Well-being guide boosts positivity

The Housing Bureau and Housing Authority implemented a resident-oriented "Well-being design" guide, which will serve as a reference for the future design of new public housing estates and the improvement works of existing estates.

Friendly neighbourhood: The guide proposes to fully utilise main lobbies of public housing estates to encourage social interaction among residents. Source from news.gov.hk

The “Well-being design” guide consists of eight booklets that cover well-being concepts, namely "Health & Vitality", "Green Living & Sustainability", "Age-Friendliness", "Intergenerational & Inclusive Living", "Family & Community Connection", "Urban Integration", "Upward Mobility" and "Perception & Image".

Enhancing happiness

Housing Department Assistant Director (Project) Max Wong explained that while they were compiling the guide, the department had already begun introducing such concepts at ongoing public housing developments.

“For example, in Hin Fat Estate, which has just been completed recently andis located near the Dragon Kiln, which was previously a famous pottery and ceramic workshop. With this historical and cultural background, we incorporate this design element in our estate design.

“Another example is Yip Wong Estate, also in Tuen Mun. It is located alongside the Tuen Mun River and with this special context, we have placed our bicycle parking spaces near the cycling track so that residents can conveniently take their bikes to the cycling track and enjoy cycling along the river.”

Pleasure-inducing scenery: Housing Department Maintenance Surveyor (Project) Sylvia Mok says the department adopted butterflies as the theme of the improvement project carried out in Butterfly Estate in Tuen Mun to embody the "Perception & Image" concept in the guide. Source from news.gov.hk

Diverse concepts

The "Well-being design" guide also integrates the Housing Authority’s successful building and management experience from the past 50 years.

It enables Housing Department staff across various professional streams to apply such elements when designing public housing.

Additionally, the team conducted research in 26 housing estates and collected first-hand opinions from over 3,000 residents to ensure useful and practical suggestions are contained in the guide.

Shining example: This newly renovated canopy at Butterfly Estate features different attractions and natural scenery in Tuen Mun. Source from news.gov.hk

Age-friendly communities

Taking the entrance lobby as an example, besides enhancing the natural ventilation and lighting, the guide proposed to provide leaning benches for residents to rest on.

Also, hand rails and hanging hooks can be installed next to mailboxes so that residents are able to free their hands while collecting their letters.

Tried-and-tested method: Housing Department Assistant Director (Project) Max Wong says the department has already begun introducing the well-being design concepts at ongoing public housing developments. Source from news.gov.hk

Heart-warming designs

The Housing Department also dedicated time and regular resources to carry out facade beautification and minor improvement projects at 10 housing estates, as well as to complete landscaping improvement works for 20 housing estates.

For example, in Butterfly Estate, the improvement project has adopted the "Perception & Image" concept in the guide.

The idea of using a butterfly as the design theme was fully adopted.

Well-being strategy: The department carries out facade beautification and minor improvement projects at different public housing estates. Source from news.gov.hk

Environmental wellness

Housing Department Maintenance Surveyor (Project) Sylvia Mok pointed out that they bring in the arts to the communities as a way to encourage residents to come out of their homes and visit the neighbourhood.

“We have murals on the external walls. You can see we shared the view of a butterfly theme.

“Also for those unpleasant pipe works and the rodent control guards, we tactfully change them to look like tree trunks and tree houses.”

Another fine example of such improvement works at Butterfly Estate is a newly renovated canopy at the amphitheatre. On its interior roof is a painting which features a bird’s-eye view of different attractions and natural scenery in Tuen Mun when butterflies are fluttering over the district.

The department hopes the painting can encourage the residents to better understand their communities.

This is not exactly what the NFL and Netflix had in mind when they thought they would be getting big-name quarterbacks Jayden Daniels vs. Dak Prescott and a high-stakes matchup of NFC East rivals Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys in the Christmas Day spotlight.

As things stand now, it is hard to imagine many folks eagerly anticipating a meeting Thursday between bad teams that will miss the playoffs — and with Daniels, who has been shut down for the season after a series of injuries limited him to just seven appearances, doing no more than appearing on the sideline in street clothes.

“When you do circle those matchups, that’s exactly what you’re thinking: This is going to be cool. How it’s all laid out — division games right here at the end between two games of Philadelphia with a Dallas game in between,” said Washington coach Dan Quinn, whose team dropped to 4-11 by losing to the Eagles last Saturday and will close against that same club in Week 18.

“Playing these division games, they still mean a lot. They mean a lot to the players, the coaches and the fans,” Quinn said, perhaps trying to persuade himself and his locker room as much as anyone. “And so that part is still good, but not to the level that you wanted it to be.”

Or anyone would, really.

As Quinn put it: “You never want a season like this.”

The Cowboys haven't been as terrible as the Commanders, who have dropped nine of their past 10 games and were eliminated weeks ago. But a 6-8-1 record under first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer after trading elite pass rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay means Dallas is out of the postseason for the second year in a row.

Owner Jerry Jones called that outcome “disappointing.”

“We all underachieved, really,” Jones said.

The Cowboys have a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season for the second time in franchise history. The other was in 2019, when Dallas also missed the playoffs.

Prescott just secured his fourth 4,000-yard season, which ties Tony Romo’s club record. Javonte Williams has the first 1,000-yard season of his five-year career in his Dallas debut after an injury-plagued stint in Denver. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens have been a dynamic pairing all season. Pickens has a shot at 1,500 yards receiving in his first 1,000-yard season following the trade that brought him from Pittsburgh. Lamb will fall short of his All-Pro total of 1,749 yards two years ago, but has been mostly productive despite a sprained ankle that essentially cost him four games.

Six years ago, Dallas finished 8-8 despite great stats for Prescott (career-high 4,902 yards passing), Ezekiel Elliott (1,357 yards rushing) and Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup (each over 1,100 yards receiving).

The Cowboys moved left guard Tyler Smith to left tackle last week with backup Nate Thomas struggling as the fill-in for the injured Tyler Guyton. Schottenheimer said Smith would protect Prescott’s blind side the rest of the season.

Smith played left tackle as a rookie in 2022, when perennial Pro Bowler Tyron Smith was injured in training camp and missed most of the season. The Cowboys thought Tyler Smith could be more impactful at guard, but his talent might force a permanent move to the most important spot on the line.

“I’m gonna do what’s best for the team,” Tyler Smith said. “I’m a smart player. I understand who I am, where I am and, ultimately, what I’m getting paid to do.”

Both of these teams have been among the worst at stopping opponents all season, and the men who started 2025 as defensive coordinators — Matt Eberflus for Dallas, and Joe Whitt Jr. for Washington — could be looking for new jobs soon. Eberflus moved from the sideline up to the coaches' box last weekend, with no signs of that making a difference. Whitt shifted the opposite way, from the box to the sideline, in Week 10, then was stripped of play-calling duties by Quinn, who took over that responsibility in Week 11.

AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon in Frisco, Texas, contributed to this report.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) makes a touchdown catch past Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Cam Hart (20) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) prepares to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Injured Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels looks on before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)