As a Cooperative Project in 2017, PolyU Design collaborated with the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), to work on their 2018 Open Day, aiming to enhance visitors’ experience. This multidisciplinary nine-week project involved students from Advertising Design, Communication Design, Environment & Interior Design, and Product Design.

Students developed communication strategies for the Open Day such as social media promotion, souvenir items, leaflets and game booth ideas, with the aim to attract visitors and enhance HKO’s brand and visual identity. 

Students presented final concepts and design ideas after nine weeks, and two particular souvenir designs were chosen by HKO for publication and adaptation for 2018 Open Day.

The Cloud Collector, as a souvenir for the Open Day, was designed with a user-friendly aim and educational purpose. The Cloud Collector includes representational graphics of 10 different kinds of clouds and adopts a dynamic approach with overlapping elements and various shapes.

(Images above show published design by Communication Design Year 4 students)

Another souvenir item is the DIY Typhoon Signal. Students adopted the old typhoon visual signal system that was used since 1884, and transformed it into a DIY souvenir that visitors can assemble themselves. 

(Images above show final proposed design and published design by Product Design Year 4 students)

Students from different design disciplines participated in this project and also had proposed other design ideas such as the entrance design, weather badges, brochures, weather portals, exhibition railing and text panels.

(Images above show final proposed designs by Advertising Design, Communication Design, Environment & Interior Design and Product Design Year 4 students)

Participating students include —

Advertising Design Year 4 students

CHAN Neng Ying Miranda Saputra and LEUNG Tsz Ching Phoebe

Communication Design Year 4 students

CHAN Ka Lok Raul, KWONG Tsz Yan Angel, LEE Kwun Ting Andrew,
YAM Tsz Ching Din and YAU Wing Sum Kiki

Environment and Interior Design Year 4 students

LAM Wing Ho Horace, LI San Yu Eunice, LI Suet Yan Sherry,
NG Tsz Wai Brien and WONG Ho Lam Milly

Product Design Year 4 students

TAI Lok Ming Jack and WONG Tze Yan Jane

Project Tutors —

Sjoerd HOEKSTRA, Part-time Visiting Lecturer

School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Work-integrated Education in PolyU brings students together with real-world clients both inside and outside the classroom. Students’ fresh ideas, energy and passion lead to exciting opportunities for clients and collaborators. 
The Cooperative Project is undertaken as a compulsory subject in the first semester of students’ final year of study. Collaborators ranging from commercial enterprises to government departments and non-profit organisations work together with tutors to come up with design briefs that meet the needs of their target audiences.