Our design celebrates sustainability and community with an international team who is passionate and diverse.

Green & happy design is the core of our practice. With over 20 years of experience in architecture and urban planning, our team delivers award-winning buildings and cities. Design is a collaborative process to discover the greener and happier ways to live, work and play. As our name Avoid Obvious Architects suggests, we find unique solutions to bring architecture, landscape, or interior to everyone. We work very closely with NGO and government to provide sustainable designs on a non-profit basis.

We add value to the most common situation by combining art, health, context, build-ability, fundraising, branding, story telling, and science.

Our team cares about people, history, and the environment. The AOA’s passion and design philosophy is not only spreading within the professional world, we are also volunteering to teach local children. In 15 years, Architecture for Children have taught over 7,000 students about collaborative and sustainable designs. In 2016, our founder Vicky Chan lectured in front of 500 global mayors in New Cities Summit in Seoul. Our work has also been featured next to the White House in the US. In 2021, Vicky has become the chair of Walk DVRC to promote walkability in city.

Since 2018, we have helped over 20 non-profit organization with community projects to help people and the environment.

We have 10 building and design professionals to provide integrated design service for urban planning, architecture, landscape design and interior design. Our one-stop solution includes:

1. 1. Concept Design
   2. Site Assessment and Analysis
   3. Design Development
   4. Construction Document
   5. Lighting Design
   6. Furniture Design
   7. Specifications and Sourcing
   8. Branding
   9. Art
   10. Model Making
   11. Marketing Renderings, Virtual Reality Tours (VR) and Photos
   12. Fund Raising

We have 55 international awards in urban planning, architecture, landscape and interior design with projects in 36 cities and 22 countries.

2021 HKGBC Advancing Net Zero Design Competition – Next Tower
2021 AIA Hong Kong Award in Sustainability- K-Farm
2021 AIA Hong Kong Honor Award in Urban Design – K-Farm

2021 A’ Design Award – Iron Award – P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre
2021 A’ Design Award – Bronze Award – Yan Garden Revitalization
2021 A’ Design Award – Bronze Award – Street Basket with Walk DVRC
2020 A’ Design Award – Gold Award – Sorec Horse Park in Morocco 
2020 A’ Design Award – Bronze Award – Hangang River Pedestrian Network 
2020 Hangang River Pedestrian Network – 5th place
2020 Architizer One Rendering Challenge Finalist – Circle of Life
2019 London Creative Award – WeTown
2019 2nd Designer in the World of the Landscape, Planning and Garden Design Category by WA’C
2018 A’ Designer of The Day
2018 Architecture Masterprize – Winner in Urban Planning
2018 Architizer A+ Award Finalist – Hospitality – Bars and Nightclubs
2018 TimeOut Magazine Best Beer Bar – The Artist House
2018 FAIA Component Grant Winner – with Andrew King and AIA Hong Kong
2018 A’ Design Award – Gold Award- WeTown – Urban Design Category
2018 A’ Design Award – Silver Award- The Artist House – Interior Design Category
2018 A’ Design Award – Silver Award- The Cloud – Interior Design Category
2018 A’ Design Award – Bronze Award- The Lighthouse – Architecture Category
2018 Perspective 40 under 40 – Interior Design – Emily Manasc
2018 London Creative Competition – Circle of Life – Shortlisted
2017 15th Designer in the World of the Landscape, Planning and Garden Design Category by WA’C
2017 Jury for Sub+Foam Upcycle Design Competition
2017 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leaders
2017 AIA Hong Kong Community Citation Award – Architecture for Children
2017 American Architecture Prize – Winner of Commercial Interior
2017 Perspective – 40 under 40 – Architecture
2017 Biomimicry Competition by Eleven Magazine – Circle of Life – Honorable Mention
2017 A’ Design Award 2017 – Bronze Award – Horsetopia
2017 A’ Design Award 2017 – Volunteering Award – Architecture for Children
2017 Shop! Design Award 2017 – Gold Award – Pop-up Store
2017 Shop! Design Award 2017 – Sustainability Award – The Artist Lab
2017 AIA Emerging Professionals – Exhibitor
2017 Lasalle Children Game Design Competition – Winner
2017 New Cities Summit in Songdo, South Korea – Invited Speaker
2017 A’ Desgin Award – Jury
2017 PureHouse Lab – Coliving Netowrk – Founding Member
2016 London Creative Competition – Winner of the Architectural Category
2016 Inspireli Awards – Semi Finalist
2016 Rethinking the Future Sustainability Award – Urban Design Winner
2016 Design:Retail – 40 under 40
2016 Platinum Award for the Replacement of Bronx River Parkway Bridges at Crane Road
2015 ASLA Merit Awards – 14th Street Viaduct
2015 London Creative Competition – Winner
2015 Lasalle Children Game Design Competition – Winner
2012 Outstanding Project Award – Court Square 2
2010 Miami Seaplane Terminal Competition – 2nd Place
2010 Winner of Design+Technical Award – Stantec
2008 Gillette Landmark Design – 3rd place
2008 Wacom’s Vision of the Future – 1st place
2008 Best of Newspaper Design Cover – 1st place
2006 Jeongok Pre-history Museum with Easton+Combs – 3rd place
2005 Unfinished Works AIDS illustration Contest – 2nd place