From waste to
glaze: urban alchemy

From waste to glaze, an urban alchemy by Hong Kong Glaze Research Lab is an installation and exhibition turning Hong Kong urban waste into ceramic glazes. It draws on the traditional wisdom of using cooking ash for glaze, testing local waste streams as raw glaze materials so discarded matter returns in new forms. The project includes an Urban Glaze Cabinet and a coin-operated gacha machine dispensing small ceramic items. It is presented within THE IRL FIELD at deTour 2026, the design festival themed "BETTER, NOT PERFECT" 不完美，更美好: Prototypes for Tomorrow, running 20–29 November 2026 at PMQ元創方. Admission is free. The festival is organised by PMQ元創方 with lead sponsor CCIDA, curator-at-large 黃馨 Shin Wong, and curators THE CONCEPT LAB (曾偉俊 Aron Tsang & 何鴻禮 Wesley Ho), THE IRL FIELD (張凱琨 Dennis Cheung) and THE FUTURE TRACK (鄭智禮 Chilai Howard).