While the uncertainty of 2020 has shown how vulnerable we all are, it also gives us a chance to refocus on our real needs and what truly matters.

Finding clarity in uncertainty is the central thread of this year’s Business of Design Week (BODW), Asia’s leading event on design, innovation and brands, organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, with Create Hong Kong as Lead Sponsor.

The 96 projects shortlisted in A&D Awards 2020 have been announced and are now available to view here on the A&D Awards website. Just over 30 projects were shortlisted in the Architecture and Future Developments categories, while a further 65 were shortlisted in the Interior Design and Innovation & Technology categories.

London-based architecture judge Cecilia Ho, director of Design Haus Liberty, said there had been many impressive submissions, “particularly projects that managed to deliver a harmonious mix of contemporary design with local heritage.”

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The Rambler is not what you expect to find in an industrial building in the midst of Hong Kong’s container terminals. But that’s exactly what local creative studio, A Work of Substance, intended.

The first round of judging for A&D Awards 2020 has been completed! Some 96 projects – out of the total 305 entries submitted – made the shortlist and are in the running to win a coveted A&D Gold Award in their respective categories for architecture and interior design in Greater China and beyond.

Round Two of judging by the panel of 15 internationally renowned judges is now underway. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed judging A&D Awards this year,” commented London-based architecture judge Cecilia Ho, director of Design Haus Liberty . “There have been a lot of impressive submissions, particularly projects that managed to deliver a harmonious mix of contemporary design with local heritage.”

When legendary Italian ship yard Sanlorenzo wanted to create bespoke luxury yachts for the fast-emerging Chinese market, it looked no further than renowned Hong Kong architect and designer Steve Leung. A keen yachtsman himself, Steve challenged traditional approaches to boat design, which he says don’t necessarily appeal to Asian sensibilities.

More than 60 years ago, these two granaries stored wheat and other grains that fed the people of neighbouring Jiaxing City before they were abandoned and fell into disrepair. Today, thanks to a remarkable restoration by Shanghai studio RoarcRenew, they are contemporary art galleries that nourish the souls of the city’s residents and the many visitors to China’s Zhejiang province.

Sadly, many bookstores have struggled to survive in the digital era. So it’s heartening to see a beautifully designed bookstore open in the harbour city of Qingdao, thanks to a collaboration between Hong Kong studio Karv One Design, mainland developer China Vanke and local bookseller Yan Ji You.

It was an intimidating challenge – to design an intimate omakase counter in Hong Kong for Mitsuhiro Araki, the only Japanese chef in the world to have earned three Michelin stars for his signature restaurants in Tokyo and London. But Design East’s Yuki Yasukagawa knew her team had nailed it when the legendary sushi master first set eyes on the elegant 12-seat restaurant. “He loved it,” she recalls.

Described as the most liveable city in China, Zhuhai was recently connected to Hong Kong and Macau by the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world. Now it’s about to get a brand new 52-hectare neighbourhood, Jiuzhou Bay, inspired by the city’s maritime history and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).

Candles are hard to beat when it comes to creating atmosphere and mood, but they can be messy and there’s always the risk of fire. London-based designer Jim Rokos has come up with a brilliant solution which is both elegant and practical. And it can also be a handy way to signal the end of a dinner party!