Michael Kan (簡國軒) is a Hong Kong–based emerging artist and designer whose practice documents the city’s ever-changing urban landscape through meticulous hand-drawn illustration. He is the founder of Paper with Pen, a design studio dedicated to capturing Hong Kong’s streets, architecture, and everyday storefronts with sensitivity and care.
Currently a graduate architecture student at Columbia University in New York, Michael’s academic background strongly informs his artistic approach, combining spatial observation and architectural precision with emotional storytelling. He has previously worked with leading international design practices, including Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in London, and his architectural work has received international recognition, including awards from the La Coma Gaudí Art Residences Competition and the Tallinn Architecture Biennale.
He is also the author of the book "Hong Kong in Ink: (《紙筆·香港：香港城市變遷的筆墨記錄》) , a collection of over 100 hand drawn illustrations and 50,000 words documenting Hong Kong’s disappearing streetscapes and neighborhood. His book has received positive feedback from news outlets such as Ming Pao weekly and RTHK. Through Paper with Pen, Michael’s illustrations have reached a wide audience and are also featured in prominent cultural and retail institutions such as the M+ Museum Shop, Hong Kong International Airport.
