2009: Journey began @ HK / SZ Biennale

As an invited exhibitor at the 2009 HK/SZ Biennale, we created a temporary store that mirrored the fast “copy-and-paste” culture of design—modular fittings, reproduced signage and off‑the‑shelf elements arranged to expose repetition, speed and the commodification of authorship. The installation operated both as a familiar commercial setting and a critique, prompting visitors to notice how identities and interiors are assembled from borrowed parts and easily recycled aesthetics.

That public experiment crystallized a turning point for our practice. Confronted with the ease of replication, we resolved to pursue site-specific, meaningful design rather than repeating templates: researching context and community, specifying local materials and craft, and developing bespoke details and adaptive systems tailored to each project’s program and place.

This commitment redirected our work from disposable mimicry toward projects that value authorship, longevity and local distinctiveness—an approach that continues to shape how we design, collaborate and deliver spaces today.