The Co-organisers composed of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects Biennale Foundation (HKIABF) and Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) are pleased to announce that a curatorial team led by Ar. LEE Kwok Yan, Sarah, Professor Hendrik TIEBEN and Ar. Yutaka YANO, Co-Founder of SKY YUTAKA, has been appointed as Curators for the Hong Kong Exhibition at the 18th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition which will take place in Venice, Italy from 20 May to 26 November 2023.
The team with vision has experiences in exhibition curation and exhibition design such as "Tall Storeys – Evolution in Hong Kong Architecture 1965 – 2014", HKIA's first international travelling exhibition in London to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of HKIA Annual Awards, "VISIONS 2050 - Lifestyle and the City" of 2015 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture Hong Kong and exhibition design of “Co-Creating Hong Kong Design +” travelling exhibition in San Francisco and associated programme, and response exhibition in Hong Kong which were sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The Hong Kong Exhibition at the VB2023 is also sponsored by CreateHK.
Curator
- Ar. LEE Kwok Yan, Sarah, HKIA, RIBA, RA
- Professor Hendrik TIEBEN, CUHK, HKIUD, AKNW, RA
- Ar. Yutaka YANO, HKIA, RIBA, RA
Please click HERE for curators' profile.
Curatorial Statement:
TRANSFORMATIVE HONG KONG, THE LABORATORY OF THE FUTURE
Hong Kong is on the move, even after significant urban metamorphosis in the last fifty years with more than three-fold the population growth, the city is on the brink of yet another transformative moment in time with various territorial scale projects in planning or implementation phases, and new policies driving the next phase of development.
Today’s increasingly complex built environment and social needs require multifaceted approach, Architectural practice in the Contemporary Era are increasingly multidisciplinary in nature covering diverse range of professional services forming collaboration as integral part of the process. While the 4th Industrial Revolution is having wide impact and transforming the fabric of our society, many institutions and creative community in Hong Kong are also evolving and working together while using the city as our "laboratory + workshop" in which we collaborate and create innovative solutions to meet the challenges of future.
Setting the framework for the exhibition in context, it will use three contrasting scales “Territorial Transformations”, “Architectural Transformations” and “Public Space Transformations” with its respective perspectives and lens. Even though the complexity and depth of the subjects extends far beyond the scope of this exhibition, and a fluid transitional phase is often difficult to crystalize or capture, nevertheless the exhibition will introduce to the international and local audiences a unique insight into selected critical urban issues facing Hong Kong in near future through interactive mixed media representations and visual essays a snapshot of this transformative moment in our city with focused themes on Hong Kong’s relationship to China, Sustainability, Climate change, Technology and Energy / Resource Management:
Section A –Territorial Transformations / Institutional lens:
At the territorial scale, the government and institutions with new planning policy and territorial planning framework have been encouraging focused spatial development and growth, notably 2021’s new territorial planning policy Northern Metropolis to further integrate Hong Kong with its neighbouring city Shenzhen, and its coordinated infrastructure development within the wider Greater Bay Area region. Included in this section are some notable territorial scale development and infrastructure projects in planning and implementation phases. This section will also examine how Belt and Road initiatives introduced in 2013 have been impacting the construction sector and how Hong Kong practices are contributing to the development beyond the city further afield as far as Africa.
Section B –Architectural Transformations / Creative Community lens:
This section will examine the relationship between institutional framework with its funding mechanism and snapshots of how the academia, creative community and architectural practitioners are responding to the emerging institutional policy change and trends through selected projects; It provides examples of Architectural transformation with the policy level influences to develop Innovative Construction Technology, Sustainable Rural Countryside Conservation beyond the city’s metropolis, and Social Innovation fostering cross generational engagement within local communities.
Located in the courtyard space, this section also includes the works from the proposed with focus on AI-robotic fabrication and sustainably sourced recycled timber. The proposed installation will be used to host the exhibition opening and selected program.
Section C – Public Space Transformations / Public Domain lens:
This section will examine the physical impact of the former transformations through visual essay and multimedia representations to capture the impact in our daily life in Hong Kong and beyond through public perspectives lens with experimental installations.
Through a series of workshops and events, the process becomes as important as the outcome, and these contrasting lens and perspectives can raise critical questions about the nature of physical location and space. Can cities and land development find ways to achieve a more balanced relationship with nature? – how these transformations are impacting lifestyle / habitation in our city and vice versa? – and ultimately what role does Hong Kong architect and creative community play in the 4th Industrial Revolution and its social transformation? And what are our hopes for the future generations?
Above all, the Venice Biennale is a time for celebration of Hong Kong as a vibrant and complex city whose many qualities are both critically difficult and critically inspiring.
Venue: Arsenale, Campo della Tana, Castello 2126, 30122 Venice
Exhibition Period: 20 May to 26 November 2023
