venice biennale 2012: hong kong pavilion

‘inter cities / intra cities: ghostwriting the future’ curated by the oval partnership all images courtesy of oval partnership

the hong kong institute of architects and hong kong arts development council will participate in the 13th international architecture biennale in venice, curated by oval partnership. titled ‘inter cities / intra cities: ghostwriting the future‘, this year’s theme explores the sustainable urban growth for the future of hong kong and large cities around the world in accordance with the biennale’s chief curator david chipperfield‘s topic of ‘common ground’. it will assess the process of sustaining an increasing population in a globalized commercial economy, while fostering a sense of cultural identity. the exhibit will specifically analyze the 320 hectare district known as kowloon east, its officially and unofficially planned development projects and the scope of its existing and future culture, making it one of the most pertinent regeneration projects in the world.

in addition, the curators have invited firms from all over the world with current and past projects in this area to speculate on the inhabitation of the region over time. an extensive investigation will look at each project’s history, success and failure, and will juxtapose an array of buildings of varying scales and programs. see below for a list of contributing firms at the pavilion.

the following is the list of contributing firms:

alan cheung ANTs CAVE foster & partners hour25 production HK honey hidden agenda jim chan oval partnership rocco design ronald lu & partners wallace chang

mut wah street, kwun tong

christopher law, founding director of the oval partnership, stated: ‘amidst a global financial crisis, hong kong has emerged to deliver a regeneration project which will take sustainable urbanism to a new level. this is a reinvention of a large part of the city and we believe it is a fascinating place to postulate and observe how the new architectural culture of a consumerist, investment intensive, super-connected, high density but socio-politically only halfawakened city, might evolve. we anticipate that our objectives with the exhibition will promote the continuing dynamic growth of hong kong as a world-class city.’

abandoned residential block in yue man square