Maison&Object unveils dual showcase events: Maison&Objet Design Factory and Hong Kong Design on Stage at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for its debut in the city from 5 to 7 December.
Sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Maison&Objet will present for the first time in Hong Kong the Maison&Objet Design Factory pavilion, as well as Hong Kong Design on Stage Showcase, from 5 to 7 December 2024 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). These events lay the first stone of Maison&Objet’s presence in the city. This is a significant milestone in the design world, coinciding with Maison&Objet’s 30th anniversary celebrations, which is set to offer global exposure and facilitate connections among world-class designers, artisans, innovative brands, manufacturers, and media.
Both Maison&Objet Design Factory and Hong Kong Design on Stage will be presented at DesignInspire. Organised by the Strategic Partner of Maison&Objet Design Factory, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, DesignInspire is an annual showcase that promotes Hong Kong’s dynamic culture and creativity.
Maison&Objet is globally recognised for its biannual trade fairs in Paris, France. It has become an international platform for design, interior decoration and lifestyle, regularly attracting over 70,000 visitors and 2,500 exhibitors from over 150 countries twice a year. In 2024, Maison&Objet celebrates not only its 30th anniversary but also the exhilarating skills of handcrafted work while delving into how traditional design techniques can be adapted to tackle modern day environmental challenges, in order to accommodate future habits and lifestyles for the next 30 years.
Philippe Delhomme, President Executive of the Board of Maison&Objet said: “Design goes far beyond functionality and aesthetics. We want to shift our collective perception of the purpose of design and recognise how creativity has been making design more intentional and thoughtful. We are thrilled to bring to Hong Kong the experience that is ‘Maison&Objet Design Factory’ alongside ‘Hong Kong Design on Stage’ for the very first time, marking a milestone during our 30th anniversary year. I am excited to see how the public receives us as we put the spotlight on the future of design and the power of creativity, bringing world-class designers and artisans to the forefront, advancing global design dialogue while highlighting Hong Kong’s vibrant creative industry and fostering connections within the design community.”
Maison&Objet Design Factory
Maison&Objet Design Factory, spanning 1,000 square metres, will showcase the latest approach in “conscious design”, particularly in the aspects of circularity, sustainable materials, and end of life solutions, all presented in an immersive setting to highlight key concepts that introduce responsible interactions with our environment. The exhibition will consist of five distinct zones, each uniquely exploring “conscious design”, as follows:
- Nature, the Muse!, curated by world-renowned Chinese contemporary designer Jiang Qiong’er, will bring together 10 French and 9 Chinese artisans to explore the intersection of heritage and modern design in both the eastern and the western cultures. The French artisans have been selected amongst Les Lauréats de l’Intelligence de la Main®, a unique community with more than 130 unique talents recipients of the Liliane Bettencourt Prize pour l’Intelligence de la Main®, awarded by the Fondation Bettencourt Schueller. Aurélie Leblanc, Aurélie Lanoiselée, Eric Benqué, Felipé Ribbon and Nicolas Marischael, Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert, Karl Mazlo, Lucile Viaud, Mona Oren, Nelly Saunier, and Grégoire Scalabre will exhibit their uniquely created pieces together for the first time in Asia
On the Chinese side, the unique creations of 李树淡 Li Shuda, 品物流形Pinwu, 辛瑶瑶Xin Yaoyao, 李之元 Li Chih Yuan, Jiang Qiong Er’, RRB-Design, SADC, 赵瑾雅Zhao Jinya and 張永和Yung Ho Chang will feature ancestral and contemporary Chinese crafts applied to decorative art, in a dynamique dialogue with the French works.
- Conscious Staging, curated by Normal Studio, a French-based design firm with a strong focus on sustainability, will imagine a “consciously designed ideal room” to demonstrate the challenges and the possibilities of conscious design, including 100% recycled architectural furniture, set in an environment that emphasises natural lighting and anti-sound pollution solutions.
- Precious Matters, curated by Pauline Vidal and Quentin Hirsinger, founder of Materi’O and an expert in innovative materials, will invite visitors into a garden space where they can sit at an elegant picnic table and explore a selection of materials chosen for their innovative properties through a carefully curated “menu”.
- Shades of Sustainability (Chromo Sapiens), curated by Uchronia for French Design, will present 13 new innovative design pieces by a selected group of French studios, each highlighting sustainable processes, materials, or angles.
- Terra Cosmos: spaces full of future promise, curated by Elizabeth Leriche, will present a poetic interpretation of space and time, and offer an inspiring tribute to the universe and planets, demonstrating a unique blend of conscious design and colour aesthetics.
Across the five zones, Maison&Objet Design Factory will bring together over 120 different brands and designers representing the best of environmentally friendly practices from Asia and Europe, as well as 21 world-renowned artisans embodying excellence in the fine crafts, thus creating an immersive journey through sustainable and innovative design practices. During the exhibition, renowned award-winning Chinese and French artisans will share more about their techniques with the audience. Details on schedule and artist profiles to be announced soon.
Hong Kong Design on Stage
In addition, Maison&Objet will present, together with Alliance Française de Hong Kong, Hong Kong Design on Stage, which will take place concurrently, featuring 10 distinguished Hong Kong based designers in a dedicated pavilion, as part of HKTDC’s DesignInspire.
The Hong Kong Design on Stage Showcase will replicate the successful format it presented in Paris in September 2024. The Showcase aims to foster dynamic exchanges among international brands and designers, alongside design enthusiasts, to promote enhanced yet responsible urban lifestyles and practices.
Eight visionary designers and design studios have been handpicked through a competition that highlighted sustainable design principles like circularity and responsible practices and will be featured, as below:
- Product Design: Studio Yellowdot, Studio-Ryte, Hintegro Limited, Green & Associates (HK) Limited, @StreetsignHK, Monica Tsang Designs Limited
- Interior Design: MLKK Design Studio Limited, BEAU Architects
Alongside these emerging designers and concepts, two master designers from Hong Kong, Otto Ng and Michael Young, who played a key role in creating the display pavilion, will be present at the event. Designed by the creative team at LAAB under architect Otto Ng, the pavilion will embody a circular theme that symbolises unity and harmony. This immersive experience will not only highlight the works of talented designers but also inspire meaningful conversations about conscious modern living.
Through these two events, Maison&Objet aims to highlight the crucial importance of innovative design solutions in shaping the future of Hong Kong and Asia. Over recent decades, Hong Kong has emerged as a vibrant hub of cultural exchanges between the East and the West and is fast gaining the status of an international metropolis of arts, culture and creativity. The exhibitions will serve as a catalyst for business development and public engagement alongside other design events at HKCEC, such as Business of Design Week (BODW). Through these first-of-a-kind design experiences this December, the integration of innovative practices with environmental responsibility is set to inspire the design industry and the public, emphasising the importance of responsible, conscious design.
Details Of Maison&Objet Design Factory & Hong Kong Design on Stage:
Date: 5 to 7 December 2024 (Thursday to Saturday)
Venue: DesignInspire, Hall 3DE, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Address: 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Admission: Free admission (by pre-registration)
Website: https://bit.ly/4fzm0MA
Instagram: @maisonetobjetdesignfactory.hk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maisonetobjetdesignfactoryhk
