HONG KONG.- Tai Kwun — Centre for Heritage and Arts announced the arrival of a new exhibition entitled Trolleys Central. Presented by the Heritage Department in partnership with community design group Making on Loft, the exhibition will take place from 30 March to 28 April.

Nowadays, the traffic network in Hong Kong is well-developed, but there are still many steep and narrow roads in the Central and Western District. The flow of traffic in this area is further affected by restricted parking and loading areas; hence, many merchants and delivery workers in this area prefer to work with a trolley for the benefit of more convenience and flexibility.

Trolleys Central showcases relationships between the shops in the district, to explore how trolley manufacturers have advanced their designs with the times to satisfy evolving user demands and improve the local working styles and quality of living.

The history and transformation of trolleys
The exhibition starts with an exploration of urban planning and road development in Central. The steep slopes of Central District forced early urban design to create steep, narrow streets and many stairs. This led workers to use trolleys instead of trucks to deliver goods, for easy parking and loading.

A variety of trolley designs will be shown in the exhibition, including the traditional two-wheeled handcart, the hawker trolley, the worktainer, the two-wheeled stacked goods trolley (also known as the soda trolley), and the angle iron trolley with brakes. Some of the designs are over 30 years old.

The Making on Loft team conducted six months of research into the history and modern usage of trolleys to prepare for the exhibition, including trips to the Central and Western Districts to observe how people use trolleys today. Time-honoured brand who still use trolleys to deliver goods were also interviewed, including Po Yuen Store, Po Wah Furniture Company, Companion Import & Export Company, Ping Kee Waste-Paper Factory and more, to understand how trolleys help their work over the years. The team also spoke with Chiu Kee, whose trolley business has over 60 years of history in Sheung Wan and only closed in 2017, to understand how to design and build a good trolley for the merchants and residents.

Originally designed trolleys
After this research in the Central and Western District, the Making on Loft team created four original trolley designs which are on display at the exhibition. These adapted designs, based around the needs of people in the area, include a retractable angle iron trolley and a multi-layer, eco-friendly shopping cart.

Trolleys Central opens every day from 11am to 6pm at Parade Ground with free entry. Guided tours and workshops are available on Saturdays and Sundays.