Richmond designer Alan Hung wins 2026 Sam Carter Award in Applied Art and Design

Alan Hung, a Richmond-based furniture and product designer, will receive the 2026 Sam Carter Award in Applied Art and Design from the BC Achievement Foundation. Hung started out as an architect and moved into furniture design in 2019. The award recognises artists who show creativity, technical excellence and function in their work.

Hung told the Richmond News that the recognition means a lot to him. "Architecture, product design and furniture design is always about finding a problem and providing a solution to that problem," he said. "The solutions might be functional, might be ergonomic or cultural. There are many aspects of (the) design process and I just want to make sure that my design(s) provide a better solution to the original problem."

Hung shares the award with three other recipients: Corrina Hammond, Mona Lisa Ali and Omer Arbel. All recipients receive a cash prize and display their work at the Roundhouse Community Centre Exhibition Hall in Vancouver from Nov. 17 to Nov. 24. The award reception is on Nov. 19 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the same venue.

The foundation is also presenting awards in two other categories, the Indigenous Business Award and the Polygon Award in First Nations Art. The Indigenous Business Award gala is on Nov. 4 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, and the Polygon Award ceremony is on Nov. 24 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Roundhouse. Tickets for the reception, gala and dinner cost between $55 and $300 and are sold through the BC Achievement Foundation website.

Rup Grewal, the foundation's executive director, said in a press release: "At its heart, BC Achievement is about celebrating the remarkable people, artists, entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations that British Columbians nominate from their own communities."