Connecting the dots, to form a line; connecting the lines to create a plane; connecting the planes to create a space...

We have always emphasised that the BODW CityProg not only lists out various local design activities, more importantly, the programme features a collaboration platform within the city, that connects local creativity, talent and design concepts, in order to build a creative ecosystem. Since its inception in 2018, our slim team has been actively reaching out, visiting and taking an initiative to understand the different creative units, enterprises and community organisations in different districts of Hong Kong, and for these organisations to know us. Through our introduction and sharing of BODW CityProg, many of these organisations have since then joined as partners, allowing us to have an increased understanding of who they are and what they do. We encourage them to collaborate, communicate, connect, create and form alliances with the other partners, working together to promote to the creative community, businesses and individuals, fostering design activities within their own communities.

As a project that is still in its infancy, we are extremely grateful to our partners for their recognition, participation and support. In the first year, we recruited over 100 partners, nearly 200 the previous year, bringing more than 400 creative design activities to the public. As we were preparing for the third year of the BODW CityProg, the pandemic hit, disrupting our lives and shifted the global society.

Because of the pandemic, we had to reconsider social distancing, adapt to the current situation and adjust to the pace of the industry and the city. “20/20 Vision” is a term used to express normal visual acuity measured at a distance of 20 feet. Living in a world of eternal changes, it is essential for us to have a clear mind and see opportunity in the midst of a crisis, more importantly, being able to embrace the changes of the pandemic. We set the BODW CityProg theme as “20/20 Vision of Post-pandemic world”, in hopes that under the instability of today’s world, for everyone to use design thinking to solve problems and to step outside of the box and revisit problems using a different perspective. This will strengthen our resilience from the inside out, inspiring individuals to communities, from communities to the rest of the city, creating a more adaptable lifestyle and more clarity in your “20/20 Vision”.

Dots, lines, planes, spaces, as we connect each independent piece, we can create entirely new things. This year’s BODW CityProg, we have connected over 150 creative units, businesses and community organisations to create 17 “Anchor Site Festivals” over 1-3 days, 5 “Design EduVATION” that targets people from different age and backgrounds, over 100 “Satellite Events & Offers”, totaling to hosting over 200 creative design events. Additionally, we have also launched a mobile-app-powered urban exploration campaign “CityProg Design Scavenger Hunt“, extending the design experience to both on and offline. We are look forward to connecting with you in the post-pandemic era, while maintaining social distancing, to face new challenges and creatively solving them together!

There are 4 “20/20 Vision of Post-pandemic World” initiatives to inspire design thinking, which can equip you with a more creative problem-solving mindset, leading everyone to become more resilient and increase our adaptability in the post-pandemic era:

1) Made in Hong Kong
The pandemic only plays one part in our environmental changes. We live in a city that is constantly changing. Taking the re-emergence of “Made in Hong Kong” as a reference, we can learn from local artisans and craftsman on how they adapt to change.

2) Physical and Mental Health
When facing uncertainty in the external environment, taking care of yourselves internally becomes even more important. Start with designing your own lives by learning about what a healthy diet consists of, possible health threats and mental health, and how these affect us. How can we use design to help us adjust to the new pace of life?

3) Placemaking
Regardless of social distancing, people will always be inseparable from the outdoor environment. The Placemaking project hopes to stimulate the general public’s imagination of what public spaces can be used for, while exploring various possibilities of reshaping the future community.

4) Social Responsibility
In the face of changes in the current environment, the strength of one person may not be sufficient. We work with different organisations to promote corporate innovation through design thinking, designing for the community.