(20 September 2019, Los Angeles) Organized by The Hong Kong Institute of Architects with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the Lead Sponsor and fully supported by Chinachem Group, the Los Angeles Architecture Exhibition “Island__Peninsula” was officially unveiled today (20th September 2019) at the Outdoor space at Oasis, Westfield Century City of Los Angeles. The exhibition will last until 2nd October 2019.
The Hong Kong Institute of Architects – The Los Angeles Architecture Exhibition “Island__Peninsula” is grandly opened. It opens till 2nd October 2019. Guest of Honor of the opening ceremony and other officiating guests are:
(From left to right)
Mr. Gary YEUNG, Curator
Mr. CHANG Hoi Wood, Co-Chief Curator
Mr. WONG Hung Han, Chief Operating Officer of Chinachem Group
Dr. Patrick LAU, Deputy Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Dr. Pang Yiu-kai, GBS, JP, Chairman, Hong Kong Tourism Board
Mr. Edward YAU, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Mr. Felix LI, President of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects
Mr Ivanhoe Chang, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco
Mr. Victor TSANG, Head of Create Hong Kong, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Mr. SO Kwok Kin, Co-Chief Curator
Ms. Phiyona AU YEUNG, Curator
Mr. Mehran AYATI, International Curator (L.A.)
The 14-day public exhibition, under the theme of “Island__Peninsula”, is The Hong Kong Institute of Architects’ first exhibition in Los Angeles which aims to introduce the unique Hong Kong Architecture to Los Angeles. The Exhibition is set in an attempt to compare the contrasting city fabrics of Hong Kong and Los Angeles and to dissect the four core values underneath the unique “Hong Kong-style” Architecture, namely “Glamor, Efficiency, Orderliness and Constant Change”, which give rise to the 14 ways of “Hong Kong-style” Architecture. The exhibition is presented in different island and peninsula landscapes, creating four sections of core values, each with its own characteristics. A total of 16 exhibits cover all sorts of development foundation of “Hong Kong-style” Architecture and displayed in 14 “islands” and “peninsulas”. All exhibits are not only infiltrated with architectural elements, but also literature and new media art which make the exhibition the first of its kind!
The Curatorial team and exhibitors introduced the 16 Hong Kong exhibiting teams to the officiating guests.
The Honorable Mr. Edward YAU, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) was the Guest of Honor of the Grand Opening of the Los Angeles Architecture Exhibition today. Other officiating guests are Mr. Felix LI, President of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects; Mr. Victor TSANG, Head of CreateHK of the HKSAR Government, representative of the Lead Sponsor; Dr. Patrick LAU, Deputy Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Dr. Pang Yiu-kai, Chairman of The Hong Kong Tourism Board; Mr Ivanhoe Chang, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco; Architect Helen LEUNG, Chairlady of HKIA “Island__Peninsula” Steering Committee; Mr. Marvin CHEN, Immediate Past President of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects; Mr. WONG Hung Han, Chief Operating Officer of Chinachem Group; and Mr. Thomas CHEUNG, Chairman of L.A. Exhibition Selection Committee. Other guests include the Co-Chief Curators Architect SO Kwok-Kin and Mr. CHANG Hoi-Wood, along with other members of the curatorial team, working partners and the Hong Kong exhibiting teams, etc.
Mr. Felix LI, President of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects stated that “This Exhibition will be an insightful and inspiring exchange and dialogue between the architects of the cities of Los Angeles and Hong Kong. We would like to express our greatest appreciation to the sponsors, as well as contributions from all supporting organizations.”
Mr. Victor TSANG, Head of CreateHK, congratulated The Hong Kong Institute of Architects for successfully organizing its first exhibition in Los Angeles, and introducing the “Hong Kong-style” Architecture there.
Based on the architectural features of Hong Kong, the creative architecture exhibits resonate through community facilities, homes, streetscape, and traditional architectural craft etc. There is also an interactive display linking the urban forms of Hong Kong and Los Angeles, together with text by award-winning literary author Ms. Eva Wong and animation by new media artist Mr. Keith Lam, to connect the two cities and expand the boundaries. The multi-angle interpretation of the exhibition integrates architectural ideas, culture and technology to showcase data visualization, comparison between the two sides of the Pacific Ocean, real-time pictures of local urban landscape, etc.
Following the opening of the Architecture Exhibition, a public forum will be held at Fowler Museum, the University of California, Los Angeles (“UCLA”) on 21st September in which eight architects and scholars invited from Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States will discuss different architectural features of Hong Kong and Los Angeles and the future urban development and planning under the themes of “L.A. and H.K. — The Contrasting Architectural Landscape” and “The Next Decade of Changes for the Two Cities”. Renowned architect Mr. Michael MALTZAN will deliver a keynote address with the topic “H.K.’s Extreme Verticality vs. L.A.’s Endless Horizonality”. The forum is open to the public and admission is free.
The Curatorial team and exhibitors introduced the 16 Hong Kong exhibiting teams to the officiating guests.
In addition, an interactive art piece “Skyline Cello” created by new media artist Mr. Keith LAM is also set up at the Hysan Place in Hong Kong for public preview till 2nd October, in parallel to the Los Angeles Architecture Exhibition period, to create more interactive connections between the two cities of Hong Kong and Los Angeles. The exhibit of LAM is an interactive instrument which uses the skyline of Hong Kong and Los Angeles as musical scores for the visitors to perform their own music of skyline, thus, the music of a city on the exhibit.
The “Island__Peninsula” exhibition in Los Angeles will return to Hong Kong with a response exhibition later this year as a pioneer for the general public to indulge in the making of the “Island__Peninsula” and better understand the innovative features of the Hong Kong’s architecture.
This Los Angeles Architecture Exhibition is organized by The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the Lead Sponsor. It couples with the concurrent “Think Asia Think Hong Kong” and “Hong Kong Live in Los Angeles: Greater Bay Area Showcase” mega promotion organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Tourism Board. At the same time, the “Island__Peninsula” Architecture Exhibition brings out the message of “Inheriting Culture and Building the Future”. On behalf of the local architecture industry, The Hong Kong Institute of Architects is keen to look into the Asian market for opportunities and introduce Hong Kong’s creative industries and services.
Furthermore, the exhibition is fully supported by Chinachem Group to promote local art and multimedia creation.
More information about The Hong Kong Institute of Architects – The Los Angeles Architecture Exhibition is available at the official exhibition website, Facebook Page and Instagram platform from time to time.