- Inheriting the City's Architectural Legacy
HONGKONG, July 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After 620 hours of learning and exploration over nine months, over 320 students from 29 secondary schools have completed the Hang Lung Young Architects Program (HLYAP) and taken a step towards their dream of becoming more deeply immersed in the world of architecture.
Today, Hang Lung Properties held a graduation ceremony for the Program participants at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center, where the Program Advisers, numbering prominent architects and seasoned scholars, and Hang Lung's top management together witnessed the birth of a new generation of young architects. The winners of the architectural tour design competition held in the last phase of the Program were also announced.
Launched by Hang Lung Properties, the HLYAP aims to inspire students to recognize the relationship between architecture and the community and better understand the cultural characteristics and historical significance of local buildings through a series of interactive lectures, workshops, photo contest, and guided tours, which took place over the course of an academic year.
Mr. Weber Lo, Chief Executive Officer of Hang Lung Properties, grew up in Wah Fu Estate, studied on Hong Kong Island during his secondary and university years, and has witnessed the transformation of the architectural landscape of Hong Kong over the years. At the graduation ceremony today, he expressed his heartfelt thanks to all Program Advisers, Program Mentors and participating students for inheriting the city's architectural legacy together. He said, "As a major property developer in Hong Kong, Hang Lung is very pleased to leverage on our connections and the professional knowledge of our colleagues in establishing a platform for the inheritance of Hong Kong's architecture. We hope this Program will ignite the architectural interests of young people, expand their horizons, and encourage students to appreciate the characteristics and historical stories behind the buildings in Hong Kong."
Over the past nine months, participating students were involved in a series of activities related to architecture and have personally designed architectural guided tour routes with their freshly-acquired knowledge and skills. A total of 54 groups of students assumed the role of tour guides and led the panel of judges along routes of their own design. The judges scored the tours based on architectural knowledge, creativity, expression, among other factors, and selected three winning teams - Champion: Ying Wa Girls' School; First Runner-up: Po On Commercial Association Wong Siu Ching Secondary School; Second Runner-up: YPICA Lee Lim Ming College. The three winning teams will receive scholarships and take part in architectural tours in Japan, Singapore, and Shanghai, organized by the HLYAP this summer. For further details about the winning teams, please refer to the appendix.
The Champion guided tour was curated by the team from Ying Wa Girls' School and titled "Building for the People". By visiting a number of old buildings and specialty shops located along Hollywood Road, the team hoped to reflect an understanding of how architecture manifested the daily lives and aspirations of the people in that period, and to recognize the strong connection between architecture and the community.
Chow Wai Yin, a Form 5 student at Ying Wa Girls' School, has been an aspiring architect from a young age. She shared that the Program allowed her to explore her interest and career aspiration more, she said, "The entire Program has been a fruitful learning journey. Through the various guided tours and workshops, I have been able to learn the features of different architectural styles. I was particularly impressed by the topic dealing with the conservation of old buildings and the incorporation of new elements into them."
Besides inviting 14 Directors from Hang Lung's project management team as well as leading members of the architectural and academic communities as Program Advisers, the HLYAP also engaged 54 university students and graduates in architecture or related disciplines to act as Program Mentors and to share their insights with the younger participating students and give appropriate guidance and support throughout the Program. At the graduation ceremony, outstanding mentors were presented with certificates of commendation for their contribution to the inheritance of Hong Kong's architecture and history that was bequeathed to students of the HLYAP.
The second edition of the HLYAP will open for registration in mid-2019.
For more details about the HLYAP, please refer to:
Website: https://youngarchitects.hanglung.com/
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/hanglungyoungarchitects/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanglungyoungarchitects/
About Hang Lung Properties
Hang Lung Properties Limited (stock code: 00101), a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index and Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Indices in Hong Kong, and the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index since 2017, is a leading real estate developer operating in Hong Kong and mainland China. Boasting a diversified portfolio of investment properties in Hong Kong, the Company has progressively branched out into the Mainland since the 1990s, with our distinctive footprint now fully established in Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming, and Wuhan, with all the Mainland projects carrying the "66" brand. In May 2018, Hang Lung won an auction for a prime plot of land in Hangzhou, marking the Company's expansion to its ninth Mainland city. As Hang Lung's business continues to grow, the Company is set to develop into a highly admired national commercial property developer in China.
Appendix: Winners of the Architectural Tour Design Competition
| Champion |
|
| School and Name of Students |
Ying Wa Girls' School Chow Wai Yin, Chan Wai Chin, Chan Yeuk Ling, Chow Hoi Ming, Lee Hiu Long, Cheng Yuk Chi |
| Theme |
Building for the People |
| District |
Sai Ying Pun - Central |
| Background |
Along Hollywood Road, there are many buildings, old shops, and streets that were especially designed to meet the daily needs of previous generations of residents. By visiting these old buildings and specialty shops, students explored in depth how building design reflects the spirit of "Building for the People", and demonstrated the connections between historic buildings and the people of those times, their culture, way of life, and aspirations. |
| Routing |
Hop Tak Old Clothes Company - Bird Bridge - Kiu Fat Mansion - Kung Lee Sugar Cane Juice -Hollywood Building - Central Police Station Compound - Pottinger Street |
| Judges' Comments |
- The guided tour was highly interactive and inspiring, stereoscopically and realistically expressing the theme "Building for the People". - Students succeeded in using various interactive elements such as quizzes, story-telling, photo presentations, etc., to engage participants in the subject. - Through in-depth research, data collection and field trips, students were able to share obscure architectural features and reveal the relationship between these features and the community with respect to the theme of the tour. - Students were very inventive in designing name tags with the exterior outlines of buildings seen during the tour. |
| First Runner-Up |
|
| School and Name of Students |
Po On Commercial Association Wong Siu Ching Secondary School Anson Lai Man Chung, Alex Wong, Kwok Ting Yan, Lau Wai Yin, Lok Hui Ying, Siu Nok Yi |
| Theme |
Hakka Tsuen Wan |
| District |
Tsuen Wan |
| Background |
Tsuen Wan district has retained a number of buildings from the 1950s and 1960s, each with distinct characteristics drawn from their corresponding communities. By appreciating these historic buildings, students introduced participants to the culture and living habits of the Hakka people. |
| Routing |
Sam Tung Uk Resite Village - Old House, Hoi Pa Village - Shek Pik New Village - Lung Wah Theatre - Yi Pei Square |
| Judges' Comments |
- Students had a thorough understanding of different architectural styles, and the route reflected their extensive knowledge. - The theme of the tour was very interesting. As the students have been studying in this district for years, their understanding of the community resonated strongly with participants. - Students were meticulously prepared, having not only familiarized themselves with the content but also demonstrating the ability to draw connections between different topics in an organized fashion. - In order to enhance participants' understanding of the tour, students thoughtfully prepared earphones and leaflets. |
| Second Runner-Up |
|
| School and Name of Students |
YPICA Lee Lim Ming College Heung Alyssa Nicavera, Loksham Mujoklung, Pascual Nicole Alexis Seleccion, Limbu Samrat, Gurung Metsu, Tsang Ka Ki |
| Theme |
Multi-religious Harmony |
| District |
Tuen Mun |
| Background |
By appreciating different religious buildings, the tour not only explored the relationship between architecture and religious culture, but also illustrated the value of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and religious freedom. |
| Routing |
Sheng Kung Hui Saint Peter's Church - Tsing Shan Monastery - Hau Kok Tin Hau Temple - Fa Pao Exhibition Hall - Tin Hau Temple Plaza - Tuen Mun River Pedestrian Bridge - Islamic Primary School |
| Judges' Comments |
- With students from different countries, religions, and cultural backgrounds to act as tour guides, they were describing their own stories of how different ethnic groups integrate into Hong Kong's culture, making the tour filled with personal touches. - The theme of the tour was unique. The selected buildings exhibited the religious characteristics of Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam respectively. - Interactive elements were included in the tour, such as quizzes and jigsaw puzzles. Virtual Reality device was used in introducing related checkpoints which are not included in the tour, enhancing participants' engagement. |
Program Advisers
1. Mr. Aric CHEN, Lead Curator, Design & Architecture, M+
2. Mr. Marvin CHEN, President, The Hong Kong Institute of Architects
3. Prof. Nelson CHEN, Director, School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
4. Dr. Cecilia CHU, President, DOCOMOMO Hong Kong
5. Mr. Wilfred KAM, Director - Project Management, Hang Lung Properties
6. Ms. Christine LAM, Global Design Principal, Aedas
7. Mr. Tony LAM, Director, AGC Design Ltd.
8. Dr. LEE Ho Yin, Head, Division of Architectural Conservation Programmes, The University of Hong Kong
9. Mr. Moses LEUNG, Director - Development & Design, Hang Lung Properties
10. Mr. Peter LEUNG, Director - Project Management, Hang Lung Properties
11. Mr. Adrian LO, Director - Project Management, Hang Lung Properties
12. Dr. Ronald LU, Founder & Chairman, Ronald Lu & Partners
13. Prof. Nasrine SERAJI, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong
14. Dr. Joseph TING Sun Pao, Adjunct Professor, Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
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