Robert Wong

Robert Wong is a Hong Kong registered architect and a member of Royal Institute of British Architects with over twenty years of professional experience and academic training in architecture, design and urban development planning. Over the years, he has been actively involved in community services. He is currently holding the position of Project Development Director at Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council. Robert is passionate in creating human-centred design by engaging users in the participatory design process. These humanities design projects improve the living environment for the poor, elderly and the disadvantaged.

Robert was awarded the Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Young Person 2015 and Hong Kong Humanity Award 2017 to recognise his achievement in the architectural profession and his contribution to community in Hong Kong. In 2016, Robert was selected as the Top 3 in the Changemaker of the Year in 4th ElderCare Innovation Award 2016 in Singapore. In the architectural professions, Robert has continuously received different design awards including design competitions in Singapore, Korea and Hong Kong. Robert has been invited to present his works at international conferences, including World Health Organisation, UN-Habitat World Urban Forum, Union of International Architects World Congress.

Building up on Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council’s rich experience of elderly service and its architectural design, Robert worked together with his colleagues to publish “Construct Miracles for Seniors – Reference Booklet for Elderly Service Project Design” in China in 2015.

“Architects are not only serving those with resources, but also the poor and the underprivileged.”

Young Old Generation: Design for Their Own Health and Care
Can NGOs explore more possibilities in providing innovative social services besides the traditional ones?
Can a traditional care home for the elderly be renovated as a cozy and energetic home?
Can the leisure park in our neighbourhood be more playful and approachable?

We believe the answer to all the above questions asked by the general public should be “Yes!” but the more important issue is “How to achieve them?”

The continuous growth of the young old generation gives rise to a large group of relatively healthy, productive and creative elders in society. We believe that their talents could be well-leveraged to help themselves as well as the weaker old people through participatory design.

NGOs act as a connection between design professionals and the users through pioneer or pilot schemes of participatory design workshops to enhance the health and care services in various aspects, starting from small therapist tools for training to interior renovation projects of the elderly centres and improvement works in the neighbourhood, to large-scaled public events.

Multidisciplinary efforts encourage more people-oriented and warm-hearted design outcomes. Moreover, respect and recognition to elders would be highly promoted.