Hands grip the moving escalator rail as it steadily descends underground. Fluorescent light bounces off colorful tiles that surround the space. Echoing footsteps soundtrack a blend of sensory details: high-end pocketbooks, the smell of a well-packed hot lunch, bits of Cantopop bleeding out of a set of headphones, and the din of phone calls — some making deals, and others just making plans for the evening. The mix is oddly poetic and subtly intoxicating.

It’s just another day on the MTR, Hong Kong’s sprawling subway system that shuttles over 5 million riders daily through its many uniquely color-blocked, tile-walled heavy rail stations (99 of them, if you’re counting). It’s an aesthetic style guide you don’t adopt so much as live inside, with each station its own colorful moodboard setting the scene. Office workers, students, ravers, tourists, and aunties all cross paths in a seamless soup that is equal parts public transport and social engine — a snapshot of Hong Kong’s singular cultural DNA.

But what if there was a space in Hong Kong that took the MTR’s convergence-by-necessity and transformed it into convergence-by-design? Enter the reimagined BELOWGROUND, a courtyard concept underground space where people circulate, pause, discover, and connect. It brings together expertly curated visions in fashion, coffee, sound, art, and more as part of LANDMARK and Tomorrow’s CENTRAL luxury retail initiative in Hong Kong’s Central district.

The space is a node that doesn’t shuttle you away, rather it makes you want to stay, with an array of experiences designed to complement one another gracefully. This curated mix of diverse voices in the first phase includes sacai and a new multi-brand retail concept from HBX, complemented by coffee from Hypebeans.

Intention radiates from every aspect of the design, with movable walls and an evolving tenant mix. The space can even be reconfigured thanks to a modular design that makes it almost like a living entity. It’s not chasing monolithic perfection, either, as it’s intended to be adaptable without losing its core identity. Likewise, the MTR material references at BELOWGROUND aren’t cosplay, they’re translated, refined, and made tactile. It’s a subtle homage to the importance of the MTR within the fabric of life in Hong Kong.

But reimagining the space for a new era was no small task, so Ryan Kwok, head of BELOWGROUND, assembled a collective of impressive talents including designer Koichi Futatsumata of CASE-REAL and brand identity design guru Naomi Hirabayashi. Below, Futatsumata and Hirabayashi discuss how they brought the new BELOWGROUND to life, and how “community” became the throughline that brings it all together.

When you say this is the next chapter of BELOWGROUND, what did you want to preserve from the original spirit, and what needed to grow up?

Koichi Futatsumata: We wanted to preserve BELOWGROUND’s original identity as a community where diverse elements — music, fashion, food, and art — come together and intersect. At the same time, we aimed to give the space a mature and forward-looking atmosphere.

Naomi Hirabayashi: For BELOWGROUND’s new beginning — finding its rebirth in Hong Kong, a city defined by its energy, edge, and unstoppable momentum — it needed an identity with unmatched resilience, bold attitude, and the adaptability to take on anything.

How did this collaboration come together? Early on, how did you divide responsibilities — what belonged to space, what belonged to identity, and where did those overlap?

Koichi: This collaboration was initiated through Ryan-san’s direction. While we had not worked directly with Hirabayashi-san before, we were indirectly connected through having several shared clients. In terms of roles, we were responsible for the interior design, while the graphic elements, including signage, were led by Hirabayashi-san under Ryan-san’s direction. We supported the process by producing images for signage scale studies.

Naomi: It all started when Ryan, the director, discovered me. From our very first online conversation, we immediately clicked. Since the spatial design had already been progressing, I quickly grasped the direction BELOWGROUND was aiming for. Regarding elements like signage and other places where the logo would appear, I suggested a few ideas, and Ryan processed them and connected them with Futatsumata-san. I feel we were able to collaborate in a way that went beyond the boundaries of our individual roles.

How did you and LANDMARK align on expectations for the new BELOWGROUND?

Koichi: Through repeated conversations, we aligned on the design direction. At the beginning, we proposed two directions: one that embraced the raw expression of the existing concrete structure, and another inspired by the MTR, using tiles, metal, and stone elements. The latter approach was selected, and we continued refining the details together.

BELOWGROUND is a collective of diverse voices (Gelchop, Kila Cheung, and NÒMARHYTHM TEXTILES) combining fashion, coffee, art and design. How does the space communicate and enhance this?

Koichi: This sense of intersection is expressed through a space inspired by the MTR — an underground environment where diverse people constantly cross paths. The space is composed of materials commonly seen in everyday settings, such as mosaic tiles, stainless steel, and stone. Although rooted in everyday materials, the space feels highly tuned through careful control of detail and composition.

Naomi: This is a platform where diverse voices connect and inspire one another, so I see the logo and signage as markers that guide people here without getting lost.

If you had to describe what BELOWGROUND is now in one sentence, what would you say?

Koichi: A symbol of a high-sensitivity underground scene.

Naomi: Through its evolution, BELOWGROUND has become a brand of singular, resilient, and adaptable vision.

What do you hope visitors to the space feel after spending an hour there?

Koichi: I hope visitors leave feeling energized by the strength of the fashion, culture, and other expressions found within BELOWGROUND.

Naomi: I hope it helps people realize that there are still many exciting and captivating things around them.

The redesign is described as a “courtyard” that brings people together. In plain terms, what does “courtyard” mean to you from a spatial design perspective? What do you want people to do differently in this space?

Koichi: To me, it’s a place where diverse people gather, each finding their own sense of comfort. I hope visitors can fully immerse themselves in the condensed culture of the space and genuinely enjoy the experience.

The new BELOWGROUND talks about elevated luxury, sophistication, and spatial innovation. How do you make it feel more mature while keeping the originality / “cool factor” of the first BELOWGROUND? What material or detail are you most proud of?

Koichi: While drawing inspiration from the MTR and working with everyday materials, we remained conscious of BELOWGROUND as an underground space. This balance was achieved through careful attention to detail. In particular, we focused on the entrance gate frame, with finely softened edges, and the central movable stainless-steel wall. Rather than relying on expensive materials, we aimed to refine familiar materials through precise detailing, which we feel resonates with the spirit of street culture.

If the original BELOWGROUND identity spoke in one tone, what did “more mature” mean for you when you approached the updated logo? What’s the one choice that most directly communicates that?

Naomi: BELOWGROUND is not just a brand, but a platform that connects creators from different fields. The new logo is designed to work with each artist’s or designer’s identity, making both the individual and the logo stronger.

The central activation zone shifts among pop-ups, exhibitions, and gatherings via movable partitions. What were the key design moves that keep the space feeling intentional and timeless, even when things are often changing?

Koichi: By organizing necessary functions into clear formats, we aimed to prevent flexibility from turning into noise, while ensuring the space remains coherent under different uses. Specifically, the rails for movable partitions and lighting are integrated into a grid ceiling, which also allows air-conditioning and other equipment to be incorporated in a rational way. The movable partitions themselves are designed to be adaptable, allowing shelves, hangers, and other elements to be attached flexibly.

“Community” is the core idea here, but that can also become an empty buzzword fast. How did you make “community” feel real in the identity and language of the space to ensure it was more than a slogan?

Naomi: In a community, a logo helps strengthen a place’s brand and recognition while fostering a sense of belonging among its members. Against a backdrop of countless homogeneous, simple logos, the new BELOWGROUND logo stands out with a memorable, distinctive personality. Its unique design — even in merchandise — draws people in and leaves a lasting impression.

For more on BELOWGROUND, follow them on Instagram and visit their website