Into the light New from Australia is the latest series of Worvo lighting, courtesy of Mima Design. Created by Marc Pascal under design label M2 Products, Worvo is a clever hybrid of function and art - a reflection of Pascal's background in industrial design and fine art. Worvo comes as a pendant, table lamp or standard lamp and is made from strips of polymer plastic. Available at Portfolio Group Ltd, 59 Elgin Street, Central (for prices, call 2868-0765).
Little and large Following the success of its Skylines architecture book, FormAsia has produced two new editions by the same name but in different formats: a giant version (23cm by 45cm; $680) and its baby brother (17.3cm by 9cm; $120). Written by Peter Moss, Skylines guides readers past Hong Kong's most conspicuous modern buildings and a few remnants from the past. Concise essays chronicle the origins and architecture of each building. The new editions include Shaw House (above), the home of Shaw Studios, the Central Library in Causeway Bay, and Dragonair House, the new joint headquarters for Dragonair and the China National Aviation Corporation.
Fitness freak Sportswear shops are usually a hyperactive mixture of hi-tech girders, fluorescent lights and timber sports-hall fixtures, so it's nice to come across an exception. Designed by Natasha Oentoro, Running Bare takes its cue from its red Japanese resin floor and cushioned white PVC. The aim was to get colour into the store without it clashing with the merchandise; a thong-free collection of professional sportswear and 'active' cropped tops and clamdiggers designed in Australia. It's the first free-standing shop representing the label. Although it has a prominent location - on the corner of Lan Kwai Fong at 32 Wyndham Street, Central (tel: 2526-0620) - it's a small shop so it was essential to keep the interior clutter-free. The fixturing is very discreet: slender rails and wheeled, circular gondolas that lift merchandise off the floor. Outside, director Lynly Fong Boseley went for maximum impact with a sign that is angled for visibility from every direction. You can't miss it.
Cutting edge In House has produced a deceptively simple range of sofas, armchairs and tables, each with its own twist. Take the Link sofa (above; $12,800), for example. It has tablets that fold out from the sides and slot into armrests. In other pieces, the designers play with proportion, bisecting planes with interlocking elements. Wide use is made of timber veneers (teak, oak and walnut), although both finishes and sizes can be adapted to customers' requirements by the Chinese manufacturers. Check it out at 61 Elgin Street, Central (tel: 2530-3033).
