Sham Shui Po DX Design Gallery | Hong Kong Design Centre Presents 'Emerge/Visible: Designed for Memory'

Description

The Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) is proud to present 'Emerge/Visible: Designed for Memory' at the Design Museum of DX Design Gallery, with major sponsorship from the Creative Industry Development Bureau. The exhibition will run until 2 November 2026.

Building on the theme of 'Connecting Design' under DX Design Gallery's brand initiative 'Design It Right, Right Design', the exhibition curates a selection of design works inspired by local cultural heritage. By revisiting cultural elements that have gradually faded from our daily lives, the exhibition re-examines Hong Kong's cultural memories and invites audiences to explore how good design connects the past and present, infusing traditional culture with new vitality in contemporary living.

This exhibition is not merely a retrospective of Hong Kong's past but a demonstration of how design safeguards cultural memories, ensuring that precious Hong Kong culture remains visible, continues, and is passed on to future generations.

CEO of Hong Kong Design Centre, Ms. Nora Chan, said, 'Design is always an integral part of our daily lives. 'Emerge/Visible: Designed for Memory' focuses on the often-overlooked yet essential design elements in Hong Kong's cultural heritage that collectively shape our identity. I hope this exhibition will inspire the public to rediscover the designs around them, uncover the richness of Hong Kong's cultural heritage, and appreciate the significant role the creative industry plays in shaping the city's landscape.'

Design as a Connecting Force, Linking the Past and Present

'Emerge/Visible: Designed for Memory' is co-curated by CoDesign's founders, Andy Yu and Lin Wei-Hsiung, and Story Lab's founder, Michael Yu. Through objects, practices, and design works that embody Hong Kong's unique culture, the exhibition explores how collective memory persists in an increasingly globalized and homogenized world, creating a space for dialogue between the past and the present.

With the core concept of connecting the past and present through design, the exhibition is divided into two main sections: 'Memory' and 'Transformation', covering diverse fields such as sound, visual communication, typography, installation art, architecture, crafts, and fashion, showcasing the various forms in which design carries culture. Before leaving, visitors can also participate in an interactive voting session to choose their favorite exhibit.

Memory Zone: Rediscovering Hong Kong's Cultural Imprints

The 'Memory Zone' invites visitors to reconnect with the classic symbols that shape Hong Kong's cultural identity. From the neon light signs of yesteryear to the unique sounds of mahjong games and the red-and-white twine paper bags, seven sets of exhibits reveal how design is deeply embedded in our daily lives. Visitors will explore Hong Kong's old shops, eateries, architecture, and language culture through sound, installation, miniature art, and multimedia displays. The exhibition showcases how seemingly ordinary designs become carriers of collective memories, preserving Hong Kong's unique humanistic spirit and passing it on to future generations.

Transformation Zone: Reimagining Cultural Heritage Through Contemporary Design

The 'Transformation Zone' focuses on how design, through creative interpretation, integrates cultural heritage into modern life. Exhibits include reinterpreting auspicious patterns on pottery with pop culture, combining traditional lion dance with circular fashion, and transforming Northern Wei Dynasty calligraphy found on Hong Kong streets into modern digital typefaces. These displays showcase how cultural heritage is passed on, preserving traditional spirit while constantly evolving and innovating. The zone features twelve sets of works inspired by classic Hong Kong cultural elements such as Cantonese porcelain, white iron, bamboo scaffolding, salted fish making, Camel Brand thermos flasks, Red A plastic products, and more, demonstrating how tradition is not static but continues through creativity and transformation, opening up new possibilities.

Exit Interactive Zone: Vote for Your Favorite Category of Hong Kong's Cultural Heritage

After the tour, visitors can vote for the category of Hong Kong's cultural memory they wish to preserve at the exit interactive zone. Each visitor receives a voting token to be cast in one of eight themed ballot boxes, corresponding to the eight cultural themes of the exhibition: Local Traditional Crafts, Local Languages and Sounds, Festive Customs, Daily Entertainment, Street Visual Culture, Old-style Architectural Aesthetics, Made in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong-style Dining Culture.

Exhibition Details:

Exhibition Period:
'Emerge/Visible: Designed for Memory'
The latest exhibition under the 'Design It Right, Right Design' brand initiative
From 29 July 2026 to 2 November 2026
Opening Hours: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm (Closed on Tuesdays except public holidays)

Venue: Hong Kong Design Centre
2/F Design Museum, DX Design Gallery, 280 Tong Mi Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon