Hong Kong Eco-Pavilion
Maison&Objet Paris
2024
From recycled bottles to an exhibition pavilion
The Hong Kong Eco-Pavilion is the exhibition pavilion of the Hong Kong Design on Stage at Maison&Objet, Paris.
The pavilion features a series of staggered 3D-printed bricks made from recycled PET bottles and aluminum, echoing the theme of conscious design, which is the central thesis of Hong Kong Design on Stage this year.
Collected from schools in Hong Kong, recycled PET bottles were cleaned, processed, and extruded into 3D printing filaments, which were later printed into eco-bricks. These bricks are lightweight, stackable, and portable, keeping the carbon footprint from shipping minimal. LAAB went through multiple prototypes to develop a brick design that uses minimum filament while creating a sturdy structure.
The bricks were assembled on-site in a wavy, circular form inspired by the coastline of Victoria Harbour, one of Hong Kong’s most iconic natural heritages. The ring form also signifies material circularity, unity, and harmony, which are important elements in Chinese philosophy and culture.
Pigmented in 15 shades of turquoise, the pavilion captures the changing colors of Victoria Harbour in reaction to light. The bricks are staggered, allowing light to pass through, casting shadows that simulate harbor waves. Spatially, the pavilion creates multiple portals that invite visitors to come from all directions.
The brick-to-pavilion design also considers the structure’s afterlife. After the Maison&Objet Paris exhibition, the pavilion will be disassembled, transported back to Hong Kong, and reassembled for a second exhibition in the city. When it completes its exhibition mission, the bricks can be disassembled and assembled again into different structures for public use. They can also be reprocessed into filament for future printing.
By imagining the multiple lives of recycled plastics, LAAB hopes to redefine “wastes” as valuable resources and contribute to material circularity in design and production.
Exhibition pavilion design and curation
Sep 2024
Parc des Expositions de Villepinte, Paris
Alliance Française de Hong Kong
Maison&Objet
CCIDA HK,
Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau, HKSARG
Tribe22, LE CERCLE
Otto Ng, Linus Kung, Man Chow, Justin Yeung, Catherine Cheng, Raphael Kwok, Erika Fung, CK Wong, Cynthia Kuo
L&L, Dream cubic, Forma Lightings