Hatch33: The space waiting to be designed by you

Hatch33 co-founder Geoff Tsui hopes the public will tell him what to stock in his shop.

Hatch33 is a space for designers that is taking an open-source approach to its development. 

Recently soft-opened by founders Geoff Tsui and Willie Chan, the space is part shop, part café, part ongoing project. While it has ambitions to become a hub for creative minds in Hong Kong, it isn't quite fully defined yet.

Tsui is wary of pigeon-holing Hatch33 -- "we're not trying to label ourselves as a shop" -- and instead wants the identity of the space to develop organically out of the needs of local creative people.

“If you build something for the community, the community will make it happen,” says Tsui.

Together with co-founder Chan, Tsui wants members of the public, to suggest improvements and additions to Hatch33 before the grand opening in late April.  

The original concept was to establish a place driven not by profit, but by a passion for good design. Hatch33 would be a place where designers meet up, discuss ideas and collaborate.

Using their extensive contacts in manufacturing, Tsui and Chan want to help aspiring designers bring their ideas to life. They are also seeking people to help improve on Hatch33 itself, from making signage to producing art exhibitions.

In fact, customers can even help to name the place. Right now, the name "Hatch33" is on the door, but legal issues mean that Tsui and Chan will have to come up with a new name for the shop very soon.

“A name’s just a name; it’s the people that count,” says Tsui.

People's choice

The people at this Next Big Thing of Hong Kong's design world are of star quality. Tsui is a multidisciplinary designer who works with big names like Porsche, Maserati and Jackie Chan Design. Business partner Willie Chan is a film producer and talent manager best known for taking Jackie Chan to Hollywood.

Their collaborators include a range of emerging talents and veterans in Hong Kong's creative and entertainment industries, such as Michelle Kumagai and Michael Leung, whose HK Honey products fill some shelf space at Hatch33.

A temporary showcase of products from Seoul is also on display, along with a selection of unique items that Tsui saw on lifestyle blogs, plus some that designers brought in themselves.

Much as this aims to be a designers' hub, it isn't an exclusive club. Ample workspace and free Wi-Fi encourage anyone to come in and hang out over cups of Mariage Frères tea sweetened with HK Honey and something from May's Cookies.

Ultimately, Hatch33 wants to be a space that reflects the public's wants and needs.

Hatch 33 (the name will change by the end of April), lower ground floor, 50 Tung St., Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, hatch33.com.

Friends and collaborators at Hatch33's soft opening.