World’s best furniture design coming to Hong Kong in Salone del Mobile exhibition

Salone del Mobile will show works from its SaloneSatellite permanent collection in an exhibition preceded by a spotlight of Hong Kong design

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Adriano Design’s Fuoripista interactive stationary bike will feature in the “SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection 1998-2024” exhibition at the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Arts Pavilion in November. Photo: Designworks Foundation

Published: 11:15am, 5 Nov 2024

Looking for home decor inspirations? This month, the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Arts Pavilion will be home to two consecutive furniture exhibitions spotlighting some of the proudest achievements of Hong Kong and international designers.

First up is the “Hong Kong Design Annex” exhibition, conceptualised and curated by Vincent Lim and Elaine Lu, owners of Lim + Lu, a Hong Kong interior design firm.

Running in the first week of November, this furniture and lighting exhibition is a “prequel” to an exhibition by Milan’s famous Salone del Mobile, “SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection 1998-2024”, which will take place in the same space from November 11 to 21, Lim says.

Both exhibitions are organised in part by architect Winnie Yue, founder of the Designworks Foundation and the International Design Furniture Fair Hong Kong, and fully funded by the Hong Kong government’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, though neither are considered a “mega-event”, Yue says.

Editecture’s mahjong table, chairs and biodegradable mahjong set will show at the “Hong Kong Design Annex” exhibition at the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Arts Pavilion. Photo: Editecture

Hong Kong may not be a byword for design like Italy is, but it is home to a growing number of versatile architects and designers who are creating unique pieces that reflect the city’s culturally diverse background, Lim says.

“There aren’t that many dedicated furniture and lighting designers in Hong Kong. But there is a trend towards multidisciplinary design practices. Just as [Ludwig] Mies van der Rohe and the Bauhaus school designed everything, many designers in Hong Kong who focus on interiors also design furniture and lights,” he says.