Design Trust Charity Benefit 2025 | The Art of Transformation

Design Trust, an initiative of the local registered charity Hong Kong Ambassadors of Design, held the annual fundraising event Design Trust Charity Benefit 2025 on Saturday, 22 March 2025, at the historic Murray House, Stanley Plaza, Hong Kong. The charity event brought together esteemed guests, influential sponsors, and visionaries in design to celebrate the transformative power of creativity under the theme “The Art of Transformation” by Marisa Yiu (Co-Founder, Lead Curator, and Executive Director of Design Trust).

The evening was a celebration of groundbreaking contributions to design, with Elizabeth Diller, Co-Founding Partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, being honoured for the Design Trust Legacy Award 2025. Her work has had a profound impact on global design, education, and cultural landscapes, including her contributions to the Design Trust Futures Studio Micro-parks initiative. Visionary jewellery designer, curator, and historian Kai-Yin Lo was honoured with the Design Trust Heritage Innovator Award 2025 for her leadership in cross-cultural heritage and design. Architectural designer Gary Chang, renowned for his innovative "Domestic Transformer," was presented with the Design Trust Arts Prize 2025 for his transformative approach to sustainable design.

Design Trust Legacy Award 2025 honouree Elizabeth Diller, Co-Founding Partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, sent her message through video: “Design Trust is a civic-minded cultural institution that has become an indispensable part of Hong Kong's cultural infrastructure, with tentacles around the globe. I am here not only to accept this honour and to celebrate what Design Trust has already accomplished, but to support its continued growth and evolution, to help it promote new voices and practices, to drive the discourse, and to continue to challenge the status quo.”

The event also marked the launch of the Design Trust Futures Festival 2025, a three-month programme exploring sustainability, culture, and heritage in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area within an international context. Supported by Lead Venue Sponsor Link Asset Management Limited (Link) and Programme & Exhibition Co-sponsor, the festival transforms Murray House into a community-based cultural venue, featuring exhibitions, public installations, and cultural tours.

The Charity Benefit, curated by Marisa Yiu (Co-Founder, Lead Curator, and Executive Director of Design Trust), was attended by a distinguished roster of guests, featuring a live auction facilitated by Phillips Auction House, featuring a curated selection of more than 22 exceptional works generously donated by artists and designers. Among the highlights were works from William Lim, Daphne Mandel, Ant Winglam Ngai, Stephen Chun Hei Wong, Yang Danful, Eddie Lui, Gary Chang, Hou Jianan, Peep, Cynthia Mak, Judy Gee, Dominique Fung and Joseph Munyao Mutuku. Proceeds from the auction and pledges will go toward Design Trust’s ongoing initiatives, including the DESIGN TRUST FUTURES STUDIO Greater Bay Area programme: “Nature is Nurture is Nature,” the new Design Trust Fellowship with V&A East, and other regional and international granting projects.

Guests were also immersed in a series of site-specific installations from Editecture’s “Timeless Towers of Murray” to “Coastal Colonade” from Joyce Wang Studio, and performances reflecting the evening’s theme with culinary surprise from the Chef May Chow. The “Sea Garden: Design Trust Ideas Lounge” transformed a former restaurant space into a dynamic exhibition of interactive installations from Toshiya Hayashi and Hokuto Ando, Island Works (Design Trust Seed Grant recipient), Alexander Groves and Azusa Murakami of A.A.Murakami (Design Trust Futures Studio 2019 mentors, Design Trust Arts Prize Dynamic Duos recipients 2024), Chaklam Ng (Design Trust Feature Grant recipient), Niko Leung (Design Trust Feature Grant recipient) and Wang Xin. Special performances from Tap Chan, musicians Joya and Mengzy added to the evening’s vibrancy, creating a truly memorable experience.

Reflecting on the evening, Marisa Yiu expressed her gratitude for the event’s success, saying, “‘The Art of Transformation’ celebrates the power of design to reimagine spaces, communities, and perspectives. We are deeply grateful to our patrons, sponsors, and collaborators for their unwavering support in advancing design’s positive impact on society.”

As Art Basel Hong Kong 2025’s first architecture and design-focused Cultural Partner, Design Trust continues to expand the intersection of design, heritage, and art, fostering dialogue and collaboration across creative disciplines. Co-hosted by Art Basel Hong Kong and Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong Heritage Breakfast and Cultural Tours curated by Design Trust took place on March 28^th as preview of Design Trust Futures Festival 2025 at Murray House, Stanley Plaza during the Art Basel Hong Kong art week. Marisa Yiu also participated in the Conversations at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025, moderating the panel “Hybrid Architectures: When Art Meets Design” on Sunday March 30th 2025.

The success of the Design Trust Charity Benefit 2025 reinforces the organization’s decade-long commitment to supporting emerging designers, scholars, and experimental design practices. By bridging heritage values with design innovation, Design Trust continues to inspire positive change in communities locally and globally.

A special Design Trust Pledge event video was created involving the Board and Leadership team members and various creative collaborators.

For further information, please visit: www.designtrust.hk

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Design Trust | (852) 2739 6889 | press@designtrust.hk

Design Trust Charity Benefit 2025 Organiser and Sponsors

Lead Organiser: Design Trust

Lead Venue Sponsor: Link Asset Management Limited

Champagne & Rose Partner: Whispering Angel

Creative Culinary Partner: May Chow

Charity Benefit Dinner Supported By: The Murray, Hong kong

Charity Benefit Production Partner: The Ad Region

Chinese Media Partners: Vogue Hong Kong, Wallpaper* China

International Media Partner: designboom

PR Partner: Purple

Auction Partner: Phillips Auction

Benefit Committee

Ms. Marisa Yiu, Mr. Kamsen Lau, Mr. Jonathan Cheung, Mr. Ivan Pun, Ms. Denise Lau, Ms. Desiree Au, Princess Alia Al-Senussi

Charity Benefit Theme: The Art of Transformation

Curated by Marisa Yiu (Co-Founder, Lead Curator/ Executive Director, Design Trust)

Design Trust Legacy Award 2025

Elizabeth Diller, Co-founding Partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Design Trust Heritage Innovator Award 2025

Kai-Yin Lo

Design Trust Arts Prize 2025

Gary Chang

Creative Performance Collaborators 2025

Tap Chan, Joya, Mengzy