Our Island Catalogue and Stories – Collection of Islands in Hong Kong
Developed over the past three years with the support of Design Trust, the Hong Kong Island Research Institute (ISLAND WORKS) explores and documents the territory’s diverse island environments. Central to this initiative is the Island Catalogue, a comprehensive publication featuring spatial and urban analyses alongside unique on-site 3D scanning research. This work functions as a public introductory guide, bridging connections between communities engaged through research, exhibitions, and lectures.
Developed over the past three years with the support of Design Trust, the Hong Kong Island Research Institute (ISLAND WORKS) explores and documents the territory’s diverse island environments. Central to this initiative is the Island Catalogue, a comprehensive publication featuring spatial and urban analyses alongside unique on-site 3D scanning research. This work functions as a public introductory guide, bridging connections between communities engaged through research, exhibitions, and lectures.
The latest phase of the project investigates the coastal landscapes of Ap Chau, North Point, and Cape D’Aguilar. Utilizing advanced methodologies—including 3D scanning, drone aerial photography, and sound collection—the study examines coastal forms and their dynamic interactions with wave patterns. These findings will be integrated into the Island Catalogue to enrich the collective understanding of Hong Kong’s island geography. By documenting these environments with technical precision, the project fosters an appreciation for the cultural and ecological significance of the region’s maritime heritage.
- 2025
- Grantee: Tang Chi Chun
Chi is an architect in Hong Kong and the founder of the award-winning design practice Absence from Island Studio, a collective of architects, designers, and other professionals collaborating on diverse projects. His versatile portfolio spans contextual architecture and experimental art pieces, with a design approach that pushes boundaries while emphasising each project’s uniqueness within its site and cultural context. Notable projects such as Elf in the Library Home, TIL Cafe, and Rattan in Concrete Jungle reflect a sense of individuality and timelessness. Chi is also passionate about nature and, together with his partner Leroy, launched the Island Research Project in Hong Kong with support from Design Trust. This ongoing project seeks to uncover the distinctive context and character of Hong Kong's islands, translating these elements into innovative design approaches and artworks that enrich the local design scene.
- Organisation: Island Works
Island Works is a Hong Kong–based research and design collective co-founded by architects Chi and Leroy. The practice is driven by a sustained inquiry into the city’s 200+ surrounding islands—landscapes often overlooked within the dominant narrative of dense urbanisation yet integral to Hong Kong’s geographical and cultural identity.
Working through a cyclical methodology of discover, document, design, Island Works approaches islands as both archival subjects and speculative grounds. Research and first-hand digital documentation underpin an evolving repository that seeks to preserve the essence of each island.
This research extends into a design language that regards islands not only as geological phenomena but also as cultural and infrastructural artefacts shaped by memory, time, and imagination. Through this lens, Island Works advances speculative futures, translating its findings into interventions such as site-specific installations that reframe islands as sites of design imagination.