The “Year of the Dog” sculpture is EC3’s first “sculptural” commission, expanding on the firm’s experience in designing installations and artist collaborations to create a design that transcends the conventional boundary between art and architecture. The project exemplifies the firm’s cross-disciplinary design approach by combining Eastern and Western artistic sensitivities with cutting-edge fabrication and prototyping techniques.

Commissioned by the Hong Kong Design Center and Culture Lab in 2018, the “Year of the Dog” sculpture is conceived as part of the new “Project Twelve” collection dedicated to the twelve animals in the Chinese Zodiac, with each animal to be designed by a renowned Chinese designer.

We began the design process by drawing inspirations from Chinese Scholar Rocks and contemporary art; balancing the figurative representation in classical Chinese iconography with compositional approaches of western abstraction to arrive at a new sculptural synthesis.

Nick-named “Rocky”, the first concept model was literally assembled by Edwin Chan with fragments of rocks collected during his excursion to the Huangshan region (Yellow Mountains) in Anhui Province, China.

The "Rocky" concept design model was then digitized and developed in 3D, using the software Zbrush to refine and rationalize the complex surfaces for fabrication.

As the geometry of "Rocky" was being developed digitally in the computer, many 3D-printed prototypes were produced with each iteration to study the chiseled surfaces and dynamic proportion of the final sculpture.

Prototypes of "Rocky" in different scales and finishes were also 3D-printed to explore the sculpture’s materiality.

Several prototypes were made with solid translucent resin to simulate the feasibility of fabricating the sculpture in glass crystal by injection molding (to be produced by the French glassmaker Lalique).

It was finally decided that the sculpture would be realized in both large and small versions, with each version having its own distinct materiality and articulations. The large sculpture would be produced as a limited-edition of 12 by the Shanghai workshop of international art-fabrication company UAP; while the small sculpture would be mass-produced for retail by the Taiwan-based Gallery Chuan who specializes in composite stone carving.

The small version of “Rocky” (measuring 3.25 in x 4.00 in x 4.3 in), cast in geopolymer black and white stone, makes reference to the sculptural carvings in imperial Chinese architecture. “Rocky’s” animated posture on the cushion adds a contemporary touch to the classic design.

The large version of “Rocky” (measuring 11.5 in x 17.5 in x 18 in) fabricated by 5-axis milling in walnut and resting on a 1/4-in reflective steel plate, embodies the balance of “wood” and “metal” elements in Chinese cosmology. “Rocky’s” playful stand on a metal sphere also pays homage to the “Foo Dog” iconography in China, bringing auspicious energy and good fortune to the Lunar New Year.

The large “Rocky” was unveiled at the Italian luxury fashion brand Prada‘s Annual Ambassador’s Ball in 2018 and headlined the evening’s silent auction.

In 2022, to celebrate the inauguration of the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District, “The Year of the Dog” sculpture was showcased alongside the other Chinese Zodiac sculptures of “Project Twelve” in the museum’s Scholars Commons – a multifunctional space for arts and cultural gatherings and events.

In collaboration with the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the “Hong Kong Design Trust Futures Studio 2022” launched a program to create new interpretations of the Chinese Zodiac works based on the original designs of “Project Twelve”. Four years since its initial conception, the “Year of the Dog” sculpture continues to inspire the next generation of emerging artists and designers in Hong Kong and the greater Chinese creative community.