Jockey Club Project Well-being | The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust | HKD6,610,000

Goal
In 2019/20, a student population of over 800,000 is recorded. Together with the teacher population in these 1000 plus schools, it makes almost one-ninth of the Hong Kong population. The quality of the school environment is, therefore, an important issue to address. To achieve well-being for the school users, good design of the school environment is one of the keys.

Good design of the school environment has a positive impact on educational outcomes and process, both within the curriculum and beyond. Place-making influences well-being through helping students and staff to create a sense of ownership and belongings to their school, promoting positive social interaction and a healthy lifestyle.

Method
The term “Place-making” consists of 2 parts: “Place” and “Making”. Both parts are equally important. When we celebrate the good design of the final outcome of the place, we should pay the same emphasis to the process. Place-making is not simply renovation or refurbishment. It could take place in public space, streets, neighborhood, as well as campus. Good place-making projects involve active participation, robust design thinking, an in-depth co-design process, and partnership with different parties and expertise.

Participation creates a sense of identity when users are invited to help shape changes to the environment. Engaging in meaningful and in-depth conversations and allowing opportunities for critical analysis towards the problem will create a rich source of ideas about the qualities of space. Participants join the design process to use their insight and experiences to reimagine spaces that allow them to do remarkable things every day.

Design thinking is a user-centred process. It is a way to define the problem as well as propose the solution. It encourages innovation by exploring multiple options for the same problem and evaluates them through the users’ perspective. It is a tool to “think big” even though the problem seems to be trivial. It is also a tool to “think deep”, even though we sometimes think the solutions are obvious. It helps us think in an alternative perspective and look at the ordinary with new eyes. Design thinking is not merely for designers. It is a practical tool for everyone and every discipline. It enhances the creativity of an individual or a group and opens up their creative mindset when they are tackling problems.