Media

"Counterpart Cities: Climate Change and Cooperative Action in Hong Kong and Shenzhen" Exhibition and Public Forum

17 Feb 2012

How can the cities of Hong Kong and Shenzhen work collaboratively to address the vulnerability of their infrastructure to the effects of climate change? Counterpart Cities brings together researchers from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and six design teams from both cities to research and propose collaborative responses to the systemic challenges of climate change in the region.

The research and design projects will be exhibited from tomorrow (February 18) to March 10 at the Central Market Oasis Gallery with large scale visual material, animations, and models.

Project Curators Jonathan D. Solomon, Associate Professor and Acting Head of HKU Department of Architecture; and Dorothy Tang, Assistant Professor of the Division of Landscape Architecture will meet the media tomorrow (February 18) at 1pm before the Opening Ceremony to explain the major findings and architectural blueprints of the design teams in tackling the problems at the Pearl River Delta Region.

Three systems: freshwater networks, port infrastructure, and shoreline ecologies, were identified as critical areas under threat of climate change, but more importantly, planning their future requires collaboration beyond political and administrative boundaries. The research revealed that the freshwater sources in the region are currently under threat due to increased industrialization and modifications to the Pearl River; the port infrastructure of Hong Kong and Shenzhen face great expansion needs to meet the demand of transportation for the Pearl River Delta; and the fragile ecological systems such as Mai Po are battling severe issues of sedimentation.

To meet these challenges, Stefan Al, Director of the Urban Design Program at HKU, and Doreen Liu of NODE Office in Shenzhen tackle the issue of freshwater shortages through imaginative methods of recycling waste water and using it to supplement a new freshwater supply system for the entire Pearl River Delta; Feng Guochuan of Zhubo Architects and Vincci Mak, HKU Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture address the problem of sedimentation in the Deep Bay and turn it into new opportunities for tourism and sustainable development. Tom Verebes, HKU Associate Professor of Architecture and Zhu Xiongyi from CCDI in Shenzhen both reconfigure port infrastructure and its economic activities globally and regionally.

Details of the media briefing, opening ceremony and forum are as follows:
Date: 18 February 2012 (Saturday)

Media briefing and Opening Ceremony
Venue: Central Market Oasis, Hong Kong

Time:
1:00 to 1:45pm        Press Walkthrough with Project Curators
2:00 to 2:30pm        Counterpart Cities Exhibition Opening at Central Market Oasis
Special Guests:
Dr. Kitty Poon, Under Secretary for the Environment
Professor David Lung, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, HKU
2:30 to 3:30pm        Guided Tour by the Counterpart Cities Designers at Central Market Oasis

Panel Discussion: From Rising Currents to Counterpart Cities-Collective Action and Urban Resiliency at the Fringe Club
Time: 4 to 5pm
Venue: Fringe Club, Hong Kong

For descriptions of the projects, please visit: http://www.cpao.hku.hk/media/appe.doc .

For enquiries about the project, please contact Ms Dorothy Tang at tel: 2859 2813, or email dstang@hku.hk.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk or Ms Melanie Wan (Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk.