A world of things: architect William Lim reveals his design inspiration in new show

A new exhibition of the work by Hong Kong-based architect, artist and art collector William Lim offers an intriguing insight into the award-winning designer’s fascination with both traditional design and contemporary art. At the core of the retrospective is an eclectic collection of objects – from vintage furniture to a traditional Chinese birdcage – that Lim says have most inspired his 40-year career.  

’It is not just about their intrinsic beauty,’ he explains. ’The architecture of the traditional birdcage, for example, offers a useful lesson in structural integrity.’

The Cornell University-educated Lim cites American architect Frank Lloyd Wright as a key influence in helping him develop a fresh take on the classic East-meets-West aesthetic. ’He was a very well rounded designer, not just for his architecture, but also furniture and lamps.  My exhibition includes two of his autographed books from the 1930s that I found in a bookstore in Tokyo,’ says Lim.

Also on show are original sketches, materials, models and documents highlighting 15 of Lim’s key projects, including the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore, and his most recent interiors at the Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel in Tokyo, Japan.  

Another draw of the show is a video by award-winning experimental film maker Philip Yung Chi-Kwong, offering viewers a glimpse of completed Lim projects such as the interiors of the Icon and East hotels in Hong Kong.