Customisable ergonomic furniture designed by PolyU scholars to benefit 2,000 subdivided flats’ residents

A design team from PolyU Design formed by Dr Tulio Maximo as Project Leader, Dr Paul Lo and three student assistants has recently been awarded prestigious Red Dot Award: Product Design 2022 in Germany with the “Omni Study System” in recognition of its achievement on improving well-being and studying condition of underprivileged children residing in subdivided flats in Hong Kong through human-centered adjustable design. 

 “Omni Study System” features a set of tailor-made ergonomic furniture including a table, chairs, stools, reading boards, leg rests and cushions to provide a more optimal studying space for the children and to support their healthy development. It aims to offer an affordable solution to provide equal opportunity to learn, study and create under the harsh living conditions of restrictive living space. 

The system is designed under a cross-disciplinary project as the result of the Action Project on Adaptive Design and Child-friendly Furniture in Subdivided Units commissioned by Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation (JCDISI). The design comes from School of Design’s Asia Lifestyle Design Lab and Public Design lab in collaboration with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the School of Optometry, the Salvation Army and JCDISI. 

2,000 families will be benefited as the furniture will be issued to them starting from August, supported by Hongkong Land HOME FUND – a fund established in November 2020 to empower younger generation, promote social inclusion and assist those facing housing-related challenges in Hong Kong.

To learn more about the design, click here.