Yi Lin Wong

Changes in the Technological Aspects and Facilities of Design Education: A Case Study of Hong Kong

Technological literacy is required of all in the 21st century. Given its close relationship with technology, design education is fundamental to teaching children and young adults how to understand technology. This paper provides a historical review of the development of design education in Hong Kong. This development is found to be closely connected with a number of historical events, the development of the economy, industry, society, and the educational policies of the Hong Kong government. Furthermore, the history of design education shows that the value of current technological practices and facilities corresponds to the societal needs of the time, reflecting the value of past and present practices in design education. It is hoped that this historical review and discussion of past and present practices will provide insights for optimising the role of design education in the contemporary world.

Developing a social capability model of inclusive public facilities : a case study of play space in Hong Kong

Through a case study of Hong Kong, the paper presents how the Inclusive Design Cube (IDC) can be referenced to develop and evaluate inclusive play space in practice. While social activities take place frequently in play space, the paper advocates that it is essential to include social aspect in public design. Consequently, based on the IDC, the paper develops a model of Socially Inclusive Design Cube (SIDC) to investigate and identify the relationship among social, motion, cognitive and sensory capabilities in the context of play space. Through the development of the SIDC model, the paper raises a question about inclusive design approach. It is hoped that the further development and the application of the SIDC model will contribute to the discipline of inclusive design with social concerns.

Opportunities for Inclusive Play in Densely Populated Cities: An Analysis of the Human Factors in Hong Kong Play Space

The paper applies the Inclusive Design Cube (IDC) and the Socially Inclusive Design Cube (SIDC) to examine the current design of one of the largest inclusive playgrounds in Hong Kong. The three dimensions of the IDC (i.e., motion, sensory and cognitive capabilities) and the social dimension of the SIDC are used to evaluate how the play facilities and the environment cater the needs of the disabled in the case study. Children with different kinds of disabilities are concerned in this paper. It is argued that the three capabilities are correlate with each other, and they should be considered as a whole in inclusive playgrounds. It also discusses the needs of social inclusiveness in play and its importance in densely populated cities.

Designing signs for children: a study of children’s drawings for safety signs

Abstract Children’s drawings could give new insights into how signs should be designed for children. Safety signs in public places, such as parks and shopping malls, are sometimes not comprehensible to children. In this study we extracted children’s comments and opinions on safety sign design through their drawings. Sixty-five primary school children in Hong Kong aged seven to 12 were asked to draw 12 safety signs and their responses and drawings were then analysed. It was found that the children tended to express their ideas by drawing the signs with different human figures, symbols, environments, tangible and real objects and consequences. Some of the children’s drawings differed from the registered safety signs, which may be due to the differences between adults’ and children’s cognitive abilities and the way in which children see the world. Five suggestions are proposed to assist designers in designing safety signs for children. These suggestions serve as a starting point for the research and design of signs that consider and value the needs of end users. It is also hoped that the perspectives provided in this article can optimize the design of existing signs to increase children’s understanding.

The Needs of Children and Their Caregivers in New Urban Lifestyles: A Case Study of Playground Facilities in Hong Kong

With an increasing number of working couples and a growing elderly population, young children are often taken care of by their grandparents or housemaids from the Philippines and Indonesia. The interaction between children and caregivers has thus changed to accommodate urban life. Yet public facilities for children have not kept pace with contemporary demands. Facilities for children, including playgrounds, have failed to respond to the everyday life of children and caregivers. Taking playground as a case study, this paper examines the mismatch between current playground design and the urban lifestyles of caregivers and children in Hong Kong.

Essentiality of Safety Sign for Children: A Case Study of Safety Issues in Hong Kong Playgrounds

Play provides children with fun, enjoyment, and opportunities to develop their cognitive, physical, and interpersonal skills. Most children in densely populated cities, such as Hong Kong, visit public playgrounds, as there is often limited space to play at home. Among the many issues related to public playgrounds, safety is an important concern among caregivers, especially as the space between play facilities in Hong Kong playgrounds is narrow and the number of children playing at the playground often exceeds the playground’s capacity. Despite the importance of safety, a recent field visit to a children’s playground in Hong Kong showed that there were few safety signs in the playground areas. Taking a case study approach, this paper reviews the observed safety issues in Hong Kong playgrounds to discuss the necessity of safety signs for children.

Inclusive Design of Open Spaces for Visually Impaired Persons: A Comparative Study of Beijing and Hong Kong

Over the past few years, researchers, designers and policymakers have made tremendous efforts to move towards a barrier-free society for all by enhancing the accessibility of public space. Barrier-free legislation and design guidelines for built environments have been developed in many cities. However, compared with design for individuals with mobility impairments, design for visually impaired persons (VIPs) is seldom discussed, especially with regards to open and green spaces. Based on a comparative study of Hong Kong and Beijing, this study finds that the implementation and management of public design and policy must work together to ensure effective universal design principles for open spaces. This study discusses how design can be improved to meet the needs of VIPs. Finally, the study provides some directions for researchers, planners and policymakers seeking to enhance the contribution of built environments to healthy living.