CONSTRUCTING CULTURE
Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District
Friday, 26 May 2017
On the occasion of the exhibition opening at Aedes Architecture Forum
Part 1 - Introduction and Lecture Duncan Pescod
Welcome
Beate Engelhorn, Curator, Aedes Architecture Forum, Berlin
Lecture
Duncan Pescod, CEO, WKCD Authority, Hong Kong: Introduction to the West Kowloon Cultural District
Part 2 - Lecture Martin Biewenga
Lecture
Martin Biewenga, Architect, West 8 Urban Design & Landscape, Rotterdam: Open Space and Landscape Design
Part 3 - Lecture Eric Schuldenfrei
Lectures
Eric Schuldenfrei, Director / Founding Partner ESKYIU, Hong Kong: The M+ Museum
Part 4 - Lecture Earle Briggs
Lectures
Earle Briggs, Lead Architect of Bing Thom Architects, Vancouver: The Xiqu Centre
Part 5 - Panel Discussion
Q&A moderated by
Jürgen Tietz, Art Historian and Journalist, Berlin
The West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong is one of the world’s largest and most ambitious cultural projects. Currently under construction, it will establish a dynamic cultural quarter on 40 hectares of reclaimed land located on Hong Kong’s iconic Victoria Harbour. With 23 hectares of public open space comprised of the Art Park, two kilometres of waterfront promenade, squares, plazas and terraces, the district also aims to be an open and accessible recreation destination for locals and international visitors alike.
Featuring buildings by leading international architects, including the M+ Museum by Herzog & de Meuron, the Xiqu Centre / Opera House by Bing Thom Architects, the Lyric Theatre by UNStudio and the Palace Museum by Rocco Design Architects, the district will deliver landmark architecture within a clearly defined cultural precinct where traffic is taken below ground and walking and cycling are encouraged at street level.
The symposium gave an introduction to the development and the urban strategies of the new district and presented the two projects that are currently under construction: the M+ Museum by Herzog & de Meuron and the Xiqu Centre by Bing Thom Architects.
