Exploring the inner worlds

Hong Kong’s highly anticipated annual design festival, deTour 2024, runs through December 15^th, 2024 at PMQ, the city’s creative hub. Organized by PMQ and curated by Adonian Chan, this year’s theme, Having → Being: Designing Inner Worlds, challenges traditional notions of design, inviting visitors to explore how design can nurture self-awareness and personal growth. Through interactive installations and collaborative exhibitions, the festival highlights the transformative potential of design in shaping both our physical and inner worlds.

One of the standout installations, REWORLD Type 2 by Seoul-based studio Kimchi and Chips, reimagines urban landscapes using over 1,000 micro-prisms that refract surrounding city fragments into new, dynamic images. This innovative urban screen serves as a meditation on how cities communicate through their built environments. Another featured project, Air-Scape, is a collaboration between Future Soil and penjing artist Laurence Lee. Combining hydroponic sponges and 3D-printed structures, the installation breathes new life into the ancient art of penjing, showcasing its potential for modern reinterpretation.

Casa Destruct by Studio Anthony Ko delves into the fragility of physical homes and the emotional ties we form with them. By reconstructing the ruins of a house, this installation explores the tension between material loss and the enduring essence of “being,” encouraging visitors to reflect on the emotional impact of catastrophe. Similarly, Being Between Inner and Outer by Urban Projection uses a U-shaped, polyhedral structure to symbolize the divide between the inner and outer self. This immersive installation offers a space for quiet introspection amidst external chaos.

This year’s festival will feature 17 installations, over 40 workshops, and creative talks that deepen the exploration of the theme. By bridging traditional practices with modern design innovations, deTour 2024 encourages audiences to rethink design’s role in fostering inner well-being. With its compelling mix of local and international talent, the event underscores Hong Kong’s place as a global design hub.

Visit PMQ until December 15th to experience the transformative power of design and discover how it can inspire a deeper connection between “having” and “being.”

All photography courtesy of DETOUR 2024