Young and emerging architects and designers now have an outstanding opportunity to show how their ideas and passion for the craft can make a meaningful difference to the broader community, thanks to a ground-breaking new competition just launched by the Hong Kong Housing Authority.

Called the “Let’s Go Well-being Chak On” Design Competition, it is calling for innovative and thoughtful designs to create a better living environment for the about 3,700 residents of the Chak On Estate, a public housing estate in Sham Shui Po.

The contest is targeting two sets of participants: full-time students aged 18 to 25, studying design-related disciplines at Hong Kong’s tertiary institutions, and emerging architects or designers, aged below 35, with a maximum of three years of working experience. Both are invited to enter individually or in a team of no more than 3 people.

Not only will they be competing for prizes worth close to a total of HK$100,000 and industry-wide acclaim, winners will also have the opportunity to see their ideas brought to life at the estate.

The competition is very much in line with the Secretary for Housing Ms Winnie Ho’s desire to champion a human-centric approach to reimagining public housing as friendly, healthy, natural and community-oriented spaces. She recently announced the release of Well Being Design Guide by the Housing Bureau and the Hong Kong Housing Authority, which outlined practical ways that architects and designers can help enable this transformation.

Prospective teams are invited to attend an online briefing session on January 15, submit their registration on or before January 31 and their first-round submission by February 17. The shortlisting panel, comprised of senior Housing Department officials and industry executives, will choose the top 5 entries from each of the student and emerging designer categories.

In the second round, shortlisted entrants will engage in two design thinking and co-creation workshops, each involving about 30 Chak On Estate residents, to refine their concepts so they genuinely address residents’ aspirations.

They will also consult with three technical advisors specialising in play experience, fitness, and open space design, as well as estate management personnel, to ensure their ideas and plans can be brought to fruition.

Being one of Hong Kong’s older estates, Chak On is spread over four towers on a hillside, located a short distance from the built-up area of Sham Shui Po. Apart from a convenience store and a small grocery, there are few facilities within walking distance, making it more challenging for many of the estate’s elderly residents.

The students will focus on two communal areas above a carpark and a building that once housed cooked food stalls, while the emerging designers will concentrate more on sitting out areas with a view to creating an intergeneration fitness playscape.

Final proposals are to be submitted by the end of March 2025. Chaired by the Secretary for Housing, the Final Jury Panel will comprise senior government officials and industry association leaders.

The results of the competition will be announced around May-June 2025. There will be one winner, one runner-up and honourable mentions for both categories. Chak On residents will also vote to choose the Resident Most Beloved Award.

For more details, please visit: https://housingwellbeing.hk/chak-on-design-competition.