On November 19th, the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Academic Conference and 15th Anniversary

Celebration concluded successfully at the Mukdenia Hotel by Dong'an Lake in Chengdu, with

a packed audience and an atmosphere full of enthusiasm. After three days of rich and exciting

exchanges and learning, the event reviewed past achievements and looked forward to the

future, deepening friendships and brimming with passion, as everyone came together to

celebrate this milestone event for the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program.

 

 

Sharing Theme: The Infinite Possibilities of Beauty

 

 

 

 

Mr. Ling Zong-Xiong was born in 1973 and is renowned for his floral artwork based in Hangzhou.

He has received multiple international spatial design awards. His floral creations draw inspiration

from observations in the environment, showcasing the inherent beauty of natural materials and

forming a style rich in naturalism. His unique aesthetic thinking has earned him the title of "New

Oriental Floral Aesthetics Master." With his passion for nature and the aesthetics of floral life, he

has established a lifestyle that pursues simplicity and is primarily centered on human sensation.

 

From the first day of engaging in floral art, he was struck by how it is involved in the significant

moments and various stages of life. The beauty it carries is not just visual but exists in the moments

that touch the heart. His creative inspiration is often drawn from observations of the environment,

discovering the natural textures of every landscape through his eyes. In his works, he restrains from

showing off techniques and instead focuses on using design to present the inherent beauty of

natural materials, creating a floral style full of naturalness—minimalist, fresh, elegant, and moving.

 

In his creations within spatial volumes, he emphasizes allowing each flower and every branch to

have its own expression while harmonizing with the space, complementing and enhancing it. As

visitors' gazes follow the floral arrangements, they also engage in an interaction with the space.

 

He has consistently shared his perspectives gained from creation and life experiences in the Asian

region. His unique aesthetic thinking has earned him the reputation of a New Oriental Floral Aesthetics

Master. His works can be seen in renowned international hotels such as Taipei 101, Alila Yangshuo

Sugar House, Beijing Nuojin Hotel, Hangzhou Fuchun Mountain Residence, Hangzhou Amanfayun,

Park Hyatt Hotel in Vietnam, and Puli Hotel in Shanghai. He is currently the Chief Floral Designer at

CNFlower Xi'en Floral Design, building an international floral design team that starts from aesthetics

and continuously seeks progress in professional levels and aesthetic literacy, exploring the various

possibilities of floral expression.

 

In recent years, he has also served as a floral instructor for CNFlower's "Traveling with the Blooms"

program, guiding people to explore the cultures and floral arts of different regions during their

travels, with footsteps that have spread across the globe. Adhering to the philosophy of "Allowing

flowers to enter the living space is the true meaning of the existence of floral art," he brings the

beauty of nature into every moment of life.

 

Sharing Theme: The Story of Kenny Lau and the Chair

 

 

Liu Xiaokang

Founder of Creative Strategy Jin Lau Ko in Hong Kong

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Kenny Lau was born in Hong Kong in 1958 and graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic

University. He is the founder of Kan Lau & Cheung Creative Strategies, the vice-chairman of the

Asian Design Alliance, and the chairman of the Hong Kong Design and Creative Industries

Association, among other positions, actively promoting the design industry. With over forty years

of experience in design and art creation, he has won more than three hundred awards. His

representative works in design include the Watsons distilled water bottle (which won the "World

Bottled Water" Global Design Award in 2004) and its brand image.

 

In the realm of graphic design, Kenny Lau's representative works include the "Chair Calligraphy"

series of posters, which won the "Grand Jury Prize" at the 2010 Hong Kong International Poster

Triennial and the 2011 Red Dot Design Award in Germany. In terms of three-dimensional creations,

Lau's works span from installations to sculptures, and even furniture products. Among them, the

"Chair Play" series is the most prolific. In recent years, he has also created bamboo installations,

including "Peace Year After Year" (exhibited at San Francisco's Civic Plaza in 2017) and the Fortune

Cookie installation (displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and Eslite Spectrum in Suzhou).

 

In 2015, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum held a solo exhibition titled "Kenny Lau's Design

Decisions"; in 2020, the Chinese Bookstore published a book of the same name as the exhibition,

documenting Kenny Lau's creative journey; in 2021, he received the "Hong Kong Publishing

Biennial Award for Best Publication" and the "DFA Asian Influence Design Award - WOCD World

Outstanding Chinese Designer Award"; in 2022, he co-authored "Two Places, Three Generations,

Creative Trio," a three-volume set, with internationally renowned designers Kan Tai-Keung and

Steven Ko, titled "Ink Design Design Ink," "Chair Play," and "Life is All About Design." In the same

year, in September, Mr. Lau, as a guest curator, co-curated the "Freedom of Typography - A

Collection of Chinese Character Creative Works" exhibition with the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

 

Sharing Theme: Design Methodology Trilogy

 

 

Duangrit Bunnag

Founder and Design Director of BUNNAG ARCHITECT LIMITED (DBALP) in Thailand

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Duangrit Bunnag was born in Bangkok in 1966 and graduated from Chulalongkorn University

in 1989. In 1995, he obtained a Graduate Diploma in Design from the Architectural Association

School of Architecture (AA) in London. He established his own firm, DUANGRIT BUNNAG

ARCHITECT LIMITED (DBALP), in 1998 and has received numerous awards, including: the Gold

Award at the ARCASIA Awards for Architecture in 2005, 2013, and 2015, Best Hotel by Wallpaper

Design Awards in 2014, the Award of Excellence at the ARCASIA Awards for Architecture in 2014,

the Gold Award at the ARCASIA Awards for Architecture in 2005, and the ASA Award granted by

The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage (ASA) in 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012,

and 2014, as well as the British FX Award in 2000.

 

Recognizing the success of DBALP, Duangrit Bunnag is frequently invited to speak and serve as

a commentator at seminars, lectures, and events in various cities and countries, including Singapore,

Kuala Lumpur, Hangzhou, Karachi, Dhaka (Bangladesh), Patna (India), Delhi, Colombo, London, Tokyo,

Greece, and Costa Rica. His works have also been exhibited globally, in cities such as Vienna, Bordeaux,

New York, Denmark, London, Patras (Greece), Tokyo, and Helsinki. Duangrit Bunnag is passionate about

serving the architectural community in Thailand. From 2002 to 2005, he served as the Commissioner of

the Committee and Vice Chairman for External Affairs at The Association of Siamese Architects under

Royal Patronage (ASA); between 2004 and 2006, he was elected as the Vice Chairman of ARCASIA's Region

B; and from 2007 to 2013, he was a member of the board and president of The Architects Council of Thailand.

In 2014, he transformed an old factory in the Khlongsan area of Bangkok into The Jam Factory, a space for

creative arts and culture. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Creative District Foundation's board,

providing sustainable development for the city's creative economy.

 

Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program 15th Anniversary Celebration Gala Dinner

 

 

speech

 

 

Founder of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program – Kenny Lau

 

 

Representative of the Partner: Chief Brand Officer of Seadon Lighting – Changcai Xu

 

 

Representative of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program Faculty：

Founder and Chief Consultant of Kwan's Lighting Design Limited – Kwan Wing Chuen

 

 

Group Photo of the Gala Dinner Guests (arranged from left to right):

Zhao Danqing: Founder of "Yi Ming Cultural Studio" in Shanghai

Colin Seah: Founder and Design Director of Ministry of Design (MOD) in Singapore

Liu Xiaokang: Founder of Lau Lau Creative Strategies in Hong Kong

Cheng Zhong: Founder and Chairman of CCD Hong Kong Cheng Chung Design Firm (Cheng Chung Design)

Kwan Wing Chuen: Founder and Chief Consultant of Kwan's Lighting Design Limited

Lim Feng Nian: Founder and chief Partner of LTW Design in Singapore

Su Renhao: Former global partner of SMALLWOOD, USA

Representative of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program Participants:

Founder and Creative Director of Wenge Space Design (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. – Lin Wenge

 

Highlight show

 

 

Founder and Chief Consultant of Kwan's Lighting Design Limited, Kwan Wing Chuen, performs

the song "Accompanying You on the Journey."

 

 

15th Anniversary of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program

 

 

 

Gift from the 18th Cohort of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program

 

 

Member of the 19th Cohort of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program, Founder

and Design Director of Qing Tai He Zhen Zhi Decoration Art Design Co., Ltd., Jiang Bo Recites

"The Necklace."

 

 

Alumnus of the 9th Cohort of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program, Dean of

the 11th Division of Gold Mantis, Hong Dengping, performs the song "Swan Goose."

 

Lucky Draw

 

 

 

 

 

 

Member of the 17th Cohort of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program, Founder

and Chief Design Director of Chengdu VGC Design, Chen Zhuo, performs a Michael Jackson

dance routine.

 

 

Member of the 20th Cohort of the Asia Pacific Hotel Design Advanced Studies Program, Design

Consultant and Project Director of Sdd (United World Classic), Yu Jing, performs the dance "One

Meat, One Vegetarian."

 

Sharing Theme: Narrative-Driven Experiential Design

 

 

Colin Seah

Founder of Ministry of Design (MOD), Singapore

 

 

 

 

 

Colin Seah was immersed in and nurtured by architectural design in the United States and obtained

his practicing architect qualification in Singapore, honing his skills by following design masters such

as Rem Koolhaas and Daniel Libeskind. He also worked for four years in the Department of

Architecture at the National University of Singapore, engaging in design teaching research and

serving as a design critic. As the founder and design director of MOD, Colin has been honored with

the prestigious title of Designer of the Year 2010 awarded by the American International Design

Awards. He has twice received the highest honor in Singapore's design community—the Singapore

President's Design Award. He has also twice received the Golden Key Award—an international hotel

industry's top award; was named one of the 40 most promising designers under 40 by Hong Kong's

Perspective magazine; and was awarded the Marcus Company Fund Prize "Most Promising Young

Designer" in 2007. Known as the "rising star in the field of architecture" by Monocle, Colin Seah was

also invited by the Singapore Tourism Board to redefine the significance of Singapore as a travel

destination post-2020.

 

Sharing Theme: The Design Approach of tofu Inc & The Xitian Hotel in Beijing

 

 

Yoshifumi Tanaka

Founder of tofu Inc., Japan

 

 

 

 

tofu Inc. was founded by Mr. Yoshifumi Tanaka in 2011. Located in Shibuya, Tokyo, it is an interior

design company composed of employees who are passionate about design. The company mainly

focuses on luxury hotels and is active in the fields of restaurants, bars, clubs, high-end apartments,

and more. It also carries out work in Asia and around the world.

 

The mission of tofu Inc is to create spaces with uniqueness that combine aesthetics, comfort, and

functionality. It's not just about creating spaces with style, but paying close attention to every detail.

The design incorporates the local charm and culture, tracing the history to achieve a space design

that is modern, contemporary, yet profound. While ensuring the narrative of the space, tofu Inc does

not forget the value and added effect that the design work conveys to the clients, achieving a harmony

between design value and commercial value. tofu Inc creates not only spaces but also unique stories,

hoping that everyone who comes here can become the protagonist of the story.

 

Special thanks

 

Huizhou Xidun Industrial Development Co., Ltd., Yuan Zhi Cheng Jia Textiles, German Gause Wei Bath,

Shenzhen Golden Phoenix Complete Furniture Co., Ltd., Zhongmin Mining, Zhongqin Hotel Management

Group, and EMPIRE Landlord Flooring have given strong support to this event.

 

 

Headquarters Address：No. 68, Nantong Avenue, Tongle Community, Baolong Street, Longgang District,

Shenzhen, Guangdong Province (Shenzhen Golden Phoenix Integrated Furniture Industrial Park) Factory

Address：Jin Feng Huang Complete Decoration Technology Park, Shenshan Avenue, Ebu Town, Shenshui

Special Cooperation Zone, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province.