nnnnnnn. | OMG Hong Kong

With a captivating kinetic installation, the ten-person team from the award-winning design studio nnnnnnn. created a moment of pause in the middle of the vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong. In celebration of HSBC’s 160th anniversary, the studio brought to life the long history of this traditional bank right in front of its headquarters – with the help of numerous media and mechanisms. The project required meticulous precision and close collaboration with HSBC’s archive team.

Interview with Chilai Howard Cheng

Red Dot: What was HSBC’s original request to you?

HSBC originally commissioned us to produce a video on the history of the bank. While brainstorming, the question arose as to how the extensive historical material could be presented as attractively as possible. Our solution was based on the concept of a Rube Goldberg machine. We envisioned a kinetic installation, a living timeline in which one mechanism unfolds into the next, reflecting constant progress. While the client expected a digital vision in CGI, we meticulously built this machine by hand.

Can you briefly describe the complex construction?

Inserting a 1 HKD coin activates a red ball and initiates the dynamic timeline. A robotic hand then signs the bank’s founding documents, with waves beneath symbolising the transformation from maritime trade to a global banking company. Archival drawers open to reveal historical material on Thomas Jackson and Henry Steiner. Several rotating rings represent the company’s role as a note-issuing bank, while rugby and arcade machines visualise HSBC’s support for sports and e-sports. The journey continues through flipbook-style cheque-books, savings books and PayMe, illustrating the bank’s growing services. Models of four generations of HSBC buildings mark key milestones, each activating part of a central kinetic light sculpture. At the heart of the installation, a tourbillon-inspired mechanism symbolises development over time. The highlight is a robotic hand playing HSBC Hong Kong’s signature piano melody.

What criteria did you use to select the milestones?

The founding, development and future vision of HSBC shaped our selection. To honour the bank’s origins, we examined the founder’s vision, the first building, the earliest book of business and much more. In terms of evolution, we looked at HSBC’s growth over the decades and focused on innovation and technology in the vision for the future. The biggest challenge was to find a harmonious balance between preserving the historical and ideological essence of the bank and incorporating artistic and contemporary elements.

Which element are you particularly proud of?

I am proud of the seamless choreography of the machine – a marvel of complex design and engineering. This complexity meant that even the smallest variables could affect the mechanism: the humidity in the city, a subtle shift in the weight of the ball, the slightest tilt of a track. Every detail required the utmost precision, and we are deeply grateful to the teams involved for their tireless efforts and countless sleepless nights.