With its new studio in Hong Kong’s Central district, Hero Design Group makes a statement about its collaborative and audacious approach to design

When Ann Chan moved to Hong Kong five years ago and began looking for someone to design her new home, she couldn’t find anyone who could fulfil her vision. As she explains, most firms at the time focused on commercial spaces or standard residential designs with little room for personal taste and originality. ‘I knew what a beautiful home could look like, but I didn’t think I could get it in Hong Kong,’ says Chan. ‘It’s one of the most expensive cities in terms of property, and people are willing to spend money to design or renovate their home, but they’re not really engaged in the process. I saw a huge opportunity to change that.’

After working as a global strategy and technology consultant for over 15 years, Chan took over Hero Design Group, a Hong Kong-based design firm that has been operating since 2015. Over the course of 11 weeks, she conducted design thinking workshops with over 50 designers, industry experts and customers to understand the gaps in the industry and how she could bridge them. In 2021, she relaunched Hero with a new studio designed to embody her vision.

Located in the heart of Central, Hong Kong’s financial district, the 156-square-metre studio was designed with a spacious open plan — a layout that reflects Hero’s collaborative approach. A large meeting room with sweeping views of the city skyline creates a sense of openness and brings an abundance of light into the space. Sophisticated materials like velvet and travertine in warm hues infuse the space with a kind of eccentric elegance. ‘Most offices in Hong Kong gravitate towards neutral tones but we wanted to show potential clients what can be done with colour and how it can be utilised in a timeless way,’ Chan explains. ‘We used yellow accents throughout the studio and customised Fromental wallpaper in our brand colours for the conference room and bar.’

A nod to her travels through Europe, Chan referenced elements of luxury train travel throughout the studio. ‘We view the studio as a platform, a point of departure for the journey that we take with our clients,’ she says. ‘We make it a point to collaborate with designers and artisans from all over the world who bring diverse inspirations that push our clients’ creative boundaries.’

Two terrazzo-topped islands are placed in the centre of the space for design workshops and brainstorming sessions with clients and designers. Built-in trays containing each project’s mood board can be accessed and revisited at any time. At the back of the studio, a wall covered with detachable Pantone colour tablets creates a vibrant and playful backdrop to the space. ‘Instead of providing our clients with a Pantone booklet, we created a Pantone wall where clients can physically pull colours they’re drawn to,’ Chan explains. Next to the main meeting room, an intimate lounge can be used for informal meetings and can easily be turned into a resting or nursing room. ‘All the spaces were designed to be flexible and multipurpose,’ Chan explains. ‘As a female entrepreneur, I wanted to create a space where you don’t feel intimidated to come to work.’

Anchoring the meeting room is a rectangular travertine table paired with colourful velvet chairs by Brazil-based designer Juliana Vasconcellos, one of Hero’s global design partners. The partnership reflects the studio’s globally minded approach. ‘We don’t equate luxury to expensive items but rather to the luxury of choice,’ Chan says. ‘Sourcing and drawing inspiration from around the world is our definition of luxury.’ This boundless philosophy shines through the studio’s style — a testament to Hero’s ambitions in Hong Kong’s design industry.

Text / Nina Milhaud
Images / Harold de Puymorin