Architect Owen Lam is just 36 years old but he’s already forging an impressive reputation as a thought leader in intergenerational design.

His proposal for a creative and sensitive refurbishment of old tenement buildings, in which many elderly residents live alone, won him the Hong Kong Institute of Architect’s coveted Young Architect Award, presented at HKIA Annual Dinner in November.

Weeks later, he was announced as a winner in the prestigious PERSPECTIVE 40 Under 40 Awards 2024, which recognises the 40 most talented young professionals in architecture and design across the Asia Pacific region.

Lam took the bold step to open his own studio, Afloat, three years ago, after successful stints with Ronald Lu & Partners and Wong & Ouyang. He says the studio name was Inspired by the appeal of floating on water or air, and his fascination with “in-between” architectural experiences, such as the space between art and architecture, or aesthetics and functionality.

Lam is rightfully proud of his winning submission for the Young Architect Award, which earned him the opportunity to visit Japan next year to study a range of intergenerational housing projects aiming to rejuvenate rural villages by better accommodating their aged residents and encouraging younger residents to return.

Called “RevitalAge: Bridging Generations”, his HKIA submission detailed a visionary design to transform dilapidated tenement buildings along Reclamation Street and Shanghai Street in Yau Ma Tei (pictured above) into a vibrant, intergenerational living environment catering to the diverse needs of both the elderly and younger residents.

According to the 2021 Population Census, noted Lam, 347 households in the buildings accommodated people aged 65 or over, of which 87 per cent lived alone.

“These people face significant challenges, including limited mobility, social isolation, poor living conditions, lack of access to essential services, and safety concerns,” he wrote. “Addressing the needs of this vulnerable population is essential to ensuring their dignity and well-being.”

Lam stressed the primary objective was to provide suitable and accessible housing accommodations for the elderly residents currently living in the community. “The design will facilitate easy mobility and accessibility for elderly residents, including those using wheelchairs, through the incorporation of ramps and strategically placed staircases.”

He explained the project sought to encourage meaningful interactions and a sense of community between the elderly and younger residents by creating a central, vertical common space and circulation area. The design would also maintain the existing building structures and the surrounding urban fabric, such as the street market, (pictured above) while optimizing the layout to provide distinct prototypes for elderly residents and younger residents.

The overall goal, Lam wrote, was to “enhance the overall living conditions and quality of life for the elderly residents, allowing them to enjoy the vibrancy of their familiar environment at the ground level while fostering a sense of dignity and happiness.”

Lam says he’s delighted by the two awards. “They’re very encouraging for a young designer as they make many more people aware of my work.” Based on Lam’s remarkable achievements to date, there may be many more award-winning projects to come.