The Architect of

Oriental Passion

& Western Harmony

——

Alan Chan

ALAN CHAN

Born in 1950, Alan Chan is a designer, brand consultant and visual artist based in Hong Kong. He founded Alan Chan Design Company in 1980, and together with his company, have won more than 600 local and international awards. He is known for initiating the “Oriental Passion Western Harmony” design aesthetics which has been well-recognised by the international design scene, and has brought immense influence to the younger generation of designers. Since 2000, Chan ventured into the new arena of visual art. Besides being selected twice for Shanghai Biennale and Hong Kong Contemporary Art Award respectively, he is also the first Hong Kong designer ever being invited to hold a solo exhibition at the Shanghai Art Museum in 2007 and the prestigious Japanese graphic design gallery – Ginza Graphic Gallery in Tokyo in 2002. Chan developed his iPhone photography series “iEye-ai” in 2010, which has been exhibited in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Milan, Beijing, Osaka and Singapore. His works of art and design have been collected by institutions such as Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich, the National Art Museum in China, M+ museum for visual culture in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Heritage Museum, as well as private collectors in Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan, Italy and the USA.

Seiko Clock 1998

In collaboration with Seiko known for high quality watches in Japan, Alan has created a classic timepiece incorporating Chinese calligraphy.

The idea is to have the minute hand that moves around the clock to create the complete Chinese numerals. When the minute hand is “inpositioned”, the rest of the incomplete Chinese numerals, will become an abstract form of brushstrokes that creates an artistic feeling according to the viewers’ imagination.

The Chinese seal, which reads the name of Alan Chan in Chinese, projects an authentic image to the clock. Seals are commonly found on Chinese paintings or calligraphy, as a meaning of endorsement. The Chinese seal is being positioned in a way that it extends onto the edge of the clock to create a contemporary look.

The overall colour scheme is black, white and red, which is highly Chinese and artistic yet modern.

Coca-Cola Chinese Logo Upgrade (2003)

This design is widely regarded within the industry as one of the most successful examples of visual localization for an international brand. It not only perfectly preserves Coca-Cola's globally consistent tone of “refreshing and joyful,” but also endows these four Chinese characters with a fluid rhythm uniquely suited to the Chinese context. This approach significantly bridged the emotional gap between the brand and Chinese consumers, and remains celebrated as a pinnacle of cross-cultural design to this day.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

MGM

As a globally renowned leader in the hospitality industry, MGM Resorts International has been steadily expanding its international footprint across Asia in recent years. At the same time, the company has long regarded culture and the arts as a core component of its brand strategy, not only shaping a distinctive brand image but also setting a benchmark in the global cultural and tourism industry for using culture to drive business growth.

The 6th Macau Lantern Festival

Metaphor: The various poses of leaping and playing not only showcase the rabbits’ vibrant and lively nature but also symbolize the resilience and vitality of people who continue to strive for prosperity despite the pandemic restrictions of the past few years.

Forms and Names: These eight jade rabbits have been imbued with distinct personalities and poses, and are named “Fly High , “Happy,” “Lively,” “Bouncy,” “Smartie,” “Sweetie,” “Shy,” and “Beauty.”

Chan Yau-kin was invited to create eight large-scale jade rabbit lantern installations (ranging in height from 3 to 4.7 meters) exclusively for this year’s Lantern Festival.

Core Theme: “Jade Rabbit in a Lotus Garden”

SURIA 1995

The Meaning of “Suria”: In Malay, “Suria” means “sun” or “sunlight.” The name itself evokes a strong sense of tropical flair, vibrant energy, and the ambition to become a radiant commercial landmark.

Iconic Logo: The Suria KLCC logo is a highly geometric and modern “sun” motif. Alan Chan abstracted the sun’s rays into clean geometric lines and blocks of color, preserving the natural imagery of the sun while imbuing it with a strong sense of modern commercial symbolism.

"Design, as it may appear, serves as the tool for brand strategy.

Behind our ever-evolving design lays the foundation of art and culture as a constant inspiration. "

- Alan Chan