Tastemakers from the worlds of art, hospitality and design gathered at the Kerry Hotel of Shangri-La Group for the annual Design Trust Gala. The evening was themed The Archigram City after the 1960s design collective that inspired a generation of architects, and Archigram founders Peter Cook and Dennis Crompton served as the ball’s creative directors.
During cocktail hour, VIPs including Adrian Cheng, Joanna Lui-Hickox and André Fu examined works on display by Design Trust grantees the Hong Kong Design History Net, dtby_, Sky Yutaka and New Office Works.
Afterwards, Marisa Yiu, co-founder and executive director of Design Trust, invited guests into the grand ballroom, which was transformed into a real-life Instant City, Archigram’s drawing of a portable metropolis that could be moved by hot-air balloons. Ivan Pun served as the ball’s master of ceremonies, and he welcomed the foundation’s board chairman Alan Lo on stage to present the inaugural Design Trust Legacy Award to the late Tao Ho, the ingenious architect who created Hong Kong’s Bauhinia flag. Tao’s daughter, Noelle Ho-Lam, accepted the award on his behalf. Then, pianist Rosey Chan held an Archigram-inspired performance that captivated attendees Shanyan Koder, Peter Cheung and Kai-yin Lo.
As always, the highlight of the evening was the live auction conducted by Phillips’ deputy chairman Jonathan Crockett. Limited artworks that went under the hammer included Love from Archigram, a unique print from the design collective; a stained glass Tiffany lamp from Tao Ho’s collection; and Hurricane, a wall sculpture by Fredrikson Stallard. Proceeds went to Design Trust, which supports creative projects and research initiatives in various design disciplines. DJ Kulu capped off the evening with a two-hour set, spinning 1970s beats that had guests dancing past midnight.
For more information about the Design Trust, visit designtrust.hk