Hong Kong-based Swiss architect Geraldine Borio talks about starting Parallel Lab

"We're not afraid of constraints. I think they're often the starting point to stimulate creativity. We believe design should trigger the user's behaviour and question our habits and priorities."

"We came firstly because we were interested in the city's intricate urban development. The contrast between the extreme density of the built environment and its expansive natural surrounds, as well as the creativity people have developed to overcome space constraints, was fascinating to us. Coming from Switzerland - which is the opposite in terms of urban planning - we felt we could learn a lot from this new context. We decided to start researching Hong Kong's 'edge public spaces' - accidental spaces that are not planned for public use but are appropriated by people. The results are in a book [titled Hong Kong In Between], co-published by MCCM Creations (Hong Kong) and Park Books (Switzerland), that will be in bookstores in May."

"In a way, Hong Kong is the worst place to start an architecture firm. The market is divided between developers, corporate firms and the government. Nevertheless, we believe that our architectural point of view and foreign background allow us to take a different look at the space and the city's potential. So we decided to take the risk and, in fact, not being in the same race as the big guns gives us more freedom to try new things."

"We have designed our own studio: a former Chinese medicine shop was transformed into a succession of pocket spaces. The workplace created is not perceived only as a facility for production, but provides the comfort of a home away from home - we even have an area for employees to relax, read and nap, if they need to take a break.

"For Connecting Spaces Hong Kong, a hub in North Point for collaborative projects between Zurich University of the Arts and various local institutions, the challenge was to offer the most flexible framework for a variety of activities, such as workshops, exhibitions and performances. The rough concrete shell was planned as an adaptive spatial infrastructure. To reinforce the concept of a 'tunnel' between Zurich and Hong Kong, and invite the neighbourhood to interact with the space, the facade was designed to be a porous interface incorporating polycarbonate roller shutters that can open to the street."