November 13, 2013 – Hong Kong – The internationally renowned “2013 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture (Hong Kong)” “UABB(HK) 2013”, formerly known as “the fourth Hong Kong Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale exhibition”, will be open in Kwun Tong on December 11, 2013, Wednesday. The Biennale features the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) as the leading organizer, Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP) and Hong Kong Designers Association (HKDA) as co-organizers, in collaboration with Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture Organizing Committee.

  “Since the first Biennale jointly organised by Shenzhen and Hong Kong taken place in 2007, Shenzhen and Hong Kong have laid down a solid foundation for co-operation in promoting creative industries. In this year’s Biennale, the organizers and Hong Kong curatorial team continue to work with our counterparts in Shenzhen to organise a robust biennale and a series associated event for people of all levels. This is a significant event of the institute”, said Ms. Ada FUNG, the President of HKIA. 

Core feature: Hong Kong’s urban issues as an opening to explore the city’s relationship with Shenzhen, and to a greater extent, the whole of China

  The curatorial team of this year’s Biennale is partnered by Professor Colin FOURNIER, and two design and architecture companies, namely URBANUS Architecture and Design (URBANUS) and TETRA Architects and Planners (TETRA). Professor Colin FOURNIER, the Chief Curator of the team, is currently a visiting Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.  There are four Executive Curators working with him in the curatorial team, and they are Mr. Joshua LAU and Mr. Allen POON, both of them are TETRA Partners and Co-Founders, Dr. Tat LAM, URBANUS Research Bureau Director, and Mr. Travis Bunt, Director of URBANUS Hong Kong.

The curatorial theme of this year’s Biennale is “Beyond the Urban Edge: The Ideal City?”  Under this theme, the curatorial team applies an innovative approach to explore and generate new ideas on what are the essentials that constitute an ideal city.

  “As Hong Kong and the Mainland have developed a closer bond, the Biennale will draw particular attention to a number of special aspects of Hong Kong’s urban issues. From there we will explore the city’s remarkable relationship with Shenzhen, the Pearl River Delta, and to a greater extent, the whole of China. To stimulate public discussion, we have invited exhibitors of different cultural backgrounds, both local and international, to take part in the Biennale, sharing their views from different perspectives and mediums”, said Professor FOURNIER. 

  Around 90 local and overseas architects, designers and artists will participate in the around three-month Bi-City Biennale. Cultural dialogues, exchanges as well as exhibitions of the Biennale will happen at two locations in Kwun Tong, namely Kwun Tong Ferry Pier and Fly the Flyover 01 at the Energizing Kowloon East Office. 

  In conjunction with the UABB(HK), a series of community activities, such as performances, movie sharing sessions, forums, seminars, workshops and guided tours, etc., will also be organised. These activities are designed to involve active participation of people from all walks of life and to present to them the curatorial theme from a multi-cultural perspective. 

  In addition, a drawing contest for kindergarten students from Kwun Tong and Sheung Shui districts, as well as an inter-school on-site sketching contest for secondary school pupils from Kwun Tong will be organised to encourage the kids and teenagers to express their views and ideas on “ideal cities”.

Promotion of cultural exchange: Parallel Biennales in Hong Kong and Shenzhen

  Alongside with the Biennale in Hong Kong, the “2013 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture (Shenzhen)”, will be held in parallel, from December 6, 2013 to February 28, 2014 in Shenzhen, under the theme of “Urban Border”, which echoes with Hong Kong”s “Beyond the Urban Edge: The Ideal City?”.

  Various parties from both Hong Kong and Shenzhen have been paying much joint efforts to ensure the effective preparation and smooth execution of the two Biennales. A number of cooperation and exchange programmes between the two cities are being arranged for the two Biennales as well. To mark the close ties between the two Biennales, Mr. HUANG Wei Wen, Head of Shenzhen Public Art Center, Executive Director of Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture Organizing Committee attended the press conference of the Hong Kong Biennale as a gesture of support. 

  Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Regions (HKSAR) Government is the leading sponsor of this year’s Biennale. Miss Winnie CHENG Wai-fung, Acting Head of CreateHK, also attended the press conference today. She remarked that CreateHK, as a dedicated office set up by the HKSAR Government to spearhead the development of creative industries in Hong Kong, committed in promoting Hong Kong’s architecture sector both locally and abroad by sponsoring the organisation of Biennale in Hong Kong, as well as the Hong Kong exhibition at the Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition. CreateHK also invited the Biennale in Hong Kong to be one of the programmes under the theme of “Vibrant Hong Kong” in the “Hong Kong: Our Home” Campaign.”
  
  Besides, UABB(HK) has also received generous support from a number of local government departments, architectural design, cultural and art-related institutions, as well as tertiary institutions.
  
  The UABB(HK) 2013 will be held from December 11, 2013 to February 28, 2014 at Kwun Tong Ferry Pier and Fly the Flyover 01 of the Energizing Kowloon East Office with free admission.

  For curator information, curatorial statements, and information on venues, exhibitors, events and community activities, etc., please visit the following websites –

2013 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Hong Kong) Website:
http://uabbhk.org/

2013 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Shenzhen) Website:
http://www.szhkbiennale.org/

Background

Led by HKIA, in association with HKIP and HKDA, the 2013 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism / Architecture (Hong Kong) is a major event to be joined by both local and overseas architectural designers, under the curatorial theme to explore Hong Kong’s remarkable relationship with Shenzhen, the Pearl River Delta and the whole of China. 

In 2007, the Hong Kong Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale exhibition was held at the former Central Police Station, a historic landmark.  It was not only the first bi-city biennale jointly organized by Hong Kong and Shenzhen, but also the first architecture, planning and design bi-City biennale of international standard in Hong Kong.  The second edition of Biennale took place at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade in 2009, under the theme of “City Mobilization: Bring Your Own Biennale”, while the third edition at Kowloon Park was held in 2012, under the theme of “Tri-Ciprocal Cities: The Time, The Place, The People”.

General Enquiries

Mr Jacky CHING / Ms Winky LEUNG (Exhibition Media Relations Consultants)
Tel: 3159 2954 / 3159 2927
Email: jacky.ching@creativegp.com  / winky.leung@creativegp.com

Press Release (pdf)




Ms. Ada FUNG, the President of HKIA gives a welcome speech of 2013 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Hong Kong) Press Conference.



Guest of Honour, Miss Winnie CHENG Wai-fung, Acting Head of CreateHK, gives a speech.

Chief Curator Professor Colin FOURNIER introduces the curatorial statement of UABB(HK) 2013.



Chief Curator and the Curatorial Team share the theme, exhibits, venues and schedule of UABB(HK) 2013.



Attending guests on stage for a photo, in order of appearance starting from the left: Professor Colin FOURNIER, Chief Curator; Mr. Raymond LEE, HKIP President; Mr. HUANG Wei Wen, Head of Shenzhen Public Art Center, Executive Director of Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture Organizing Committee; Ms. Ada FUNG, the President of HKIA; Miss Winnie CHENG Wai-fung, Acting Head of CreateHK; Mr. Tony TANG, the Vice-President of HKIA; Mr. Sun Wong, HKDA Member.