The Rebirth of Cool

A brand new spatial experience in light and images

Nestled at the heart of PolyU, the House of Innovation (HoI) is an easily recognizable landmark you can’t miss. Amidst the brick-red towers, this glass block is the Hall of Fame housing the epitomes of the University's accomplishment in research and development. The achievements of PolyU experts are carefully displayed under one roof so that visitors could earn insights on how the University contributes to the society while encouraging collaborations among the public, private and academic sectors. Hopefully, the exhibits also inspire a new generation of scholars to think out of the box and approach research subjects creatively. To complement the state-of-the-art exhibits inside and to present the advanced technology and applications with equally sophisticated facilities, the HoI has undergone updates and transformations recently. Visitors are in for an awe-inspiring experience.

Right after they set foot in the House of Innovation, visitors are greeted by an iconic translucent glass wall, contoured elegantly to resonate with the elliptical forms adorning the ceiling and to naturally lead the visitors into the exhibition space. The glass wall is also a welcome message to all: the HoI welcomes all visitors, all researchers with their findings, all feedbacks on the exhibits, and all students from local and foreign schools to facilitate the exchange of knowledge. The foyer of the HoI features PolyU's innovative research projects and exceptional achievements from various disciplines, whereas three dedicated areas are assigned to display the latest R&D results on textile and fashion, space exploration and structural health monitoring respectively.

On a sunny day, the glass-clad House of Innovation is drenched in sunlight, feeling warm and comfortable. After the redesign and renovation, the hi-tech exhibits no longer feel cold and aloof. In terms of colour, the three elliptical forms in red, yellow and green hung from the ceiling complement the coloured trims of the display cases nicely. Not only do the colours exude an easy feeling, but also serve well as a visual metaphor on how high technology could also be approachable and accessible for all and how technology adds colours and warmth to our daily life. At the other end of the hall, there is a wall of mirrors with multi-coloured LED lights embedded in it. Visually, the wall accentuates the transparent glass structure and makes the space more airy. Metaphorically, it reflects the exhibits into a kaleidoscope of abstract forms, reminiscent of the way technology improves people’s life on various levels in a multi-faceted manner.

World renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando built the "Church of the Light" in Osaka prefecture. Coincidentally, there is the "Wall of the Light" in the renovated House of Innovation. A light bulb has always been a symbol of new idea and creative solutions. Idiomatically, we refer to making things clear as "shedding light on it". This is also the concept behind this illuminated wall – to reveal the truth behind seemingly intimidating technologies. Those LED tubes on the Wall of the Light are not ordinary ones; they are the authentic creation by PolyU experts that uses less energy and emits more light than regular LED, turning a new page in energy conservation. In fact, the University has already licensed this technology to a local company, once again proving PolyU’s achievement in knowledge transfer for the betterment of our life.

Apart from light, the House of Innovation also impresses with high-end audiovisual and interactive equipment which pushes the multimedia exhibits to a different dimension. It boasts a surround panoramic screen playing high-definition footage themed around PolyU's accomplishments in knowledge transfer. At the interactive information kiosk, visitors are more than welcomed to browse the system and download electronic posters and leaflets on the latest researches, to gain knowledge without wasting the scarce timber resources on earth. On top of that, there are over 10 touch-screen exhibition consoles in the hall, for visitors to watch their favourite technology-related videos on demand. A virtual version of the House of Innovation is also available for exploration on the tablet computers provided.

The newly renovated House of Innovation has now re-opened. To schedule your journey of state-of-the-art technologies, please contact Institute for Entrepreneurship at 852-3400 2929 or [email protected]. You may also schedule your visit here: http://www.pdo.polyu.edu.hk/en/online_booking.asp

Location of House of Innovation:
G/F, Core P, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong