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會長的話


2023 會長的話 <2023 一月>
Dear Members,
 
With the heartfelt support and encouragement of fellow members, the HKIA Council for 2023-2024 humbly assumes its duties today. I am honoured to be the President for HKIA for the coming two years, as it is one of the long-standing professional institutions in Hong Kong. As you all know, we have just celebrated our 65th Anniversary last year.
 
The year 2023 is a critical year. We see both opportunities and challenges ahead. On the one hand, architectural practices in Hong Kong have been struggling for years in a harsh professional environment with serious fee-diving problems and excessively complicated Government procedures, which has drained enormous amount of architects’ time and energy in Hong Kong. On the other hand, we are delighted to see that the Government has firm determination to resolve these problems, as they have seriously hindered the territory’s land supply and urban development, leading to a lot of social problems. The Council has committed to work together with the Government on fine-tuning the consultancy procurement system and streamlining of Government procedures. The ultimate goal is to create a favourable professional environment for architects and architectural practices to excel, be they large or small practices, young or senior members, and working in the private or public sectors.
 
The Government’s ambitious plan to resume the development pace of Hong Kong in the last century offers both opportunities and responsibilities to us architects. We should gear up to shoulder our roles in Northern Metropolis, Kau Yi Chau Artificial Island, the Invigorating Island South initiative, Yau Mong Urban Renewal and other projects in the pipeline. Other than provision of quality professional services, it is also our social responsibility to offer our professional views to the Government and the public on architectural and urban development issues, such as livability, sustainability, carbon neutrality, bio-diversity, inclusive city, and healthy city, which are crucial to the well-beings of HK people in the coming decades. We should maintain our role as the opinion leader in such issues, and inspire the whole society on the way forward for a better built environment in the future.
 
Opportunities are not confined within Hong Kong. Since the promulgation of the Outline Development Plan for the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in 2019, the rapid development in the GBA has brought tremendous opportunities for Hong Kong architects and architectural practices. Promulgation of the Interim Guidelines for the Management of Hong Kong Engineering Construction Consultant Enterprises and Professionals in Greater Bay Area Cities by Mainland authorities in 2021 should have allowed Hong Kong architectural practices and professionals to explore opportunities in the GBA, if not being hindered by the pandemic. With the recent relaxation of quarantine and border control measures both in the Mainland and Hong Kong, we could now fully realize the benefits of the Interim Guidelines. HKIA would set up a Task Force to provide the necessary assistance to members and liaise with the Mainland authorities.
 
Now is also the time for HKIA to resume and strengthen our connections with overseas professional bodies. As such, 2023 will be a busy year. ARCASIA Congress 2023, UIA Congress 2023 and APEC Architect Central Council Meeting will be held in the Philippines, Copenhagen and Thailand respectively, while HKIA and ARB will jointly host the Canberra Accord AGM in Hong Kong. In the era of globalization of professional services, enhancing the international competitiveness of members is crucial, and maintaining good international connections is important.
 
To further elevate competitiveness of architects, we also need to embrace new technologies, like BIM, DfMA, AI, IoT, Big Data, etc., which requires the setting up of an important taskforce under the new Council.
 
HKIA belongs to all members. Our ultimate goal is to promote the development of a suitable and accommodative environment for the healthy growth of architects of all ages and architectural practices of all sizes. We shall strive for unity to face the challenges ahead, and to achieve our shared visions and missions.
 
Thanks to the hard work of the 2021-2022 Council under the strong leadership of Donald. They have done a great job in the past 2 years, laying a very solid foundation for us to work on in the coming two years. They have started many good initiatives which this Council would continue, such as the work on the humanity side of architects, including community works like delivery of anti-pandemic supplies to underprivileged families, and enrichment of the Humanity Bank established to showcase members’ contribution in humanity.
 
Once again, thank you very much for electing me as your President. I am humble and proud to take up this important role to lead the Institute to face the challenges ahead in the coming two years. Let’s work together to realize our aspirations and dreams. I look forward to meeting you in the future HKIA activities. 
 
Best wishes for a happy and fruitful year of 2023 to you and your family!
 
President of HKIA
Benny Chan Chak Bun
FHKIA, Registered Architect
2022 會長的話 <2022 三月>
Dear Members,
 
My heartfelt congratulations to the first African architect, Diébédo Francis Kéré, from Burkina Faso, the 7th least developed country in the world according to the human development index (HDI) used by the United Nations, being selected to receive this year Pritzker Architecture Prize on 16 March 2022.
 
The Jury praised Kéré in the Jury Citation with the following words: "He knows, from within, that architecture is not about the object but the objective; not the product but the process…. He has shown us how architecture today can reflect and serve needs, including the aesthetic needs, of peoples throughout the world." 
 
Kéré is committed to social justice thru his architecture and says: “I am hoping to change the paradigm, push people to dream and undergo risk. It is not because you are rich that you should waste material. It is not because you are poor that you should not try to create quality, …. Everyone deserves quality, everyone deserves luxury, and everyone deserves comfort. We are interlinked and concerns in climate, democracy, and scarcity are concerns for us all.”
 
The power of architecture to inspire and serve people is a subject that has always been very close to my heart. When I studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, the school made me feel safe to challenge authority and not to fear rejection, and that is the reason I still believe in design and dream today. HKIA shall continue to do all it can to provide a supportive environment for all our members to practice quality architecture and realise their professional potential.

Like Kéré, I believe in the power of architecture to create shared value in our society which I have advocated in my previous talks to recent graduates and new HKIA members. I like to share my view with you in this President’s message. To me, architecture is not only about functional building, nor it is about the architect; architecture is about inspiring people and empowering them to live a better and happier life. After working as an architect for some decades, I realise that it is most important to create a caring architecture --- where people can respect each other and live harmoniously together. What architect designs and builds can affect the lives of millions of people. As architects, what we do matter. As architects, our creative design and endless innovation will determine the possibilities of our common future. As architects, we have the power and responsibility to initiate progress in our society and enable people to have a better life.

Architecture that inspires people to live a full meaningful life is the corner stone of human civilisation and is reflected in our history. Working with our community, we can design a better world for people to achieve their full potential, enrich their culture and enhance their quality of life.  As architects, our task is to incite positive changes in our community thru quality design, to step out of our comfort zone so we can continue to innovate and grow. As architects, we have big responsibilities on your shoulders, but also big opportunities ahead of us. The world of tomorrow will belong to change-makers.  Be bold, be ambitious, believe in the importance of our design and don’t be afraid to take risks as needed. There will be failures and successes in our life as architect; remember to take a “never give up” attitude and embrace the “can do” spirit.  Life is a marathon, so be prepared both mentally and physically.

Back in 2019, none of us could ever have imagined that a microscopic virus would change the world as we know it. With the pandemic still not totally under control, it is certainly a challenging time for our profession. However, despite these are times unlike any of us have experienced before, our architectural and problem solving training has prepared us well to face the uncertainties and unprecedented challenges, because it would have taught us to ask questions, be a good listener, not be overconfident in our own knowledge, and despite the limited resources and pressing deadline, it is within our capability to come up with innovative design solutions when the problem seems insurmountable. I enjoy architecture and believe the design process is like flying through the eye of a typhoon, in a world of chaos, it provides clarity of thinking and a peaceful place of inner calm. I hope all of you, like me, find your design compass in your heart to guide you thru life.

Covid-19 is not the only challenge Hong Kong, or indeed the human race, will face in the years to come.  The future architectural practice will be quite different from current practice due to disruptive technology, advancement in design digitalisation with AI, and the needs to address the climate emergency. The impact of global warming and lessons of the pandemic have forever changed our view of the human activities’ impact on the long-term survival of our species.  It has made us all realise that we cannot simply press the ‘reset’ button once the pandemic has passed or after we have reached the point of no return on climate change ---- we need to think more responsibly about designing a safer and sustainable future for coming generations. The successful architects of the future will need to be nimble, flexible, and ready to embrace change, because new challenges will continue to arise. The future architect needs to be multidisciplinary and work collaboratively. But most importantly, the future architect needs to be a humanist and care about improving people’s lives.


For the ongoing HKIA 65th Anniversary, let’s celebrate architecture for its positive impact on the community that it serves and its ability to improve the quality of life in the society.

Wishing all of you good health and happiness!
 
President of HKIA
Donald CHOI
FHKIA, Registered Architect
2022 會長的話 <2022 三月>
Dear Members,
 
My heartfelt congratulations to the first African architect, Diébédo Francis Kéré, from Burkina Faso, the 7th least developed country in the world according to the human development index (HDI) used by the United Nations, being selected to receive this year Pritzker Architecture Prize on 16 March 2022.
 
The Jury praised Kéré in the Jury Citation with the following words: "He knows, from within, that architecture is not about the object but the objective; not the product but the process…. He has shown us how architecture today can reflect and serve needs, including the aesthetic needs, of peoples throughout the world." 
 
Kéré is committed to social justice thru his architecture and says: “I am hoping to change the paradigm, push people to dream and undergo risk. It is not because you are rich that you should waste material. It is not because you are poor that you should not try to create quality, …. Everyone deserves quality, everyone deserves luxury, and everyone deserves comfort. We are interlinked and concerns in climate, democracy, and scarcity are concerns for us all.”
 
The power of architecture to inspire and serve people is a subject that has always been very close to my heart. When I studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, the school made me feel safe to challenge authority and not to fear rejection, and that is the reason I still believe in design and dream today. HKIA shall continue to do all it can to provide a supportive environment for all our members to practice quality architecture and realise their professional potential.

Like Kéré, I believe in the power of architecture to create shared value in our society which I have advocated in my previous talks to recent graduates and new HKIA members. I like to share my view with you in this President’s message. To me, architecture is not only about functional building, nor it is about the architect; architecture is about inspiring people and empowering them to live a better and happier life. After working as an architect for some decades, I realise that it is most important to create a caring architecture --- where people can respect each other and live harmoniously together. What architect designs and builds can affect the lives of millions of people. As architects, what we do matter. As architects, our creative design and endless innovation will determine the possibilities of our common future. As architects, we have the power and responsibility to initiate progress in our society and enable people to have a better life.

Architecture that inspires people to live a full meaningful life is the corner stone of human civilisation and is reflected in our history. Working with our community, we can design a better world for people to achieve their full potential, enrich their culture and enhance their quality of life.  As architects, our task is to incite positive changes in our community thru quality design, to step out of our comfort zone so we can continue to innovate and grow. As architects, we have big responsibilities on your shoulders, but also big opportunities ahead of us. The world of tomorrow will belong to change-makers.  Be bold, be ambitious, believe in the importance of our design and don’t be afraid to take risks as needed. There will be failures and successes in our life as architect; remember to take a “never give up” attitude and embrace the “can do” spirit.  Life is a marathon, so be prepared both mentally and physically.

Back in 2019, none of us could ever have imagined that a microscopic virus would change the world as we know it. With the pandemic still not totally under control, it is certainly a challenging time for our profession. However, despite these are times unlike any of us have experienced before, our architectural and problem solving training has prepared us well to face the uncertainties and unprecedented challenges, because it would have taught us to ask questions, be a good listener, not be overconfident in our own knowledge, and despite the limited resources and pressing deadline, it is within our capability to come up with innovative design solutions when the problem seems insurmountable. I enjoy architecture and believe the design process is like flying through the eye of a typhoon, in a world of chaos, it provides clarity of thinking and a peaceful place of inner calm. I hope all of you, like me, find your design compass in your heart to guide you thru life.

Covid-19 is not the only challenge Hong Kong, or indeed the human race, will face in the years to come.  The future architectural practice will be quite different from current practice due to disruptive technology, advancement in design digitalisation with AI, and the needs to address the climate emergency. The impact of global warming and lessons of the pandemic have forever changed our view of the human activities’ impact on the long-term survival of our species.  It has made us all realise that we cannot simply press the ‘reset’ button once the pandemic has passed or after we have reached the point of no return on climate change ---- we need to think more responsibly about designing a safer and sustainable future for coming generations. The successful architects of the future will need to be nimble, flexible, and ready to embrace change, because new challenges will continue to arise. The future architect needs to be multidisciplinary and work collaboratively. But most importantly, the future architect needs to be a humanist and care about improving people’s lives.


For the ongoing HKIA 65th Anniversary, let’s celebrate architecture for its positive impact on the community that it serves and its ability to improve the quality of life in the society.

Wishing all of you good health and happiness!
 
President of HKIA
Donald CHOI
FHKIA, Registered Architect
2021 會長的話 <2021 一月>
 
Dear Members,
 
I am honoured to receive your support and being elected to serve our Institute as President. I am humbled and grateful that you place your faith in me and choose me to represent you and lead the Institute at these challenging times. Thanks for sharing with me your HKIA visions during my election campaign and I hope to receive your advices and continual counselling in the future. In the coming two years, I look forward to working with all members and the new Council to better serve you. Members make up the Institute and represent a microcosm of Hong Kong; and I appreciate the diversity of our membership and shall not forget I am here to serve.
 
Therefore, it is with a sense of tremendous responsibility as I take up the presidency of HKIA. Serving HKIA and its members is a privilege. Great responsibility follows from the mandate and entrustment given by you for me to be your President, leading the institute to serve our members and advancing architecture for the benefit of our society and humanity.
 
As I mentioned in my election statement, “HKIA shall strive to be inclusive and create shared value for all stakeholders. Our professional social contract with Hong Kong is to serve not only ourselves and our clients, but also the public and our society. These are challenging times for Hong Kong, our community, and our Institute. We need to work together to make HKIA more relevant to our members, our profession, and our society.”
 
I want you to know how deeply appreciative I am for all our members’ hard work and dedication during the past 65 years to build up the professional architect’s reputation and HKIA’s institutional capacity since its founding as the Hong Kong Society of Architects in 1956.
 
With your support, I intend to go that extra mile to speak out on issues that matter to you and our community, like Shek Kip Mei Bishop Hill Service Reservoir preservation, Lantau Tomorrow and other development initiatives in Hong Kong which could forever change our city. The Institute shall represent the different views of our members and provide unbiased professional advices to the government and the community according to our professional ethics and duties.
 
Architecture is a progressive profession, HKIA must adopt best global practices by embracing our counterpart across the border and other international institutes;  we must make our Institute more inclusive by facilitating more qualified candidates to join our institute, create new professional knowledge by engaging in cutting edge technologies, and re-examine at every point the impact of architecture not only from an immediate utilitarian standpoint but also from the longer-term social benefit it creates. We are not only accountable to our own generation but also to the future generations. We must prove that our professionalism goes beyond our self-interest and does contribute to the common good.
 
As professional architects, we are the custodians of our built environment. What we do now and how we do it is going to increasingly affect our environment and the lives of millions of people.
 
Our work is not easy but when done right, it would enhance people’s quality of life and create possibilities for a better tomorrow. It is imperative that we put design thinking and critical making back in the centre of our architectural practice, and as architects, we must find ways to ensure greater innovation, harmony, introspection in our work and not fall into complacency or we will lose sight of the many benefits that the power of architecture and design can bring to our community.
 
That is why I will work to promote more job opportunities for our members, including asking government to use more open design competitions with a fairer fee structure for appointing architectural consultant and specifying the requirement of having architect in a leadership role in the consultant team for infrastructure projects. I will also work to loosen the straight jacket of banding our practices, especially listening to the concerns of Band 3 firms and fight to eliminate discrimination against young practices. I shall also work to expand our professional service markets outside Hong Kong, especially in the Greater Bay Area, to create more choices for our members to develop their practice as they see fit.
 
HKIA belongs to members. I intend to enhance our organizational culture of service and put our member needs ahead of bureaucratic procedure. I want to empower our secretariat to take the initiative to better serve our members. Our Institute shall be open and provide outstanding service to support our members to fulfil their potential. We shall streamline the Boards and Committees and encourage more members, especially younger members, to step up into a leadership role and take pride in HKIA’s work.
 
Because of members’ incredible diligence and devotion, the past 65 years have seen HKIA coming of age. To be successful is never easy, for HKIA it is hard work and the Institute needs your support and commitment. I will make mistakes, we may encounter temporary setbacks on this journey to transform our Institute for the 21st century.  But together, we shall ensure HKIA continues to be one of the most respected professional institutes not only in Hong Kong but also in the world. Together, we shall make lasting change for the better. Together we shall engage all stakeholders to advance architecture.
 
Again, I am humbled by your support and grateful for your mandate given to me to lead the Institute at this challenging time. I wish everyone a healthy and joyful 2021 with your family and loved ones. I look forward to working with you and seeing you at the coming HKIA events!
 
President of HKIA
Donald CHOI
FHKIA, Registered Architect
2020 會長的話 <2020 十二月>

Dear Members,

I would have completed my 2-year tenure as President of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) by the end of today (31 December 2020). I extend our congratulations to Donald Choi, the new incoming President and also his incoming 2021-2022 HKIA Council.  I wish Donald and all his Council Members success in advancing further on architectural and professional excellence for our Members.

Elected as the President for the 2019-2020 term, I and my Council Members made great efforts via various approaches to promote architectural excellence, while embracing new thinking to tackle the many dynamic professional challenges during the period.

Together with the HKIA Council, I have been striving to promote professional excellence.

Locally the HKIA Council has organised various gatherings with the media and Legislative Councilors on different issues ranging from urban planning, statutory challenges and matters related to our profession. HKIA have also made continuous use of various platforms to promote HKIA’s stance and professional views on local urban and architectural issues such as our responses to the latest Policy Address 2020.

In order to enhance and maintain Hong Kong architecture industry’s professionalism, HKIA Council Members have paid particular attention to the promotion of enhanced CPD programme such as AP workshops, intensive seminars on local latest legislations related to our profession, and new technologies such as BIM and DfMA.

For Registered Practices and Members, HKIA have been in constant dialogue with the HKSAR Government and Mainland counterparts, laying the foundations for enhanced business opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.  One latest example is the Qianhai  practice registration for our Band 1 and 2 firms, as well as Members’ personal registration.

Taking the pandemic challenge as our opportunity, HKIA have improved communication with our Members through more social media channels such as Facebook Live Chat, Webinar and other online methods.  We have also made good use of the online channels to deliver seminars and CPD programmes.

Most significantly, a focused effort was also made to support the new generation of upcoming architects by securing more opportunities for participation in “real build” design competitions in both Hong Kong and the Mainland.  Examples included the competitions for Entrance Gateway for Lunar New Year Fair, Tide Gauge Station, DesignInspire in Hong Kong, and Qianhai design competition. More competitions for young talents and new practices are in the pipeline.

In overseas, HKIA have organised architectural exhibitions in London and Los Angles (first ever in the United States) as well as in the Mainland and other Asian cities such as for the CSDAS (Cross-Strait Architectural Design Symposium and Awards), UABB (Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture) and Venice Biennale Exhibitions.

Final but not least, I will continue to devote myself to support the incoming HKIA Council.  I wish Council 2021–2022 a great success. And I wish all HKIA Members, who have offered the Institute staunch support, a prosperous and healthy New Year!

Felix LI
FHKIA, Registered Architect, APEC Architect

2020 會長的話 <2020 二月>

 

各位會員:

 

新春伊始,於此謹代表理事會同仁,恭祝大家庚子吉祥!金鼠迎春!

 

學會一年一度的週年晚宴剛在一月十三日舉行,逾四百會員及嘉賓聚首,賓至如歸。席上,我與大家回顧了學會在2019年的工作及活動,一年來,活力充沛的理事會同儕積極推展業界事務,並推動一眾會員參與,凝聚業界力量。

 

展望未來一年,社會面對民生、經濟的挑戰,學會及一眾會員無可避免亦會受影響。然而,正如聰慧機靈、生命力強的「金鼠」,業界如能抓緊機遇,信會實現「鼠兆豐年」。我和理事會同儕定必繼續努力推動會務,在香港經濟不景下,更會積極為會員爭取更多工作機會,特別是在大灣區及一帶一路地區發掘更多機遇。今年四月,學會將主辦一帶一路論壇,邀請內地及亞洲建築業界代表參與,藉此機會推薦會員的國際建築設計經驗,以期進一步拓展會員在亞洲的業務。此外,學會將繼續為會員爭取更多參與本地設計比賽的機會。我們期望各會員積極參與各項活動。

 

理事會剛就過去一年的工作進行分析,尤其是秘書處的工作量及學會的財政壓力,以期作出優化或改善。統計發現,2019年秘書處總共參與近一千項學會會議和活動,工作量之大可想而知。此外,可能不少會員善忘,學會已經五年沒有增加會員年費,面對五年來的通貨膨脹,兼要推動各式活動以應會員需求,必須有良策應對。除了恪守多年來各屆理事會採取的謹慎理財原則外,我上任後其中一項目標,便是利用科技優化秘書處的工作、減輕工作壓力,並且達致在會員人數不斷增加下,仍可控制秘書處人數,長遠而言更希望能精簡人手。因此,我們已於2019年購買一些科技產品協助秘書處的工作,並且準備向政府的創新科技局申請資助,引入新科技提升工作效率。

 

同時,各理事及事務部主席亦就一年來的活動成效及會員接受程度作出分析,以期今年的活動精益求精,並簡化會議流程,一方面希望能減輕秘書處工作量及學會財政壓力,另方面為會員提供更切合他們需求的服務和活動。我在此呼籲各會員多參與學會活動和工作、多提協助和意見,好讓學會不斷進步!

 

最後,本人謹代表理事會同儕再度祝賀各會員蝠年身體健康!工作順利!事事遂意!闔家歡樂迎蝠年!

 

香港建築師學會會長

李國興建築師

 

(只有中文版本,Chinese version only)

2020 會長的話 <2019 十二月>

Dear Members,

 

It is Christmas and New Year time again and half term for our Council too.  It is also a good time to communicate with you all on top of our Facebook Live Chat!

 

From the outset of our Council term, all our planned events such as HKIA first-ever London Arts Exhibition under the London Festival of Architecture, Architecture Exhibition in Los Angeles, Great Bay Area visit with our members, public engagement project of Co-Vitalise Our Heritage, Exploring HK’s Living Style and Cultures Through Architecture Exhibition and Design Talk especially for our young members, Cross-Strait Architectural Design Symposium and Awards 2019 and Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture Hong Kong 2019 went successfully with great exposures for HKIA overseas and locally.

 

Also, we have voiced out HKIA stance on local architectural and practices issues through media interviews and press releases.  Furthermore, we have constant dialogues with relevant government departments to share our members’ inspirations on government policies.  To support our members on Continuous Professional Development (CPD), we have organized the HKIA first BIM Accreditation for our Members with architectural focus and re-structured our CPD seminars with more focus on practicing knowledge such as AP workshops, PRC regulatory update and latest technology related to our industry.

 

For overseas events, Council and I have attended a number of conferences such as RIBA International Presidents Round Table to strengthen architects’ influences on sustainability and government policies making, ARCASIA Council to introduce HKIA works for the society, and last but not least the Canberra Accord Council Meeting where HKIA has been accepted as one of the Signatory Members for Accreditation Body.

 

In the last few months, we have experienced unprecedented events too.  Many of the Institute’s planned events have to be adjusted, re-scheduled or even cancelled. The Council has been working closely with our secretariat on handling challenges arising during this period.  Fortunately, one of our most important events HKIA-ARB Professional Assessment (PA) examination in November had been completed smoothly. Majority of the PA candidates attended their examinations and the PA workshops could go well as scheduled in 2020.  Here I would like to thank Professional Assessment Committee and secretariat for their efforts.

 

Sadly to say that during 2019 HKIA has lost two of its most influential Past Presidents Dr. Tao Ho and Professor Barry Will.  The Institute had organized a Memorial Seminar for Dr. Tao Ho on 17 August 2019 and supported a memorial event named “Celebration of Life” for Professor Barry Will on 9 October 2019.  Both of them will be missed forever for their contributions to our HKIA and Hong Kong.

 

For 2020 we are planning to have more design and build competitions for our members to showcase their talents, develop their implementation skills and enrich their experiences.  We are committed to organizing local and overseas exhibitions and keeping pace with latest IT development for our secretariat. Your continuous supports to the Council will be very much appreciated!

 

On behalf of Council and myself I would like to wish you all and your families a Merry Christmas and Prosperous and Peaceful 2020!

 

President of HKIA

Felix Li Kwok Hing

2020 會長的話 <2019 一月>



Dear Members,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all Happy New Year of 2019!

On behalf of all our Council, I would like to congratulate and thank Immediate Past President Marvin and his Ex-Council for their hard work and positive contribution to our Institute over the past two years.

I am honoured and delighted to be the President for 2019-2020. Together with my fellow Officer Bearers and Council, I will work closely with our members and industry stakeholders to continue promoting HKIA’s core values – the architectural and professional excellence.

Our Council will strive for opportunity, professionalism and embracing new ways of thinking to tackle the many dynamic challenges facing members and the Institute arising from an extremely competitive local business environment.

To deliver this thinking, our Council aims to implement new initiatives, including new improved communication channels for our members, enhance CPD Programme, to incorporate greater emphasis on the complete building cycle including design and project management, and also to embrace the use of new technology. This, as architects we face the reality of our role in the construction process is diminishing and spaces filled by others if we do not continuously enhance our knowledge.

Through designing the buildings in which we live, work and play, architects make an enormous contribution to our society; and as competitive as the market for professional services may be, an understanding of the fundamental principles of financial management tells us that we don’t want to engage into a race to arrive at the lowest possible fee without the required quality services to our clients. Surely from a sophisticated client’s point of view they would be willing to pay for reliability and quality when they perceive it is of genuine value to them, such an environment would allow our Members to deliver the needed quality services to our clients and society.

It is also important to explore opportunities in Great Bay Area for our members and I would like to encourage our members to embrace this opportunity not just for their business but also to implement our urban and architectural design experience and skills.

For our young talent and new practices we endeavour to seek more opportunities such as collaboration with relevant stakeholders for more ‘real build’ design competitions.

For Hong Kong society, our Institute will continue to express our professional views on the local urban and architectural issues.

To implement all our initiatives, I appeal for all of your support in joining together in working for the good of the HKIA and our industry in the two coming years.

President of HKIA
Felix Li Kwok Hing