Hong Kong’s rapid transformation has produced a culture of the “instant,” where desires, market forces, global-local exchanges, technologies, and a need for immediate gratification dominate our cultural landscape and social behaviors. This book brings together a multitude of voices from the design, architecture, and arts community to examine this situation as a general provocation. What kinds of contemporary conditions unique to Asia can elevate ways of rethinking social sustainability in various forms?

With a collective spirit of experimentation, the projects, installations, and essays within the book are committed to cultural and creative enhancement to build productive dialogues. From outlining educational initiatives to debates that encourage cross over, this study reformulates a critical reframing of the role of architecture and urbanism as tools and processes for cultural advocacy for Hong Kong and China.

The book includes writings and contributions by Shigeru Ban, Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten, Lars Nittve, Raymond Fung, Stan Allen, Daniel Chua, MAP office, Tao Zhu, Ackbar Abbas, Paul Katz, Andrew Lee, Xu Bing, John Batten, Dan Wood, Amale Andraos, Rocco Yim, KS Wong, Eric Schuldenfrei, Marisa Yiu and many more. The book also catalogs the exhibitions and events including educational tours and forum highlights that took place during the Hong Kong –Shenzhen Bi-City biennale located at the future West Kowloon cultural district. Themes are organized around topics of cultural advocacy, social sustainability, education, participatory protocols and future creative urban infrastructure.

INSTANT CULTURE: Architecture and Urbanism as a Collective Process

Edited by Eric Schuldenfrei and Marisa Yiu

Published by MCCM Creations

Click here for more information.

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11:00 – 13:00

“Drivers of Change” Forum

Main Pavilion (M1)

Large scale forum by the renowned ARUP engineering firm, investigating what our world will be like in 2050, identifying some of the leading drivers of change that will affect our future. Workshop, symposium and discussions with ARUP, invited exhibitors.

The forum is part of Arup’s Drivers of Change initiative to explore the leading issues affecting our future: energy, waste, water, climate change, demographics, urbanisation, poverty – just to name a few. At COP 15 and close to the C40 initiative, Arup experts are uniquely placed to provide insight into solutions for a better future.

RSVP to hkgrandd@arup.com on or before 26 February 2010.
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12:00 – 18:00

Invasion and Infringement at the Projecting Window (E50)

A performance and staged photography artwork aims at exploring how everyday actions of city-dwellers intrude, transform and re-define the boundary of public and private realm within the city. Photographic artist, South Ho (何兆南) and his assistants / actors, will collect hundreds of on-street posters and advertisements to bring his intruding idea on stage and will document in a series of photos the process of invasion and infringement by the promotional materials on the precast bay window façade panel of the “Projecting Window” team. Visitors are also welcomed to bring along their posters and participate in the event and become part of the artwork itself.
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All Day

BRING YOUR OWN BRILLIANCE – souvenirs of the Biennale

Curators and writers have collaborated to produce a BYOBrilliance education card pack to commemorate the tours. Come purchase one as a souvenir – limited editions. At the main pavilion area (M1)
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IDEA OF A TREE (C11)- Driven by solar energy, this ‘industrialised locality’ by mischer’traxler machine has produced non- stop unique objects each day of the biennale. The objects are harvested and on display marking the environmental conditions that have shaped the exhibits.
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15:15 TILL LATE

HAWKERS’ PARTY (E37 + E 38)

To celebrate Hawker culture, Rain culture: Graham’ Super (by Urban Rethink Tank) and 15:15 Rain Catcher (YS Groundwork Architecture + Urbanism) will hold a closing party to celebrate the Biennale Finale
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14:00 – 18:00

Bring A Patch of Green Home

Eco Farm – Green Pixel (E34)

Since the beginning of the Biennale exhibition, a pre-planting event with 180 students from HKFYG to recent Jan 16th ‘Harvest Your Own Salad’, Pad Chu, Adder Fung of SEED and ‘The Organic Farm’, along with BYOBiennale team, Federation of Youth Group and various greening enthusiasts will invite and encourage everyone to take a Green pixel home to continue its growth in a domestic environment. Please come sign up and take a green patch home.
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14:00 – 17:00

BYOBiennale Finale and Interactive Forums:

Main Pavilion (M1)

The Curators have assembled a dynamic collection of cultural minds to react and respond to the 3 major themes set out by BYOBiennale: Cultural Education, Social Sustainability and Community Collaboration for Architecture and the city– in the context of West Kowloon and its future…
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Speakers/ participants include: Ada Wong | Colin Ward | David Gianotten | Duncan Pescod | Kai Yin Lo | Laurence Liauw | Mathias Woo | Patrick Lau | Rocco Yim | William Lim | William Yiu | Augustine Ng | Kacey Wong | Tao Zhu | Jason Forster | Eugene Tan | Peter Cookson Smith | Syren Johnstone | Weijen Wang | Christine Bruckner | Chris Law | Duncan Jepson | Peter Cookson Smith | Alice Yeung   | Alvin Yip   | Raymond Fung  | Puay Peng Ho  | Liu Xiaodu | Organized by Marisa Yiu and Eric Schuldenfrei
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Each Speaker- prepares a 3-min statement. Open discussion on various topics relating to each Forum. See below for the 3 different topic details
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14:00-14:50

IS ARCHITECTURE’S DISCIPLINE IN CRISIS?

looking back, looking sideways to looking forward

the biennale process as a transparent collective endeavor
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Architectural forms are noted to reflect cores aspirations or values in societies- in Hong Kong architectural installations in a Biennale setting should reflect questions in a projective positive manner as statements of progress (or reflective models of how cities can do better, how individuals can participate and create a greater level of exchange between disciplines). As part of this effort BYOBiennale sets up a strategy to produce such exchanges. In this panel we have invited various speakers from multiple fields to reflect and share how the biennale has served as a platform of exchange which can be furthered explored. In this particular context, we are presenting a range of exhibitors who have utilized a direct cross disciplinary approach to form highly collective and collaborative projects.
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Speakers: Duncan Pescod, Ada Wong, Mathias Woo, Kacey Wong, Jason Forster, Duncan Jepson, Eugene Tan, William Lim, Syren Johnstone
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Moderators: Eric Schuldenfrei / Marisa Yiu
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Click here for our speakers’ biographies.
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15:00 – 16:00

A PEOPLE’S BIENNALE OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM- WEST KOWLOON AS A PERMANENT SITE FOR PUBLIC CULTURAL EXCHANGE?

Is the HK Biennale restricted to its site, form and context and how does one integrate a contextual approach in the shaping of the biennale visions?
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There is no mystery that the future West Kowloon Cultural District is an exciting endeavor for Hong Kong’s cultural progress for art, architecture, performing arts and many cross disciplines. It also offers a large expansive public space for all citizens to enjoy. In the BYOBiennale the context of the open Biennale Park as landscape became a site for nurturing, for experimentation, for questions manifested in installations, evident- such as the ecofarm collaborations, event based planning to debates, conversations, youth workshops over the three months to the first ever paper-tube structure by Shigeru Ban to be built in Hong Kong. The exhibitions and events aspire to create positive productive contributions in a modest way. In this context of BYOBiennale – we invite panelists from their fields to explore this contextual approach for a Biennale. Can West Kowloon be a permanent home for the biennale? Or will the context change every two years? Or will the bi-city model be obsolete or renewed and explored in a different form?
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Speakers: Patrick Lau, Augustine Ng, Kai Yin Lo, William Yiu, Rocco Yim, David Gianotten, Colin Ward, Christine Bruckner, Christopher Law, Peter Cookson Smith
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Moderators: Laurence Liauw/ Marisa Yiu
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Click here for our speakers’ biographies.-
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16:10 – 16:45

THE FUTURE OF THE ‘BI-CITY’ BIENNALE FOR HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN

Organized by The HKIA Steering Committee and Shenzhen Office
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Various members of the Steering Committee (from the Organizers HKIA, HKIP, HKDA) and experts on Hong Kong and Shenzhen will gather to discuss the Bi-City Biennale of Architecture \ Urbanism next steps.
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Speakers: Raymond Fung, Alice Yeung, Alvin Yip,  Puay-Peng Ho, Zhu Tao, Liu Xiaodu
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Moderator: Weijen Wang

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Click here for our speakers’ biographies.
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17:30 – 18:30

Closing Ceremony and reception

Main Pavilion (M1)

Exhibitors, Friends, Speakers, Committee members will gather for a casual closing ceremony followed by music performances by Hong Kong New Music Ensemble and SaxMax . At 18:45 a short filmic slideshow screening of the BYOBiennale in the making and events overview for the past 3 months- will be projected and looped in the Main Pavilion side container for the evening.

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17:30

CRITICAL MASS – BYOBicycle and ride for sustainability

Main Pavilion (M1)

Join 100 bicyclists, Karta Healy/TWOnFRO, Stijn Deferm/Stijncycles, Hong Kong Cycling Alliance, Hong Kong Critical Mass, HK Strida, Flwrider to celebrate people-power and the bicycle’s role as a viable form of transportation.  With professionals and beginners riding alongside each other in an extraordinary ode to environmental sustainability, Critical Mass will gather to the biennale site at 17:30. And then ride along the West Kowloon Cultural District Waterfront during the Music performances at 18:30 for a closing ride.  The goal is for cyclists of all kinds – commuter, sporting, leisure and beginner – to come together with the Biennale location as a destination/meeting point. http://flwrider.com/2010/02/22/biennale-critical-mass/ and biennale website for details.

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18:00 – 22:30

Music Performances Programs:

Main Pavilion (M1) & Waterfront Promenade (W62 location)

18:00 (Performing also as part of Closing Ceremony)

- Hong Kong New Music Ensemble (Performance around the Main Pavilion, waterfront and grounds)

- SaxMax (Saxophone Quartet playing new saxophone quartet by James Boznos and jazz favourites in the Main Pavilion)

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19:00 – 22:30

Waterfront BYOBands to celebrate the Biennale Finale (W62 location)

Curated by Kung Chi Shing, in collaboration with William Lane (New Music Ensemble) and the BYOBiennale Curatorial Team. Performances by SaxMax (Saxophone Quartet), James Boznos (Conductor/ Composer), The Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, Wong Jing, Poubelle International, UNiXX, Wilson Tsang and Kung Chi Shing. Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Ltd. will sponsor an array of snacks and soft drink beverages for guests to enjoy during the performances at the W62 waterfront location. Everyone is encouraged to BYOB and have a evening picnic.

Memory, Water, Architecture
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Project Director:
Kanta Kochhar-Lindgren, PhD

Director:  Folded Paper Dance

Visiting Associate Professor

University of Hong Kong
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Dancers:
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Boniface Ho
Christine Kehr

Courtenay Shivrattan

Keene Chung

Mary Jane Tang

Ming Pak
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Singer: Rani Olafsdottir
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Saxophonist: Jacky Leung
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Composer:Steve Hui
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Photographer: John Batten
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Video Artist: Domting
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Production Manager: Ma Siu Ki
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Stage Designer: Bill Cheung
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Mixer: Jason Wong
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Production Assistant:Denise Cheuk
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Research Team: Yang Yeung, John Batten, Rani Olafsdottir
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Date: 26^th February 2010 (Friday)
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Time: 6:30 pm
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Location:  Main Pavilion, West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade
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Contact Number: 9720 2163
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Email:denisecheuk@gmail.com
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Hong Kong Waterworks, a mixed media performance, explores the relationship between sites of memory, images of water, and the urban landscape of Hong Kong through dance, music, singing, and video.
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27th February 2010, Saturday

Workshop            10am-12
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Informal Showing:   2pm

University of Hong Kong
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In collaboration with the HKU Summer Institute for the Arts and Humanities
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For more details, contact Denise Cheuk at 9729 2163

Mark down this date on your calendar as this will be the last day of the Biennale!

We have prepared a series of  of exciting music events, picnics, performances and  forums before our official closing day, and we welcome you to come celebrate our final month with us! Extend the invitation to your friends and family as we would love to share the amazing atmosphere here at the Biennale with everyone!

Please visit our “Events” page for more details.

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“Biennale Blueprint” available for downloads now! Click here for a downloadable guidemap as well.

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Click here to download the “BYOBrilliance” educational pack.

“Bring Your Own Brilliance” is a limited edition educational pack created specially for the youths to promote critical thinking and better understanding of our living environment. These packs will be distributed to those attending our Biennale Guided Tours for Hong Kong students.

Each “Bring Your Own Brilliance” educational pack consists of 88 cards with leading questions tailored for each exhibit.

For any inquiries, please email us at info@hkszbiennale.org.