Please Be Seated

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Part of an ongoing collaboration between Swire Properties and British design firm Paul Cocksedge Studio, Please Be Seated makes its Hong Kong debut with an all-new edition at Taikoo Park. Inspired by the ebb and flow of city life, the piece features arches that rise up and curve under to make space for people to pass through or stop and enjoy a moment of relaxation or contemplation. Constructed using sustainably sourced timber, the piece exemplifies Swire Properties’ commitment to sustainable development and its ethos of placemaking – an inviting space that welcomes people to stay and enjoy.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Paul Cocksedge is an internationally acclaimed British designer, who has spent the last decade building a reputation for
innovative design, underpinned by research into the limits of technology and materials. His catalogue of work spans
design products, architectural projects, installations and sculptures, all infused with the sense of simplicity, joy and
wonder that has come to characterise his work.

Having studied under Ron Arad at the Royal College of Art, Cocksedge was nominated for Designer of the Year by London's Design Museum in 2004, just two years after graduation. He established Paul Cocksedge Studio with Joana Pinho in the same year, and the practice has participated in design festivals around the world, adding a sense of playfulness to technologically ingenious sculptures and installations.
He presented his first solo show at the Friedman Benda Gallery in New York in 2013, and in 2017 partnered with the gallery and Beatrice Trussardi to show an exhibition of pieces during Milan Design Week, made from materials excavated from the foundations of his own studio. In 2018, Cocksedge was shortlisted to design the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Other notable recent projects include designing Swire Properties' VIP Lounge at Art Basel Hong Kong, creating a light installation for fashion brand COS, and a major public installation for London Design Festival.
Cocksedge has collaborated with major brands including such as British Land, Swire Properties, Swarovski, Fendi, NHS, BMW, as well as private clients, and his work is included in collections at the V&A, MoMA and Vitra Design Museum. His work has received accolades from Wallpaper*, the Design Museum, Homes & Gardens and the German Design Council.