AIRSIDE GATE33 Gallery｜AIRSIDE GATE33 Gallery 'Art March' Experiential Design Exhibition 'Cha Kee Encyclopedia - The Unseen Design Science' An Exhibition on the Theme of Cha Chaan Teng

Description

Cha Chaan Teng, a type of Hong Kong-style cafe, is deeply embedded in the daily lives of generations of Hong Kongers, and its design elements have become an important symbol of local culture, widely promoted and sold in recent years through various retro designs and cultural and creative products both domestically and abroad. However, this culturally recognized symbol is both familiar and unfamiliar to Hong Kong people: it is familiar because Cha Chaan Teng cuisine and spaces have already been internalized as part of Hong Kongers' identity, but it is unfamiliar because we are so familiar with it that we often overlook the broad cultural context that constitutes it.

AIRSIDE GATE33 Gallery, which has long been dedicated to cultivating local culture, will break away from the traditional group exhibition format during this year's 'Art March' and invite architectural historian and architect (UK) Charles Lai and designer Kay Chan Wan Ki to curate the exhibition 'Cha Kee Encyclopedia - The Unseen Design Science', which will open on 12 March 2026. The exhibition brings together cross-disciplinary creators, including architects, product designers, graphic designers, woodworkers, academic researchers, filmmakers, chefs, and more, with 'design' as the core entry point to deconstruct 'Cha Chaan Teng' from multiple perspectives. Through visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory experiences, the exhibition will 'recreate' and 'reimagine' the research findings and present them as diverse and rich exhibition content across seven zones, unraveling the unique position of 'Cha Chaan Teng' in Hong Kong's popular culture.

Chapter One: What is a Cha Chaan Teng?

The first chapter, 'What is a Cha Chaan Teng?', is constructed by organizing and integrating precious old artifacts from Cha Chaan Tengs of the past. The neon sign from 'Sun Fung Kee' in Wan Chai will be displayed with explanatory video footage, showcasing the diverse services and promotional strategies of Hong Kong-style Cha Chaan Tengs, while also deconstructing the relationship between font design and neon light craftsmanship and understanding how these fonts, organically derived from the people, became an important visual element of old Hong Kong. Original application documents and wall notices from 'Yuk Wo Bing Sutt', reveal how Cha Chaan Teng owners of the past started from scratch and navigated the challenging process of obtaining a business license.

Chapter Two: Spatial Design and Visual Characteristics of Cha Chaan Teng

Passing through the old sign and entrance of 'Hoi On Coffee Shop' in Sheung Wan, this chapter meticulously recreates the classic Cha Chaan Teng space with refined old objects, allowing visitors to understand its unique visual, spatial, and furniture design, as well as the close relationship between Cha Chaan Teng and the community. The old tables and chairs from the restaurant showcase how local small-scale furniture makers adapted to their environment by adjusting the proportions of classic Nordic chair and table designs to be smaller while also using regional materials, reflecting the flexibility and creativity of Hong Kongers. New tables and chairs made from coffee grounds and tea leaves serve as a link between the former Hoi On at this location and the current coffee shop, bearing witness to the changing times. A documentary on Hoi On Coffee Shop will be screened continuously, exploring the subtle connections between the space constructed by the Cha Chaan Teng and the people and the community. Menus, takeaway food bags, and egg tart packaging boxes collected from various old-style Cha Chaan Tengs feature Chinese and English text and illustrations, showcasing the craftsmanship of manual design before the digital age and the creativity that craftsmen expressed within the technical limitations of the old-style layered printing method. An old-fashioned dial telephone on the cash register counter will ring from time to time, with a customer on the line placing an order—it's time to put your newly learned Cha Chaan Teng ordering codes to use and quickly and accurately take down the customer's order.

Chapter Three: Rediscovering the Water Bar and Tableware of Cha Chaan Teng

The soul of a Cha Chaan Teng, the water bar, will be recreated in a 1:1 scale, inviting visitors to step behind the counter and experience the process of preparing a '常餐' (set meal); at the same time, a video of the water barista at work will be played, with the camera following the bartender's movements to illustrate their efficient workflow during busy hours and showcasing the '麻雀雖小、五臟俱全' (small but fully equipped) layout philosophy of the water bar. The exhibition will also display teapots designed for different brewing techniques and practical needs, milk tea cups from different eras, colorful classic Melamine bowls and plates, and takeaway paper cups with the unchanged malt flower and orange and yellow flower pattern, together painting a picture of the relationship and development between Cha Chaan Teng and Hong Kong's industries.

Chapter Four: The Science of Cha Chaan Teng

Flexible, versatile, and customizable food is one of the core attractions of Cha Chaan Teng. This chapter will use 'eggs' as a theme to showcase various dishes made with different proportions of egg mixtures and other ingredients. Visitors can also manually layer print several popular '碟頭飯' (rice with dishes) postcards, and then sit in the classic '卡位' (booth seating) and press a large scent mechanism to release the aromas of Cha Chaan Teng food and drinks, stimulating the imagination through both visual and olfactory senses to picture the bustling scene of a busy Cha Chaan Teng.

Chapter Five: Cha Chaan Teng in Daily Life

Local young chefs and food establishments, including Chef Wong Lai Yan, culinary influencer BXC, restaurants 'Jiu Hu Shi Long', 'The Opposite', 'Mangia!', 'Tai On Ice Room', and chocolate shop 'CACAOLAB', will reinterpret classic Cha Chaan Teng dishes. In addition, design and architectural units, including Charles Lai (AONA), Cheung Hoi Kwan (Heng Jian Design), and Lee Chi Wing (Milk Design), will utilize the design genes of Cha Chaan Teng spaces and utensils, such as tile patterns, classic Melamine tableware, and ice room furniture crafted by local carpenters after learning about Nordic furniture, and incorporate them into new design concepts, providing practical and innovative directions for the evolution and innovation of Cha Chaan Teng.

Chapter Six: Cha Chaan Teng in Hong Kong Movies

Since the 1980s, Cha Chaan Teng scenes have frequently appeared in Hong Kong movies, becoming a symbol of Hong Kong's lifestyle culture preserved and promoted through film and shadow. In interview clips, film art directors and directors Man Lim Chung, Ho Chuck Tin, and Zhang Wen share their professional insights as industry insiders, discussing how Hong Kong movies transform Cha Chaan Teng spaces into venues for storytelling and how the visual culture of Cha Chaan Teng is exported to the world through cinema.

Chapter Seven: New Designs with Cha Chaan Teng Elements

Various original products sold at the exhibition's souvenir shop incorporate classic Cha Chaan Teng themes and elements: takeaway iced coffee, hot yin yang (coffee and tea), fried eggs, egg tarts, and pineapple buns transformed into unique character charms; doormats featuring Cha Chaan Teng tile patterns; and several classic Cha Chaan Teng-flavored chocolates, including satay beef noodles, yin yang, nai cha (milk tea), and red bean ice, are all must-buys to bring a piece of 'Cha Chaan Teng' home with you.

Admission Fee:

1–31 March 2026 (Art March): Free

1 April – 31 July 2026: HKD20 / person, free for children aged 3 and below