Designed by napp studio, ‘Branching Benches’ series for Oi! allows for an evolving design that can cater to different contexts and occasions within different Hong Kong communities.

Oi! is a Hong Kong government art promotion organisation that aims to promote visual arts by providing a platform for art exhibitions, forums and other art-related activities. 

Understanding the diversity of events and programs Oi! offers, the designers tried to devise a proposal that is inspired by traditional objects while bestowing upon it a modern interpretation to cater for the flexible uses, layouts, and programs.

As a result, the intervention is not static but dynamic and changeable and can evolve based on contexts and occasions with the community.

Benches are very mundane objects in Hong Kong public spaces, and yet they contribute so much to the culture and communities.

From dai pai dong wood benches in the old days, to a common bench in a contemporary park in Hong Kong, benches provide a social space for resting, chatting, playing, or even dining.

While benches could have different forms and functions, Branching Benches reinterprets the benches that cater to many different community scenarios through a highly mobilizable and modular system.

The benches can change their layout and forms based on where they are placed in Oi! and what is needed based on the different programs or events.

They even feature elements such as tables, cup-holders, chess tables, and book holders.

Like a tree’s branches, their modular design allows for endless combinations that can extend within each individual settings.

Project: Branching Benches
Designers: napp studio
Design Team: Aron Tsang, Natalie Ko, and Wesley Ho
Manufacturers: Screw Up Studio and Sam Hung Metal
Client: Oi!
Photographer: Jimmy Ho