Lee Ngai Man ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ Pocket Spaces ᱠᱚᱢᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴᱤ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ

Lee Ngai Man ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ Pocket Spaces ᱠᱚᱢᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴᱤ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱟᱢᱟᱡᱤᱠ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱯᱨᱚᱛᱤᱡᱚᱜᱤᱛᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱜ ᱨᱮ 2026 A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱟᱹᱰᱤ ᱢᱟᱱ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

ᱥᱳᱱᱟᱥᱟᱢᱟᱡᱤᱠ· 2026

Pocket Spaces ᱠᱚᱢᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴᱤ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ

Lee Ngai Man ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ

ᱜᱟᱦᱟᱠ: Estate Of Mine

ᱥᱟᱢᱟᱡᱤᱠ ᱵᱷᱟᱜ ᱨᱮ A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ

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ᱡᱟᱸᱪ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱮᱣᱟᱨᱰ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ

#181246 ᱞᱟᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱣᱟᱨᱰ ᱦᱟᱞᱚᱛ ᱡᱟᱸᱪ

A' Design Award ᱨᱮ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱢᱮ ᱯᱨᱮᱥ ᱨᱤᱞᱤᱡ ᱯᱩᱨᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱵᱮᱡ

ᱨᱚᱝ

ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ

Pocket Spaces ᱠᱚᱢᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴᱤ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ ᱵᱟᱵᱚᱛ ᱛᱮ

ᱯᱚᱠᱮᱴ ᱥᱯᱮᱥᱮᱥ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱹᱰᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱸᱴᱟᱣ ᱦᱚᱲ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱥᱚᱨᱠᱟᱨᱤ ᱚᱲᱟᱜ ᱮᱥᱴᱮᱴ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱢᱤᱫᱴᱮᱱ ᱥᱟᱶᱛᱟ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱷᱟᱴᱚ ᱦᱚᱨ ᱟᱨ ᱥᱤᱲᱤ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱡᱚᱛᱚ ᱦᱚᱲ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱥᱟᱶᱛᱟ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱚᱫᱚᱞᱚᱜ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱨᱤᱥᱟᱭᱠᱮᱞᱰ ᱠᱟᱜᱚᱡᱽ ᱨᱮ ᱪᱷᱟᱯᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱑᱒ ᱥᱟᱦᱴᱟ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱤᱫᱤ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱ ᱦᱚᱲ ᱠᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱠᱟᱴᱷᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱦᱚᱨ ᱩᱫᱩᱜ ᱠᱚᱣᱟ, ᱵᱟᱝ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨᱚᱜ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱟᱞᱜᱟ ᱢᱚᱰᱩᱞᱟᱨ ᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱦᱟᱹᱵᱤᱡ ᱾ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱨᱮ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱟᱶᱛᱟ ᱦᱟᱹᱰᱤᱡᱮᱲᱮᱫ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱡᱟᱣᱨᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱴ, ᱠᱮᱵᱚᱞ ᱴᱟᱭ ᱟᱨ ᱟᱞᱜᱟ ᱠᱞᱮᱢᱯ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨᱚᱜᱼᱟ, ᱚᱱᱟᱛᱮ ᱦᱟᱲᱟᱢ ᱵᱩᱰᱷᱤ ᱦᱚᱲ ᱟᱨ ᱜᱤᱫᱽᱨᱟᱹ ᱠᱚ ᱦᱚᱸ ᱵᱟᱹᱲᱛᱤ ᱦᱟᱹᱛᱤᱭᱟᱨ ᱵᱮᱜᱚᱨ ᱛᱮ ᱓᱐ ᱴᱤᱯᱤᱡ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴ ᱠᱚ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜᱼᱟ ᱾ ᱯᱚᱠᱮᱴ ᱥᱯᱮᱥᱮᱥ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱟᱶᱟ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱥᱟᱢᱟᱝ ᱨᱮ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱ ᱥᱟᱶᱛᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱟᱡ ᱢᱚᱱᱮ ᱛᱮ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱫᱟᱲᱮ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱟᱲᱟᱭ ᱥᱟᱶ ᱥᱟᱹᱜᱟᱹᱭ ᱠᱚ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱫᱟᱭ ᱾

ᱢᱟᱱᱟᱱ

A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱵᱟᱵᱚᱛ ᱛᱮ

Pocket Spaces ᱠᱚᱢᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴᱤ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱟᱨ ᱥᱩᱱᱫᱚᱨ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ Pocket Spaces ᱠᱚᱢᱭᱩᱱᱤᱴᱤ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱦᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱛᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱯᱤᱪᱷᱟ ᱨᱮ

ᱯᱨᱮᱥ ᱠᱤᱴ

ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱠᱨᱮᱰᱤᱴ, ᱴᱤᱢ ᱥᱫᱚᱥᱭ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱤᱠᱮᱞ ᱵᱤᱵᱚᱨᱚᱬ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

ᱟᱞᱜᱟ ᱜᱩᱱ ᱠᱚ: This project is a social intervention guide developed for high-density housing estates. It establishes an open infrastructure system using assembly protocols based on grassroots materials. This empowers elderly residents and children to transform narrow 2 meter corridors and stairwells into co-creation spaces. It is a social resilience tool characterized by zero marginal cost and rapid scalability.
ᱢᱟᱯ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱮᱠᱮᱡᱤᱝ: The toolkit uses a nested frame structure of 148 x 210 mm, 105 x 148 mm, and 125 x 176 mm. This ensures the design is portable, while the lightweight materials are easy for elderly people and children to carry. The structures are also designed to be easily relocated during cleaning or maintenance periods.
ᱴᱮᱜ ᱠᱚ: Social design, social impact, spatial justice, systemic design, discursive design, participatory design, community design
ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱛᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ: The core product is a 12-page A5 portable manual printed on 100% recycled paper. Physical units utilize local material cycles, such as common public estate items and wood collected directly from community waste. Assembly employs low-barrier connections, such as industrial cable ties and simple clamps. This allows non-professionals to conduct community-making in 30 minutes without specialized tools.
ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱱ ᱪᱮᱞᱮᱧ: The primary challenge was moving beyond the traditional helicopter model of social housing intervention which often relies on one off actions. This project focused on building deep trust through 700 hours of field research to address the apathy caused by extreme density and upcoming redevelopment. It shifts the designer role from designing for to community led design. The project acts as a mobile preservation system that allows social relationships to migrate and integrate into housing plans.
ᱜᱚᱵᱮᱥᱚᱱᱟ: This action research project addresses human made ignorance and spatial injustice in high density urban environments. Through 700 hours of immersive ethnography and field research involving 500 residents, we found that urban apathy is a cognitive bias. Neighbors often overestimate the reluctance of others to interact. Public housing lacks the spatial rights to maintain connections rather than the connections themselves. The project resulted in a 40 percent increase in neighborly interactions.
ᱯᱨᱮᱨᱚᱱᱟ: This design originates from ethnographic observations of the extreme living density in Hong Kong where space averages 15.5 square meters per person. Through 700 hours of field research and 500 resident interviews, we discovered spontaneous space hacking in corridors and stairwells to build neighborhood bonds. The core inspiration involves translating scattered grassroots wisdom into a systematic social intervention guide. We used an high participation in the manual to awaken spatial autonomy and empower neglected spaces.
ᱯᱨᱚᱡᱮᱠᱴ ᱥᱚᱢᱚᱭ: This organic system launched on January 30, 2025 and evolves alongside public housing redevelopment. The first phase is located in Wah Fu Estate. The second phase will be exhibited at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design in June 2026. The third phase will expand to other high density communities like Mei Lam and Butterfly Estate in 2027 to establish a cross regional social design network.
ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱦᱚᱨ: The Pocket Space Playbook is a portable toolkit designed to help residents transform lifeless public housing corridors into vibrant social hubs. The guide uses a step-by-step approach to help users identify neglected spaces and apply modular grassroots wisdom. This method is effective because it triggers a fundamental community shift: residents realize they have the right to define their own spaces, creating a bottom-up, sustainable ecosystem.
ᱴᱤᱢ ᱥᱮᱫᱟᱭ ᱠᱚ: Pak Hei Wang
Ngai Man Lee
Kai Yin Lin
Nga Suet Julytha Ho
Hiu Man Chiu
ᱪᱤᱛᱟᱹᱨ ᱥᱟᱹᱦᱟ: Image # 1: Designer Pak Hei Wang, Hiu Man Chiu, Julytha Nga Suet Ho, Ngai Man Lee, Kai Yin Lin, Social Pocket, 2026.

Image # 2: Designer Ngai Man Lee, Hiu Man Chiu, Julytha Nga Suet Ho, Kai Yin Lin, Pak Hei Wang, Social Pocket 2, 2026.

Image # 3: Designer Pak Hei Wang, Hiu Man Chiu, Julytha Nga Suet Ho, Ngai Man Lee, Kai Yin Lin, Engage Material, 2026.

Image # 4: Designer Ngai Man Lee, Hiu Man Chiu, Julytha Nga Suet Ho, Kai Yin Lin, Pak Hei Wang, Informal Knowledge, 2026.

Image # 5: Designer Kai Yin Lin, Hiu Man Chiu, Julytha Nga Suet Ho, Ngai Man Lee, Pak Hei Wang, Social Engage, 2026.