Reviving Heritage: The 32nd Hong Kong Book Fair

Dury Chin's Neo-Composition Brings Culture to Life

The Hong Kong Book Fair 2022, a public exhibition masterminded by designer Dury Chin, stood as a testament to the city's rich cultural tapestry. Drawing inspiration from Hong Kong's heritage and traditional symbols, Chin employed elements from ancient literatures and objects, infusing them with modern design techniques to create a graphic series that celebrated the joy of reading. The unique interplay of bold icons and solid colors transformed into illustrations that captured the essence of the city's literary interests.

Marking its 32nd year, the Hong Kong Book Fair expanded beyond its origins as a promotional platform for the industry into a significant cultural event. Covering 55,100 m² of exhibition space, the fair united over 700 exhibitors, offering an immersive experience that underscored the event's evolution and importance. The fair's distinctiveness lay in its scale and the multifaceted experiences it provided, a first for the year 2022.

Chin's design realization hinged on efficiency and sustainability. Prefabricated display items, including a rotatable book stand and flipping icons, were assembled off-site to accommodate the limited setup time. Reusable materials such as aluminum frames, vinyl, and polycarbonate were utilized for the panels, while biodegradable carpets underscored the event's commitment to sustainability. This approach not only streamlined the setup process but also minimized the environmental impact of the fair.

The fair's layout was meticulously planned, with designated zones for Art Gallery: City Literature, HK Architecture, and Taste of Hong Kong, each enveloped by aluminum structures and polycarbonate panels. The spatial arrangement facilitated a seamless journey through various facets of Hong Kong's culture, from literature and architecture to the nostalgic flavors of the city's culinary heritage. Collaborations with entities like National Geographic added a layer of visual storytelling, with semi-transparent panels displaying iconic photographs to create a gallery-like ambiance.

Interactivity played a pivotal role in the fair's design. The Art Gallery, a focal point of the event, was divided into three zones, each offering a unique narrative thread. Descriptive panels, photo displays, and thematic color zoning engaged visitors, allowing them to delve into the city's literary, architectural, and gastronomic legacies. The fair's design fostered a harmonious environment that encouraged exploration and discovery, enhancing the overall visitor experience.

The project, which spanned three months from conception to completion, was a timely cultural resurgence. Launched in July 2022, the fair's seven-day run at the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai offered a beacon of inspiration post-pandemic. The fair's design was underpinned by extensive research into Hong Kong's traditional culture and objects, aiming to inspire and motivate readers through a curated selection of authors and literature that resonated with the city's collective spirit of resilience.

Overcoming creative and technical challenges, the design team crafted a cohesive art gallery experience that resonated with the fair's theme of "Inspirational and Motivational Reading." The use of dynamic transparent reflective planes and bespoke video content complemented the physical displays, creating an immersive environment that celebrated Hong Kong's literary and cultural heritage. This innovative approach earned the Hong Kong Book Fair 2022 a Bronze in the A' Event and Happening Design Award in 2024, recognizing its contribution to enhancing quality of life and enriching the cultural landscape.