ovolo Southside Hotel: it was the first warehouse-turned-hotel. Located in Wong Chuk Hang, the hotel is the first one to repurpose an industrial building in this way, and it stays true to its heritage thanks to design firm KplusK’s vibrant, urban vision. Read more.

#4 The Genesis offers a New Creative Hub in Wong Chuk Hang

Outside at The Genesis. Photo by Kenneth Tam

Also in Wong Chuk Hang, The Genesis was one of the first industrial buildings in the area to be repurposed and revitalised as a commercial endeavour favouring artists and creatives, with developer Hip Shing Hong (Holdings) Limited showing rare vision in our bulldozer-happy city. Read more.

#5 Steve Leung’s IFI Presidential Win

Steve Leung is set to be President of the IFI in 2017

Steve Leung also brought home another first for Hong Kong this year, winning an appointment as President of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) for 2017. Find out more here.

#6 Hong Kong Indesign

Outside The Space on Hollywood Road during Hong Kong Indesign

2015 also saw Hong Kong Indesign descend on the city for the second time, with Woven Image, IROCO Design, My French Room, Scandinavian Business Seating, Vitra, Ober Group and Seventhirty AM taking over The Space on 19 and 20 November, and Wilkhahn, colourliving, Clestra and Madison Group open their doors to the design community for two days of creativity, launches, knowledge sharing and networking. Find out more here.

#7 Launch Pad Asia

Launch Pad Asia’s 2015 winners

Hong Kong Indesign was also the jumping off point for Launch Pad Asia 2015, with emerging designers bringing new and original creations to the table. We showcased the winning designs. Read more.

Wishing you a Happy New Year. We’re looking forward to sharing many more industry firsts and design masterpieces with you in 2016.