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Homes

Pengembak Beach in Bali is a lesser-known beach on the island’s southeastern coast that will play host to Jia Curated 2026, an international design and cultural event, from August 13-17. Photo: Christopher Octav
Asia travel

‘Not the typical Bali’: little-known beach to host 5-day annual design fair

With its relatively undiscovered feel, Pengembak Beach is the perfect location for this year’s edition of Jia Curated, one co-founder says.

Architecture and design

These beeswax candles shaped like fruit and vegetables look good enough to eat

Architecture and design

Discover the genius behind everyday objects’ design at fun Hong Kong experience

Wellness

Are mould and toxins in your home making you ill? How to reduce health risks

Mould thrives in humid climates, and certain furniture can introduce particles that can cause coughs and even cancer. Here’s how to stay safe.

Black mould is a chronic health hazard that thrives in humid climates such as Hong Kong’s. Experts share how to rid your home of harmful particles that can cause coughs, allergic reactions and even cancer. Photo: Shutterstock
Black mould is a chronic health hazard that thrives in humid climates such as Hong Kong’s. Experts share how to rid your home of harmful particles that can cause coughs, allergic reactions and even cancer. Photo: Shutterstock
Books and literature

How buildings and cities shape our lives, from ancient Rome to Hong Kong today

Architectural scholar Stefan Al compresses 2 million years of human habitation into 258 pages in his new book, Dwelling on Earth.

Architecture and design

Norman Foster’s HSBC Building was born 40 years ago. How does he see it today?

Foster says the bold strategic design decisions he made for the HSBC Main Building four decades ago are just as valid today.

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Hong Kong culture

Should Hong Kong abandon bamboo scaffolding after Tai Po fire tragedy?

Hong Kong’s iconic bamboo scaffolding holds much cultural significance, but will the Wang Fuk Court blaze see the end of its use?

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A firefighter shoots water at a fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on November 26, 2025. All eight buildings on the estate had been covered in bamboo scaffolding amid ongoing renovation works. Photo: Eugene Lee
A firefighter shoots water at a fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on November 26, 2025. All eight buildings on the estate had been covered in bamboo scaffolding amid ongoing renovation works. Photo: Eugene Lee
Architecture and design

He turns fallen trees into furniture and he’s about to get very busy

Hong Kong furniture maker Lam Che salvages fallen trees and construction waste to make one-of-a-kind pieces and art installations.

Wellness

Doll’s house collectors think small with big mental health benefits

Adult collectors spend big on mini homes, furniture and decor in a pastime that eases stress and anxiety, and is booming in wake of Covid-19.

Architecture and design

A cherished Irish tradition is dying out. New school aims to fix that

At the Donegal Thatching School, master thatchers teach their skills to help preserve Ireland’s long tradition of thatched-roofed cottages.

Trainee thatcher David McFarren (front), a student of the Donegal Thatching School, works on a thatched cottage in the village of Bunbeg, Ireland on March 9, 2025. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

Lost your phone? Now you can ask your Samsung fridge to find it

The latest Samsung Bespoke fridges’ AI-enhanced Bixby assistant responds to voice commands to find missing phones and activate appliances.

Samsung’s latest Bespoke fridge models with AI-enhanced Bixby assistant will respond to voice commands to locate family members’ misplaced phones and activate things like window blinds and air conditioners. Photo: Samsung
Samsung’s latest Bespoke fridge models with AI-enhanced Bixby assistant will respond to voice commands to locate family members’ misplaced phones and activate things like window blinds and air conditioners. Photo: Samsung
Asia travel

Memories of Macau pleasure palace Hotel Lisboa as it turns 55

‘Whatever happened at the Lisboa stayed in the Lisboa.’ Macau’s first integrated resort and how it has been subtly updated for the new era.

Fame and celebrity

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, unveils new brand As Ever on Instagram

2 weeks before her Netflix show With Love, Meghan debuts, the Duchess explained the brand name change and how she’ll sell more than just jam.

Asia travel

City near Mount Fuji creates unique lodgings in unused buildings

In Shizuoka, Japan, commercial spaces are being turned into guest accommodation to draw more visitors and help revitalise the city’s economy.

The lounge area of a vacant commercial space in Shizuoka, Japan, converted into guest accommodation. Photo: Instagram/birupaku_shizuoka
Architecture and design

Crazy new Dubai mega mansions cater to owners’ wild requests

Dubai developers are going to extraordinary lengths so that their luxury homes can compete with those in cities like New York and Hong Kong.

A mansion in Dubai. Priced anywhere from US$60 million to more than US$120 million, a new round of mansions and penthouses is being built in Dubai to attract the mega-wealthy around the world. Photo: Palace Group
A mansion in Dubai. Priced anywhere from US$60 million to more than US$120 million, a new round of mansions and penthouses is being built in Dubai to attract the mega-wealthy around the world. Photo: Palace Group
Architecture and design

Trees star at these stunning homes and buildings as creators go bark-ing mad

From airports and apartment buildings to beautiful private houses, architects and interior designers are using trees to striking effect.

Wellness

Can’t sleep well in your studio or small flat? Try these 5 expert tips

Do you find it hard to sleep properly in your small flat or studio? Experts offer tips that will help you get a good night’s rest, from changing your environment to reducing external stimulation.

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Chinese culture

Feng shui office designer on how to create ‘balance’ in workspaces

Thierry Chow, a Hong Kong feng shui designer of workplaces, shares how she uses colours, lighting, layout and plants in harmony to make a productive space, and why there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

Hong Kong feng shui master Thierry Chow designs productive workspaces. She talks to the post about using lighting and colours to achieve balanced energy, and why every space needs a different approach. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
Hong Kong feng shui master Thierry Chow designs productive workspaces. She talks to the post about using lighting and colours to achieve balanced energy, and why every space needs a different approach. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
Chinese culture

Singaporean architect goes viral on TikTok with feng shui videos

With millions of followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, Singaporean architect Cliff Tan’s quirky viral videos are bringing the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui to a whole new audience.

Wellness

Wellness is at the forefront of today’s home design – using AI, art and tech

Health-centric technologies are being used to make self-care ‘a cornerstone of modern living spaces’ – think smart mattresses, and interactive art that can ‘transform you based on your movement, heartbeat or mood’.

Architecture and design

Mid-century modern with Eastern sensibility in a Hong Kong couple’s home

A homeowner was so impressed with the understated mid-century modern refurbishment of her home in Pok Fu Lam, on Hong Kong Island, that she joined the design studio that carried it out.

Cabinets on wheels in the living room of a Hong Kong apartment wrap around a corner. The homeowner was so impressed with the mid-century modern meets East renovation of the flat in Pok Fu Lam that she joined the design studio responsible. Photo: Harold de Puymorin
History

Serving the people for 106 years: Hong Kong’s YMCA Bridges Street Centre

The YMCA centre in Sheung Wan, which opened with what were then cutting-edge sporting facilities, has served the community since 1918. Part of it is now a hostel for the intellectually disabled.

The YMCA Bridges Street Centre in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, built in 1918. Photo: Dickson Lee
The YMCA Bridges Street Centre in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, built in 1918. Photo: Dickson Lee
Architecture and design

Abandoned, mouldy, but couple saw the potential of rural Hong Kong flat

An innovative couple on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island show you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a welcoming, original home bursting with colour and character.

Architecture and design

This Hong Kong home is minimalist, open-plan – and perfect for cats

A Sham Tseng flat, in the New Territories, was renovated with the owners’ cats in mind – think bespoke feline furniture, scratch-proof flooring paired with hidden storage and Japanese-style decor.

Architecture and design

‘Extraordinary’ Hong Kong buildings designed by local architects

Seventy local buildings and urban spaces designed by Hong Kong architects are celebrated in Raymond Fung’s Untold Stories: Hong Kong Architecture, with a focus on public amenities.

Featured in Raymond Fung’s book, “Untold Stories: Hong Kong Architecture”, is the 2022 expansion of the Oi! art space on Oil Street, North Point, by Architectural Services Department architects led by Edward Wong.
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