deTour 2026 – design festival

Organised by PMQ and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, deTour is Hong Kong’s signature annual design festival. This year, deTour 2026 takes place from 20 to 29 November. Curator-at-Large Shin Wong, together with the curatorial team, present this edition under the theme “BETTER, NOT PERFECT: Prototypes for Tomorrow”, positioning design as an ongoing process — where progress is measured not by the pursuit of perfection, but by the willingness to rethink, refine, and make things better than they were before.

deTour 2026 structures its works into three distinct zones, tracing how design moves from concept to physical reality and future imagination — bringing possibilities into everyday life:

• THE CONCEPT LAB (Curated by Aron Tsang and Wesley Ho)

The engine of development starts here by exploring a simple question: “What happens when we take an everyday object and add one (+1) idea?”, the zone showcases early design concepts and research prototypes, revealing the process of testing and iteration while demonstrating how design can go beyond decoration to make a real impact.

• THE IRL FIELD (Curated by Dennis Cheung)

Demonstrates new standards of “better”, showcasing objects alongside the process behind transformation. Bringing together furniture, lighting, ceramics, and surface objects, each work has undergone rigorous testing and material research — proving that sustainability and quality are the natural outcomes of long-term testing and refinement.

• THE FUTURE TRACK (Curated by Chilai Howard)

Challenging the mindset of measuring innovation purely through efficiency and metrics, this zone focuses on emotion and perception in design. Creators re-examine the familiar, blurring the boundaries between art, design, and invention to invite the public to shape other possibilities for tomorrow through imagination.

deTour 2026 brings together 14 works by local, Chinese Mainland, and international creators, spanning speculative tools, adaptive materials, social design, digital rituals, urban interventions, and immersive experiences — bridging physical and virtual, analogue and AI-assisted creation.

For the first time, a pop-up shop will be introduced on-site during the festival, featuring a curated selection of limited-edition items by local and international designers, lifestyle goods, and festival merchandise. A series of workshops, “Creative Voice” dialogues, and guided tours will also take place to explore the multifaceted nature of design. Join us at PMQ to be part of this ongoing conversation — connecting people, place, and possibility.

Not perfect. In progress. Together.

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