The brief Casetify founder Wesley Ng gave Crosby top dog Harry Nuriev was rather simple: “I wanted for people to enjoy coming back to the office, because we had a period when we were working from home. The second thing is I wanted the space to be very collaborative – because we’re about creativity, so collaboration is important. And the third thing was, we wanted the space not just to look cool, but to really speak of the brand. If we could do these three things right, I’d be happy.

“And Harry got it straight away. The rest was a no-brainer. As long as the production company could make it happen, it was a green light from me. I don’t think I rejected any of the designs in the project – I loved it at first sight.”

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The amphitheatre is ideal for company town halls but also proves popular for breakout meetings and small gatherings – being fun, functional and singing the brand’s values regarding sustainability, self-expression and simply being, well, cool. It’s Ng’s favourite spot (beating, it would appear, even his sea-facing private office decked out in plush millennial pink). “It’s made out of 20,000 used phone cases, so you’re sitting on a piece of history, with stories,” he adds. “Sometimes it’s emotional, because it’s [literally] your supporters.”

“Our meeting rooms are unique, they don’t feel like meeting rooms. It feels like a karaoke room. But guess what? We do also have a karaoke room!

“In the first generation, all the start-ups had a table tennis table. I’ve been through that, and it’s not what people want, it’s irrelevant,” Ng says. “The reason we built a karaoke room is because that’s what people enjoy. It’s very Hong Kong, and part of our culture. So we have this room upstairs – and the ROI (return on investment) is really high.”

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“Jobs built an Apple retail store very close to the Apple campus, and it’s because he wanted everything – the experience, the training – to be perfected before he rolled it out. And I found that very efficient,” he says. “Instead of having to go to the store to mock something up to see the results, you can see it right away here. Our retail team really found it helpful and efficient that way. It’s [great] for me to connect with the customers and it’s the fastest way to understand what the customer goes through without travelling to another retail store – we have everything in the office.”

Though up to 300 employees regularly commute to this space, Ng also wants it to inspire a wider circle of people. The company recently hosted a group of students from the Chinese University of Hong Kong to hear Ng speak. “We want to share our experience and we believe in the future of Hong Kong and promoting entrepreneurship. We want people to know, yes, Casetify is from Hong Kong, but it is a globally recognised product and brand. And that we did it, so you can do it, too.”

The onus on inspiring others and perpetuating Casetify’s success story obviously doesn’t rest on the office space alone, but it could prove an undoubted draw for an up-and-coming Gen-Z workforce that seeks meaning along with money, and is more enticed by a strong vision and community than a robust retirement plan.

“For me, why we invested in such a fancy office – it’s that we really want to see Hong Kong as a creative hub for Casetify. As an entrepreneur from Hong Kong I wanted to give a path for young people,” he adds. “You don’t have to only work in finance or insurance. There is a career path for creativity.

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“Ultimately I see Casetify as a digital lifestyle brand. So there will be product expansion – unfortunately I cannot share it with you today, but stay tuned. But honestly, it’s a lifestyle. How we interact with the mobile device is different from 10 years ago. Ten years ago who cared about your phone case? Now it’s a reflection of who you are. Now with the strap, it’s about mobility. It’s evolving with our digital lifestyle, and we want to make sure we have the correct products for our customers.”

What else have Crosby Studios done?

The innovative design house have worked around the world, including on these three colourful pop-up projects.

Crosby Café at 3537

A pop-up cafe and showroom at 3537, a 17th-century Parisian mansion turned cultural space by Dover Street Market. Featuring Crosby’s own furniture collection, it is laid out to contrast with the historical setting and intentionally designed to appear as though caught in mid-renovation.

Zero10 x Crosby Studios

A collaboration with AR tech firm Zero10 to create a physical space that allows for a virtual experience. Customers enter the box, in SoHo, New York, which is decked out in pixelated decor, and try on digital clothing using an app.

Web3 Cafe