Designing Commonspaces: Riffing with Michael Hardt on the Multitude and Collective Intelligence

Michael Hardt has made an indispensable contribution to current understanding of the impact of globalisation on social, economic and political practice, especially in his two books, Empire and Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire. In order to engage Hardt with many of the projects and ideas raised in this issue, guest-editors Christopher Hight and Chris Perry invited him to participate in a blog. The blog format enabled the resulting exchange between Christopher Hight and Hardt to be an open platform relating concepts like ‘empire’ and ‘multitude’ to contemporary design practice, and even raised challenges implicit in Hardt's own work. It also provided a productive alternative to the expropriation of a theorist's writings to legitimatise a particular design approach or methodology. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The state,property development and symbolic landscape in high‐rise Hong Kong

The symbolic landscape of high‐rise Hong Kong is examined through the development of four major buildings in order to assess real and symbolic relations between the state and private property developers in the production of the built environment. The theoretical perspective combines understanding of symbolic landscape as the production of geographically constituted social relations, especially in the evolution of Hong Kong producer services industries, with the concept of the ‘exhibitionary complex’, in which the state and élites deploy ‘object lessons in power’ to engender popular identification with state interests. By the 1990s local land development consortia increasingly capitalized high‐rise construction, and projects for harbourfront land reclamations enlarged in scale and scope. The International Finance Centre, Hong Kong's future tallest building, is designed to instantiate Hong Kong's place in the regional and international financial services industry, but had also challenged public acceptance. New landscape conservation legislation seeks to limit further harbour reclamation and protect viewscapes.     

10 Design: Beyond Neutrality

The very term ‘sustainable design’ implies an aspiration to retain the status quo. What, however, if buildings could have a more proactive effect? Air quality is generally regarded as an environmental problem that has to be tackled by municipal agencies at the urban scale, which architectural design can have little or no impact on. Here Ted Givens of 10 Design , a newly established practice in Hong Kong, describes the Indigo Tower, a project undertaken with researchers at Hong Kong University, which explores the way that a building can enhance the wider air quality of its environment through bio-purification. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Planning and Property Rights in Hong Kong under Constitutional Capitalism

This paper identifies and discusses some constitutional law issues arising from the tensions and contradictions between the statutory land use planning and related regulations in Hong Kong and its Basic Law. The Basic Law is a written 'mini- constitution', which expressly guarantees the protection not only of private property rights but also of the market economy and capitalism. These tensions have their roots in the superimposition of modern town planning legislation onto a consensual and contractual planning system based on a leasehold land system introduced by the colonial administrator. They emerged as constitutional law issues with the inception of the Basic Law, as the previous British colonial regime was replaced by the so-called 'One Country, Two Systems' of China. It is argued that these tensions are crucial from land economics and political points of view in the context that half the population of Hong Kong, a so-called faithful student of laissez-faire philosophy, has been living in public if not assisted housing. Furthermore, China is on the road to a liberalized economy and globalization on terms acceptable also to the international community. Some suggestions that are based on established common law concepts and the land administrative practice of colonial Hong Kong are offered for ameliorating the said tensions.     

艾伯克隆比与香港战后城市规划

英国城市规划师艾伯克隆比为英国战后城市重建做了大量城市规划工作,尤以"大伦敦规划"最为著名。之后,他又被邀为香港拟备"香港初步城市规划报告"。该报告作为香港首部战略性城市规划,使英国城市规划理论与实践延续到其远东殖民地,使香港成为西方文化与技术在东方的中转站。该文横向比较艾伯克隆比的"大伦敦规划"与"香港规划报告",以追溯城市规划思想的源流与演变;纵向比较"香港规划报告"的"高密度发展与疏散、城市人口与工业布局、城市规划立法、新市镇建设"等城市发展提议与香港战后城市规划与建设的实践。通过分析该报告对香港城市规划的影响和贡献,以及探寻香港近现代城市规划理论和体制形成的因素,对进一步完善香港近代城市史学研究,并为内地城市制订战略性城市规划提供历史借鉴     

Textile Tectonics: An Interview with Lars Spueybroek

‘Architectural design is not about having ideas, but about having techniques, techniques that operate on a material level. It's about making matter think and live by itself.’ Here Lars Spuybroek of NOX talks to Maria Ludovica Tramontin about his engagement with the work of Gottfried Semper and Frei Otto and how it has led him to his own brand of textile tectonics or ‘soft constructivism’, in which textiles are transformed into the tectonic through conventional textile techniques - weaving, bundling, interlacing, braiding, knitting or knotting - effectively building structure through softness and flexibility. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of enhanced design and build system a case study of a hospital project

This study involves an investigation of a hospital project which adopted an ‘enhanced design and build’ form of building procurement. The paper assesses the procurement system from the perspectives of the client, client's consultants, contractor, contractor's consultants, and contractor's subcontractors. A detailed case study of North District Hospital is described to illustrate the process of this procurement system. All the interviewees generally agreed that the hospital project was successful in meeting the time, cost, quality, functional and safety requirements set by the client. As the first project adopting the ‘enhanced design-build’ procurement system in Hong Kong, the benefits of applying this innovative procurement system were demonstrated.     

‘Equal right to housing’ in Hong Kong housing policy: perspectives from disadvantaged groups

The ‘right to housing’ incorporates at least five different dimensions which are all indispensible for the minimum satisfaction of such right, namely, housing that is adequate and affordable, enjoyed without arbitrary interference or forced eviction, and the right of choice to opt for rent or home-ownership as well as neighbourhood. ‘Equal right to housing’ essentially means equal opportunity or non-discrimination in the fulfillment of all dimensions of ‘right to housing’. In Hong Kong, for those with economic means, the extent of their ‘right to housing’ are largely satisfied; however, this may not be the case for those from the lower socioeconomic strata, especially members of disadvantaged groups from the latter, who are doubly deprived. This paper will examine the views on ‘equal right to housing’ in Hong Kong housing policy from four disadvantaged groups, namely, single-parent families, ethnic minorities, homosexuals and Mainland New Arrivals, by drawing on information from in-depth interviews with members of these groups, representatives of organizations serving these disadvantaged groups, property sector practitioners, Equal Opportunity Commission representative and members of the general public. On the whole, the members of the disadvantaged groups, especially those from the lower socioeconomic strata may not enjoy equal opportunity to different dimensions of the ‘right to housing’ in Hong Kong, mainly due to discriminatory selection of tenants on the part of private landlords as well as the limited economic means of some of them. These may be, to some extent, magnified by some biased practices in public housing policy. This paper will end by examining some of policy implications of ‘equal right to housing’.     

香港城市化初期的城市规划历史研究(1841-1904年)

香港由一个渔港村落快速演变为国际大都市而受到世界瞩目,是典型的近代新兴殖民城市。从城市规划史学的角度出发,选取1841-1904年之间的香港近代城市的形成及其城市规划为研究对象,探讨了香港近代早期城市发展的动因及其城市规划的历史分期和特点,剖析了该时期内城市规划理论的发展、城市建设活动的内容、规划管理机构的演变,进一步补充完善了香港近代城市史学研究,并为中国内地城市的城镇化进程提供宝贵的历史经验。     

Dragons Adrift: The New Chinese Landscape

The work of New York-based artist Nancy Wolf is preoccupied with the relationship between people and the contemporary city. Here she explains how a meeting with scholar and poet Lap Lam in Hong Kong provided much of the inspiration for her work in China, which she describes as ‘a commentary on the enormous changes in today's Chinese landscape created by Modernist architecture and urban planning’.     

Architect Robert Fan Wenzhao and the design of Chung Chi campus

In about 1949, there was a large-scale migration of architects from the mainland to Hong Kong, China. Among them were those important figures in the modern Chinese architectural history such as Robert Fan, Su Gin-Djih, and Chu Pin. Their arrival at this colony had changed its architectural practice substantially from professional organization to actually built environment. Their unique contributions to Hong Kong’s modern architecture have been a new research interest in recent years. This paper tells a story about Robert Fan and his design of the Chung Chi College campus in the 1950s with an intention to reveal the multiaspects of the so called “migrant architects” through a single architectural event. The author tries to capture the intertwining relationship between the migrant architects and educators through the reconstruction of the recruitment process for a campus architect by Chung Chi College and to identify Mr. Robert Fan’s concept of campus planning with reference to his early design experience in the mainland of China.     

The City as Dining Room: Big-Sign Dining in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, open-air eateries that advertise their appetizing menus on big signs are the most common informal setting for consuming delicious food with friends and family. Jeffrey W Cody and Mary C Day seek out these ‘big-sign’ eating places in the smallest alleyways as well as in the province's fresh-food markets and, perhaps most surprisingly, in the midst of its postwar housing estates.     

Price discovery of property markets in Shenzhen and Hong Kong

Hong Kong and Shenzhen, while being interrelated in many aspects, have encountered different types of demand shocks throughout the past decade. This is likely due to disparities in market conditions and degrees of government regulations. In the light of such differences in property price trends, this research first investigates the relationships between housing prices and market fundamentals for both cities; and then it explores whether a housing price bubble existed for them in 2006. The results indicate that housing prices seem to have interacted abnormally with market fundamentals in recent years, especially for Shenzhen. In addition, while Shenzhen’s housing prices are mainly explained by previous housing prices and personal income, most economic indicators explain Hong Kong’s housing prices well. With regard to price bubbles, a puny bubble which amounts to as much as 4.5% of the housing price was formed in Shenzhen in 2006. In the meantime, the housing price bubble for Hong Kong had been diminished. Though currently not at dangerous levels, housing price bubbles should be taken with caution especially in today’s China, characterized by overinvestment and rapid policy changes.     

The uncanny side of the fairy tale: post-apocalyptic symbolism in Terunobu Fujimori's architecture

Having first established himself as an architectural historian, Terunobu Fujimori (b. 1946) is now more famous for his design work than for his academic publications. He has even been praised as ‘the most influential architect in Japan’ by the critic Kenjiro Okazaki (2006). Fujimori's popularity is attributable in particular to the fairy tale-like image of his architecture, which tends to appear playful as well as natural and nostalgic. However, this research focuses on the other side of the ‘fairy tale’—specifically, the strangely unfamiliar, even unsettling, feeling that his architecture evokes. Using Freud's and Vidler's notions of ‘the uncanny’ for analysis, this study identifies the contradictory sentiment residing in the hidden clashes between the natural and artificial qualities of his design. Arguably, the uncanny aspect of Fujimori's architecture stems from a post-apocalyptic sensibility imprinted in the Japanese unconscious, which is haunted by the trauma of ruin, whether caused by natural or man-made disaster. This research focus can lead to a broader cultural discourse beyond the scope of a single architect's work, relevant to all ‘modern unhomely’ societies.     

Environmental performance assessment in China and Hong Kong

Environmental Management System (EMS) has recently been advocated for almost all economic sectors. However, the implementation of EMS is problematic for the construction industry. The greatest obstacle is the lack of objective performance evaluation criteria. To overcome this, Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) has been introduced, to provide assessments in terms of management and operational systems. This paper compares the status of EPA implementation in China and Hong Kong. By means of a questionnaire survey, the difficulties in implementing EPA are highlighted, the major ones being ‘Lack of technological support, such as training, staff and expertise’ and ‘Lack of commitment from senior staff’ in Hong Kong and Mainland China, respectively. Furthermore, ‘Lack of legal enforcement’ is found more profound in Mainland China than in Hong Kong, indicated by a low correlation coefficient between the rankings of these factors in Hong Kong and China. Meanwhile, ‘Promoting EPA as a legal requirements’ and ‘Inclusion of EPA in the tendering requirements’ are found to be the best tools for encouraging implementation of EPA. Although the difficulties in implementing EPA are different in the two regions, the motivations for EPA are similar, with a high correlation coefficient.     

The shifting spaces of creativity in Hong Kong

This paper focuses on the development of Hong Kong's cultural economy and its translation into urban space. On the one hand it focuses on recent economic development and planning strategies to develop a post-colonial identity based on the international cachet of attracting creative industries. On the other hand, it considers the development of grassroots initiatives that herald the potential articulation of Hong Kong as a culturally dense global city. These grassroots initiatives are analyzed from the perspective of their problematic relationship with urban space, and how urban planning both supports and hinders cultural development. The paper argues that top-down planning is in large part catalytic, yet at the same time can run counter to the development of genuine artistic expression. It stresses the importance of ‘middleground’ actors in facilitating the development of spaces for artistic creation, particularly in their productive interlocking with different forms of artistic expression and public policy initiatives. The middleground can be conceived of as a relational space produced by various processes, actors and structures operating at different scales between institutional actors and the interests of ‘underground’ creativity. The article concludes by problematizing the role of middleground actors and underlines the value of ‘unpacking’ the middleground in order to account for the contested and negotiated processes it embodies. Renewed attention to these processes will contribute to enhancing the development of sites of artistic expression in Hong Kong and other emergent contemporary contexts.     

Crisis! What Crisis? Retooling for Mass Markets in the 21st Century

From his base in Southeast Asia, Tom Verebes , Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), asks what the hardcore realities are for robotics in architecture in this new ‘Asian Century’. At a time when China strives to accommodate 10 million new urban citizens each year by rolling out high-rise residential blocks with standardised serial production techniques, what hope is there that the homogeneous Chinese city will apply robotic tools of mass customisation for the construction of distinctive, rather than generic structures?     

Cities on the Edge of Chaos

Is the mass-customised city no more than a smokescreen, a re-evocation of Modernist positivism and its problem-solving ideology? Colin Fournier , Emeritus Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UCL), and Visiting Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), questions the premise of this issue and asks if the variation required for a city's survival ‘at the edge of chaos’ lies beyond mass customisation.     

A City Talks: Learning from Bogotá’s Revitalisation

As the Mayor of Bogotá (1998-2001), Enrique Peñalosa transformed Colombia's capital from a city without hope to one that is held up as an international example of best practice. This was epitomised by his far-reaching transport policy and the TransMilenio bus-based transit system. Peñalosa describes the ambitious urban revitalisation programme that his administration undertook and how they were guided by the fundamental aim of ‘the construction of equality’. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Genetic algorithm model in optimizing the use of labour

The construction industry is characterized by the existence of multiple trades and crafts. With the existence of multiple-tiers of labour-only-subcontracting in Hong Kong, tradesmen are normally assigned to tasks of a narrowly defined skill. Lately, there has been a call for the adoption of a directly employed labour scheme by the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the public works departments in Hong Kong in order to improve both safety and quality. However, current industry practice has hindered the adoption of directly employed labour, which requires assigning tradesmen to broadly defined task groupings. In implementing the scheme, the first thing to be resolved is how to maximize the levels of use of workers, because that is the major financial incentive to encourage contractors to adopt the directly employed labour policy. This coupled with the shortage of some skilled craft workers call into question the traditionally accepted ‘single-skilled’ or ‘single-task’ approach in labour deployment. A genetic algorithm model is developed to optimize the labour deployment and practical examples are presented. The optimization results are very promising, confirming the practical application value of the model.