Hikoko Ito's "Happiness Here": A Blend of Art and Functionality

Urban Park Seating Inspired by Origami and Paper-cutting Art Forms

Designed by Hikoko Ito, "Happiness Here" is an urban park seating that stands out for its unique properties. The design is inspired by paper-folding and paper-cutting, two art forms that have long been used in expressions of hopes for joy and well-being. Adorned with artistic motifs of the Chinese character for happiness and happy icons created by local primary school children, the seating serves to inspire us to seek pleasure in the little things and moments in life.

The paper folding concept gives form to the structure and presents a continuity that enhances people’s experiences in the transitions of planes. The paper cutting like art motifs capture the changing effects of sunlight which highlight the duality (brightness and darkness, yin and yang) in life, at the same time brings an ever changing appearance and a poetic dimension to the outdoor furniture. Shadows cast by Sun Chan's art motifs upon the kids' happy icons yield a calming, contemplative atmosphere that touches its users on deeper spiritual levels.

The seating is made of double layers of Galvanized Mild Steel (GMS) with coated car paint and laser cut artistic motifs, GMS sub-frame. The seating is white marble with 50 engraved happy icons. The floor deck is made of wood and plastic composite boards. The canopy measures approximately 3mm (Thickness) x 6450 mm (Length) x 3200mm (Height), while the white marble seating measures approximately 5980mm (Width) x 7300 mm (Length) x 450mm (Height). The floor decking covers approximately 58-meter square.

Various visual elements intertwined in this seating, which resonate with each other engaging users on multiple levels. Upon initial encounter, the anchor piece strikes people as mysteriously as an abstract painting, and only through a journey of exploration that they get to experience and appreciate it layer by layer. Through its origami form, its canopy's paper-cutting-like happiness art motifs, and its happy icons, the seating is set out to evoke cheery emotions and hopefully helps make Hong Kong become a more joyful city in the coming years.

Before the commencement of the design process, an on-site survey of over 200 park users revealed that most people prefer shading in the open site; while some opt to sit in the sun. Thus the design adopts a canopy with patterned openings to provide shaded, partially-shaded & exposed seating and results in a form which echoes with the prominent open-door-frame government headquarters in its background.

The seating is meant to be a statement as well as a design solution. It embraces community involvements and conveys a much-needed message of happiness to encourage positivity in a city that repeatedly fell short on the global ranking of happiness level. Infused with cultural references (origami, paper-cutting) drawn from the designer’s mixed (Japanese-Chinese) heritage, the seating has also adopted Sun Chan's Chinese character art motifs as the designer’s tribute to her beloved late father who departed the same year she was commissioned this project.

This Design was awarded Silver in A' Street and City Furniture Design Award in 2019. Silver A' Design Award : Rewarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.