Silver Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2023
Bamboo Craft Festival Architectural Narrative Illustration
- A' Design Award 2023 Silver Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Awarded April 15, 2023
- CLIENT: Wing Sze Kung
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 38,457
- Verification code 8DDA159A4B · Verify this award
About Bamboo Craft Festival Architectural Narrative Illustration
In response to the sweeping urbanization of Hong Kong and the resulting loss of its cultural diversity, A Bamboo Craft Festival is designed with vast elevated temporary bamboo platforms and structures, creating an urban spatial celebration to preserve and revitalize the local street life cultures, traditions, and craftsmanships. The festival takes place annually and aims to engage the public to experience and explore local street cultures and craftsmanship through workshops and performances, embodying the spirit of Hong Kong.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- In response to the sweeping urbanization of Hong Kong and the resulting loss of its cultural diversity, A Bamboo Craft Festival is designed with vast elevated bamboo platforms and structures, creating an urban spatial celebration to preserve and revitalize the local traditions and craftsmanships, the festival takes place annually and aims to engage the public to experience and explore local street cultures and craftsmanship, through workshops and performances, embody the spirit of Hong Kong.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Dimension of the illustration poster:
594mm x 841mm x 7 pieces
1000mm x 430mm x 2 pieces
Dimension of the storybook:
210mm x 210mm x 7 books - Tags
- illustration, narrative, visual communication, architecture, cultural heritage, craftsmanship,
- Production Technology
- printed materials: printed illustration, storybook
- Design Challenge
- The design process was not always easy and I encountered different challenges during the design process. I think the biggest challenge is the scale of spatial design, bamboo structures, and composition of narrative illustration. To overcome these challenges, I tested different bamboo structures and modify the design for improvement. Besides, I explored and learned the composition of traditional Chinese painting and contemporary illustration and developed my narrative illustration.
- Project Duration
- The project started at Jan 2022 and finished at June 2022 in Hong Kong
- Operation Flow
- The illustrations explore the festival experience such as the spirit of craftsmanship in the construction process, the dragon dance performances, bamboo wonton noodles, the craftsmanship and street life cultures, the dismantling process of the temporary bamboo structures at the end of the festival, and the recycle and reuse of bamboo.
Besides, A 3D video is created which transforms the 2D illustration into a 3D interactive space. It engages people to experience the vibrant festival immersively. - Research
- More old shops and street stalls in Hong Kong are being demolished and eliminated due to rapid urbanization, and this inspired me to research and design to preserve the local traditions. I conducted a site analysis to study and draw 50 streetlife activities. In addition, I went to the craftsmanship store and talked to the craftsmen. I was inspired by their passion for crafts and this motivated me to transform this spirit of craftsmanship, and cultural assets into design.
- Inspiration
- Having witnessed and observed a gradual disappearance of cultural heritages due to rapid urbanization, I have a strong commitment to preserving and revitalizing these diversified and valuable cultural practices, traditions, and craftsmanship. Since I am keen on exploring design with illustration integrating with architectural elements, I designed a festival space to create a set of narrative illustrations for this festival celebration to raise public awareness of cultural preservation.
- Image Credits
- Wing Sze Wincy Kung
Colors of Bamboo Craft Festival Architectural Narrative Illustration
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Architectural Illustration and Cultural Narrative Design
We create compelling visual narratives that bridge illustration, architecture, and cultural heritage. Our multidisciplinary approach transforms spaces and stories into captivating illustrations, from architectural visualizations to cultural preservation projects.
G0E22 ShopGrand Interview about Bamboo Craft Festival Architectural Narrative Illustration
I have always appreciated traditional craftsmanship, and I have become aware that many of these skills and cultural practices are gradually disappearing. Rather than simply documenting them, I want to explore innovative, sustainable, and environmentally friendly ways to preserve and revitalise Hong Kong’s cultural heritage.Bamboo Craft Festival was inspired by my fascination with the craftsmanship, knowledge, and collective effort involved in bamboo crafts and construction. In Hong Kong, bamboo has been widely used in traditional festival structures, temporary theatres, bamboo scaffolding and craftsmanship. Through research, observation, site visits, and conversations with craftspeople, as well as insightful discussions with my professor, Peter Hasdell. I explored how these traditional techniques could be reinterpreted through contemporary illustration and architectural drawing. His guidance encouraged me to think critically about the relationship between cultural heritage, architecture, and urban storytelling, which helped shape the development of the project.
When I began developing the project, I researched cultural heritage, traditional materials, and craft practices connected to everyday life in Hong Kong. I was particularly drawn to bamboo because it is not only connected to traditional craftsmanship such as lion and dragon dance head making and bamboo steamer weaving, but is also widely used in temporary structures and festivals. Examples include Hong Kong’s bamboo scaffolding and the bamboo towers and sheds constructed for the Cheung Chau Bun Festival.I realised that bamboo represents more than a material, it embodies a living tradition that connects craftsmanship, community, and everyday urban life. These structures and craft practices have become part of our collective cultural identity, shaping how people experience and interact with the city.This inspired me to think at an urban scale. I imagined a festival space built from elevated bamboo platforms that could preserve and celebrate street culture, traditional craftsmanship, and community gathering. By using bamboo as both a structural and symbolic element, the project highlights the importance of these cultural practices while envisioning a space where heritage can continue to be experienced, shared, and passed on to future generations.
Drawing 50 street-life activities and speaking with local craftsmen helped me understand how people interact with the city and adapt urban spaces throughout the day. I observed how the same place could serve different purposes over time: people exercised on staircases in the morning, while office workers used them for lunch and circulation later in the day.These observations informed my vision of transforming Hong Kong, Central into a temporary Bamboo Craft Festival. By drawing street stalls, bamboo scaffolding, high-rise buildings, and everyday urban activities, I explored how temporary bamboo structures could be integrated into the city. This research shaped both the composition and narrative of the festival place and cultural practices of everyday Hong Kong life.
I have always been interested in exploring how 2D illustration can be expanded into a three-dimensional spatial experience. For the Bamboo Craft Festival, I wanted to transform the drawing into an immersive 3D video that would allow viewers to experience and explore the festival space, bringing immersive experience into it. To achieve this, I experimented with digital tools that could bridge drawing and spatial storytelling. I discovered Mental Canvas, a software that reimagines 2D drawings as immersive environments. It allowed me to separate the illustration into multiple layers and position them at different depths in an infinite 3D space. So, I can create a sense of movement, scale and spatial depth. This process also allow me to explore new possibilities for architectural illustration, combining drawing, animation, and spatial experience to create an engaging form of storytelling.
Yes. Working at an urban scale presented challenges in both scale and composition. The Bamboo Craft Festival was designed to connect the Central Mid-Levels Escalator, tong lau rooftops, Gage Street, Graham Street, Peel Street, and Cochrane Street through a network of temporary bamboo structures and festival programmes.At the same time, the scale of the site created opportunities. It allowed me to imagine how large temporary bamboo structures could be woven into the existing city, transforming familiar streets and rooftops into a vibrant cultural festival. This helped me explore new ways of connecting architecture, street culture, craftsmanship, and community through illustration.My study of traditional Chinese painting helped me address these challenges. Rather than relying on a single fixed perspective, I was inspired by the shifting viewpoints found in works such as Along the River During the Qingming Festival. This allowed me to combine multiple spaces, scales, and activities within one composition.The concept of yi jing (Sense of atmosphere) also influenced my approach. Traditional Chinese painting seeks to evoke atmosphere, movement, and sensory experiences through colour, clouds, smoke, and spatial rhythm. I included these elements to create a drawing that not only represents the festival visually, but also conveys its energy, sounds, smells, textures, and cultural atmosphere.
The project was divided into seven drawing and seven storybooks to reflect the contruction process and activities of the Bamboo Craft Festival. Each chapter focuses on a different stage: bamboo construction, the festival entrance, opening celebrations, food and cultural activities, street-life experiences and workshops, dismantling, and material reuse. Together, they form a continuous narrative of making, celebration, transformation, and renewal.Colour played a key role in shaping the project. Distinct colour palettes helped define each chapter across the series. This format allowed viewers to experience the festival gradually and engage more deeply with its stories, craftsmanship, and cultural significance.
The dismantling and recycling of bamboo structures highlight the sustainable nature of bamboo architecture. I believe that preserving and revitalising cultural heritage requires not only celebrating traditions but also ensuring they remain sustainable for future generations.The reuse of bamboo materials to create fertiliser and construct new pavilions that helped minimise the waste and demonstrates an environmentally responsible approach to festival-making. At the same time, the knowledge and craftsmanship involved in constructing and dismantling these structures are passed from one generation to the next. For me, sustainability is both ecological and cultural. It is about sustaining materials, skills, and community knowledge, ensuring that cultural heritage continues to evolve and thrive over time.
Hong Kong's rapid urbanisation has led to the gradual disappearance of many traditional shops, street-life cultures, and craft practices. Through the Bamboo Craft Festival Architectural Narrative Illustration, I aimed to preserve and celebrate cultural traditions such as lion and dragon head making, bamboo scaffolding, bamboo steamer craftsmanship, traditional wonton noodle culture, local markets, and neighbourhood street life.Many of these practices are facing challenges due to redevelopment, economic pressures, and a lack of younger generations entering the trades. Through the festival narrative, I wanted to create a platform where craftsmen, local communities, and visitors could experience and learn from these traditions, inspiring new interpretations and transformations that are sustainable for the future generations.
I envision these spaces as platforms for participation, learning and cultural exchange where craftsmen, young people, neighbourhood, visitors can come together to share skills, stories and experiences. The workshop spaces encourage hands-on learning through making, while the performance spaces celebrate cultural traditions in a public and accessible way. By bringing people together, these spaces foster connections between generations and communities, supporting cultural knowledge, skills, and traditions to be shared, adapted, and passed on to future generations.
Bamboo Craft Festival deepened my understanding of architectural visualisation as a form of storytelling. It demonstrated how architectural illustration can communicate cultural values, collective memories, and traditions.In my future work, I hope to continue bridging heritage, architecture, and illustration, making cultural heritage more visible and accessible. Through drawing, I aim to share stories, communicate ideas, and inspire meaningful connections between people, culture, and place.