September 12–December 5, 2024
Department of Architecture
3/F, Knowles Building, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road
852 Hong Kong
T 852 3917 2136
arcevent@hku.hk
We live at a pivotal time. Geopolitical shifts, global volatility, unprecedented migrations, diasporas, climate crises, health crises, and looming recessions are colliding.
Increasingly scarce resources – from the biosphere to the economy – and extreme unbalances in their distribution, call for action. The global model as we knew it requires some reconsideration if we are to prevent continuous meltdowns. If crises are opportunities to discern, and, examine, what is The Good Life today? Under the current fast-changing conditions, one question is how architecture and territorial strategies may be able to evolve and gain relevance in a global arena to provide better living environments, preserve nature, and provide more livable and inclusive cities.
We consider Future Cities and Tech. Throughout recent history, cities have always been the places where the action is. They are relentless engines of innovation and zones for radical experimentation. Half of the world’s population is living in increasingly dense cities and close to two-thirds of it is projected to live in urbanized areas by 2050. Over the last decades, cities across continents have been strategizing how to make the best use of new communication and information technologies: every new planning and policy document envision “smart” systems, blueprints for future cities. Such systems incorporate elements of technological innovation as a key infrastructure to alleviate urban complexities and to resolve a crucial problem: if cities are a laboratory to test future lifestyles, they are also, to a great extent, unsustainable places.
The provocative question is, as “smart cities” are being conceived and designed, how can they be designed as the places where people are “happier”, healthier and more creative?
Can technologies smoother inequalities when regarding access to more sustainable and desirable lifestyles?
These, and other issues will be discussed and teased out from our speakers which include Momoyo Kaijima (Japan), Sarah Whiting (United States), Andrés Jaque (Spain/United States), Carlo Ratti (Italy/United States), Danh Vo (Denmark/Germany), Nikolaus Hirsch (Germany/Belgium) and, Beatriz Colomina (Spain/United States).
The series has been conceived and organized by Alessandra Cianchetta, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, HKU. In-person location: KB419, 4/F, Knowles Building, The University of Hong Kong.
Schedule
Thursday, September 12, 2024, 6:30–8pm HKT
“Architectural Behaviorology” by Momoyo Kaijima, Founder of Atelier Bow-Wow, Tokyo and Chair of Architectural Behaviorology, Department of Architecture ETH Zürich. Live via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 962 6388 1179 / Password: 272782.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 6:30–8pm HKT
“Dynamic Wholes” by Sarah Whiting, Dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of Architecture, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Co-Founder, WW Architecture, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Live via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 920 5773 4167 / Password: 315917.
Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 6:30–8pm HKT
“The Politics of Transscalar Architecture” by Andrés Jaque’, Founder of Office for Political Innovation (OFFPOLINN), Dean and Professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP). Live via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 953 3582 0562 / Password: 878654.
Thursday, September 26, 2024, 6:30–8pm HKT
“SENSEABLE CITIES” by Carlo Ratti, Curator of the Biennale Architettura 2025, Venice, Founding Partner of CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, Co-Founder of Senseable City Lab, MIT, Professor at MIT and Politecnico di Milano. Live via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 920 2511 6846 / Password: 076240.
Thursday, October 31, 2024, 6:30–8pm HKT
“Danh Vo” by Danh Vo, contemporary artist. Live via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 912 6401 1383 / Password: 185967.
Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 6:30–8pm HKT
“Everything is Architecture” by Nikolaus Hirsch, Co-Founder of e-flux architecture, Director CIVA Museum of Architecture, Brussels. Live via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 918 7715 7985 / Password: 791751.
Thursday, December 5, 2024, 6:30–8pm HKT
“Towards a Transspecies Architecture” by Beatriz Colomina, Howard Crosby Butler Professor of the History of Architecture; and the Co-Director of the Media and Modernity Program, Princeton University. Live via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 993 8544 2450 / Password: 356766.
Enquiry: arcevent@hku.hk / website here. All lectures are open to the public. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis and no prior reservation is needed. CPD Credit Hours and AIA CES Learning Unit Hours are offered to members of the HKIA and the AIA. An attendance record sheet will be provided at the venue entrances for members to register their attendance.
If you wish to add the Lecture Series to your Google calendar, please visit here. Remark: By default, shared calendars will not show up on smartphones. To change these settings, you must visit this link and turn on the “HKU Lecture Series” calendar.
With the support of U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau.
