Via North Point – A Life Cycle In Chun Yeung

City: Hong Kong
Stage Involved: Concept, Design Development, Construction & Operation
Year/ Status: 2021, Completed
Accent Material: Timber, Food-waste recycle, Biogas

Project Background – Public Art for Food-Compost “A Cycle of life in Chun Yeung” is a community-based architectural installation designed, built, and operated by our studio as part of the exhibition for the Via North Point Festival in Hong Kong. Chun Yeung Market is one of HK’s best-known street markets since the 1970s. The market is vibrantly diverse yet complicated with hygiene issues and daily chaos. Giving the community a nudge, underneath the timber platform is a waste-to-energy station where local communities are encouraged to drop off their household food waste for recycling. The project has been a success in the community with high participating rate, and received positive feedback.

Achievement
750kg Food waste Collected
80 families participated
1290 bottles of Food Compost Collected
during the 2-months of engagement period

4 Critical Design steps for the success
Implants ideas, Trigger interests
12 sessions of community workshops has been organized beforehand. Engage the community from the start raises public awareness, trigger interests, and allow early-on feedback to be addressed during the design stage.

Estalish pleasant visual elements, enhance positive impression
The demo station has a pleasant, contemporary visual appearance which triggers people’s interest, encourage people to explore and engage. Well-design space, circulation, and work flow is designed, crucial for a user-friendly experience. Distinct visual elements (recurring form, color, and pattern) established a positive brand image, planting seeds for potential roll-out application.

Operate with straightforward hassle free recycling steps
Tailored leak-proof food-compost containers are given to participants. Straightforward drop-off method are blended into the external green wall. The drop-off process is simple, fun, and hygienic. These turned the troublesome food-collection process into a hassle-free experience.

Back by Incentive Plan
A loyalty reward scheme is introduced as part of the incentive program. Incentive scheme motivates participants for a consistent commitment, which could be essential early steps to shape a change of public behaviour in the long run.