The “Home Modification for Low-Income Families” project was realised by Prof. Maggie Ma and her team at Domat Architects, in collaboration with the Kadoorie Foundation with support from The Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund of South China Morning Post.

For years, the team worked with local social workers, studied the challenges facing those living in the sub-divided units and developed a flexible furniture system which maximises the utility of space. The system can be adapted and rearranged to suit the diverse and changing needs of each family, delivering a pragmatic response to the overcrowding situations of low-income families, thereby improving their lives. The positive user feedback shows how a relatively modest input can deliver a myriad of associated benefits, demonstrating ways in which creativity and design thinking can bring a larger impact on both individuals and society.

The project has been awarded the Winner of International Union of Architects (UIA) 2030 in Category 3 (Adequate, Safe & Affordable Housing), which is a partnership with UN Habitat to promote the work of architects that contributes to the delivery of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.