Share
Twenty years. That’s long enough for a child to grow into adulthood, and for a company to embed itself into the fabric of everyday community life. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of its listing, Link has created a special commemorative photo book with the theme, “Our Times, Our Places”. Rather than spotlight gleaming towers or polished balance sheets, this book takes a humanistic approach, focusing on the vibrant moments and evolving stories that unfold within Link’s various properties.
As the book launches, Channel 823 speaks with Creative Director and Chief Designer, Sandy Choi, and Photography Director, Ringo Tang. They share the stories behind the 30,000 photographs they took – tales of serendipity, creative synergy and warmth that define Link’s journey.
Before diving into how the book was pieced together, Sandy explains what makes the book unique. “The standout feature of Link’s 20th anniversary photo book is its natural and approachable feel, which perfectly aligns with the company’s DNA. I see Link as a young, energetic brand in a vibrant growth phase. My goal was to capture these qualities through photography and design.” This vision shaped the book’s tone – authentic and unfiltered. Each image aims to preserve real moments and genuine emotions, whether joyful or reflective.
The most distinctive design choice lies in how the book presents content. Sandy shares proudly, “The first half is all photos. We’ve only added essentials like time and location – no extra text.” This bold concept uses negative space and pure visual impact to draw readers in, guiding them step by step into the spaces Link has created. “It’s an unconventional approach, one most companies wouldn’t take. It’s my first time designing this way and I love the outcome.”
Starting in March 2025, the project team travelled across Link’s properties in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Singapore and Sydney – capturing more than 30,000 photographs. Curating this immense collection was no small feat. Only the most compelling images made the cut, guided by strict criteria of naturalness and authenticity – two qualities Sandy and Ringo never compromised on.
While the pre-shoot plan was thorough, there were still on-location surprises. Sandy found that these often proved to be most rewarding, with the most compelling moments frequently coming from unplanned “divine interventions”.
As Sandy and Ringo leaf through the photo book together, they share three unforgettable examples:
Chance Encounter: At The Strand Arcade, a multi-level shopping centre in Sydney’s CBD, a fashion boutique employee was showcasing an evening gown when a suited passerby, coffee in hand, unexpectedly entered the frame. Sandy recalls, “Ringo caught that moment of two strangers crossing paths. And just like that, the photo came alive.”
Father-Daughter Moment: At the Queen Victoria Building, also in Sydney, Ringo captured a genuine moment between a father and daughter visiting from abroad. Sandy immediately decided this photo had to be included. “These moments probably happen quietly every day across Link’s properties. When we encounter such moments, we simply need to press the shutter and preserve that authentic joy.”
Mirror Reflections at a Barbershop: The lens then turned to Singapore. At Jurong Point, Ringo came across what seemed like an ordinary barbershop. After getting the owner’s permission, he selected his angle and cleverly composed the scene using the mirror’s reflection, creating a photograph with remarkable depth and distinctive local character.
So what did these two creators discover about Link through this intensive shoot?
As a photographer who has travelled worldwide, Ringo has a unique habit: wherever he goes, he visits the local fresh market. “Markets represent a city’s culture.” He admits that, years back, he envied clean, well-organised European markets full of character: “At the time, I thought, why can’t Hong Kong be like this?”
During this shoot, Ringo was delighted to discover that Link had “brought this idea to life”. Visiting Tai Po’s Tai Yuen Market, he found not just cleanliness and order, but heartwarming stories as well. “One shopkeeper told us that Link’s Group CEO had visited his shop, enjoyed milk tea and chatted about community matters.” Ringo reflects that these stories deepened his understanding of Link, and he hopes his lens lets more people see and experience how the company’s unique character is reflected in its properties. “Through conversations with shopkeepers and customers during the shoot, I felt the joy of everyday life in Link’s malls and fresh markets.”
Sandy’s first impression of Link’s fresh markets was just as memorable: “The renovated markets are clean, but the human warmth typical of neighbourhood markets hasn’t diminished.” What struck him most were everyone’s radiant smiles during filming.
Another highlight was the “Geometric Wonderzoo” at Sau Mau Ping Shopping Centre. Sandy especially appreciated the blue elephant adventure slide. On the day of the shoot, watching children play freely allowed him to see and clearly understand Link’s thoughtful attention to placemaking. “If we hadn’t come to photograph, I never would have realised that Link has put so many resources into a neighbourhood shopping centre like this. The local residents must benefit tremendously.”
Sandy and Ringo completed Link’s 20th anniversary photo book within six months, efficiently capturing unique moments while maintaining a unified, consistent visual style. This relied on their intuitive partnership spanning more than 30 years.
Sandy explains: “On location, if I find a scene I particularly want to capture, I simply say ‘Ringo, photograph this’, and he knows exactly what I want.” Once, at a dried seafood shop, Sandy felt the scene embodied Hong Kong’s character, so with a simple “Ringo, photograph this”, Sandy spurred Ringo into immediate action to capture the shop owner’s wife reaching up to the shelves looking for items. “It was authentic and brought the entire scene to life,” says Sandy.
Ringo describes their creative synergy as “wordless communication”. “Usually, I give Sandy a batch of photos I’ve selected. He’ll choose one or two from those, and without fail, the one or two are exactly the ones I thought were the best.”
In an era when physical books are fading, Sandy emphasises the important role a tangible book can play in capturing the breadth of experiences and sentiments: “Fewer companies are willing to commit to making commemorative books now, which I find regrettable. I hope Link’s 20th anniversary photo book inspires them, because we’ve genuinely broken with tradition.”
Ringo’s wish connects more closely to a photographer’s calling: “I hope this book and my photographs help readers understand Link more fully and genuinely. I believe there will be at least one photo that touches their heart.”
From Hong Kong fresh markets to Sydney shopping centres, and from children’s smiles to shopkeepers’ stories, this substantial book records Link’s two-decade journey as well as countless ordinary people’s experiences of “our time” in “our places”. As these stories show, Link’s community-focused ethos comes to life through these authentic, everyday moments – moments that build towards an even more promising future.
