Necessary Edges: Reviving Birdcage Craft
This project addresses the decline of Hong Kong’s traditional birdcage craft by recreating specialized paring knives, which are critical to the practice but no longer commercially available. Led by Dylan Kwok, a designer-craftsperson trained under Master Chan Lok Choi, the initiative documents a 2023 collaboration with Japanese bladesmiths in Takefu Knife Village to co-create modern replacements using 3D modeling and contemporary metallurgy.
This project addresses the decline of Hong Kong’s traditional birdcage craft by recreating specialized paring knives, which are critical to the practice but no longer commercially available. Led by Dylan Kwok, a designer-craftsperson trained under Master Chan Lok Choi, the initiative documents a 2023 collaboration with Japanese bladesmiths in Takefu Knife Village to co-create modern replacements using 3D modeling and contemporary metallurgy.
The initiative comprises documentary and digital reels. Public activation at Mong Kok’s historic Bird Garden will include community screenings, beginner workshops, and an exhibition showcasing five archival and prototype artifacts. This multi-platform methodology establishes a scalable model for intangible cultural heritage preservation by equipping new practitioners with essential, updated tools.
- 2025
- Grantee: Dylan Kwok
A Hong Kong-born designer, began his creative journey after moving to Vancouver in his teenage years. Following studies in Toronto, he worked at Burdifilek in Toronto, contributing to interior projects for brands like Benefit Cosmetics and W Hotels. His passion for Nordic design led him to Finland, where he earned a Master's degree from Aalto University, winning a thesis award and a Helsinki design competition.
Upon receiving the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award in 2009, he returned to his hometown. His innovative public space design, "Hack-a-Bench" (2017), and subsequent projects like the "蟲wormhole洞" installation at the 2022 Nanhai Earth Art Festival, have established his community-focused practice.
Dylan is also dedicated to preserving intangible heritage. He apprenticed under master craftsman CHAN Lok choi to learn traditional bamboo birdcage making, publishing the book "Open Birdcages" in 2023. In 2025, he founded "BOAF" an Offline Oasis in Mong Kok, continuing to bridge traditional craft with contemporary cultural practice.