Shenhzen Biennale
Public trailer, by Feld72. Shenhzen Biennale.
(Image credit: press)

The 2009 Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture kicked off last weekend - the third edition of Asia’s largest architecture gathering. Having previously been curated by established Chinese architects and academics, Qingyun Ma in 2005 and Yung Ho Chang in 2003, this year’s events are orchestrated by chief-curator, editor and graphic designer Ou Ning, and his international team of curators (including Beatrice Galilee for London, Kayoko Ota for Tokyo, Wei Wei Shannon for New York, Pauline J Yao for San Francisco and Ya-Zhu Xu for Taiwan).

Meanwhile in Hong Kong chief curator Marisa Yiu heads a curatorial team of three; Curator for Arts, City Integration and Events Alan Lo, Curator for Education, Film and Media Eric Schuldenfrei and Curator for Urbanism, Architecture and Landscape Frank Yu.

Themed ‘City Mobilization’, the young event is passionate and thought-provoking, aiming to offer a refreshed version of the ‘biennale’ format, urging urban authorities, architects and planners to reconsider their role and refocus their creative energy to spark architectural change.

Set to nurture new ideas and young talent, the series of architectural festivities in Shenzhen hosts not only a number of established practices (like LOT-EK and Studio Pei-Zhu with Arup), but also a large number of emerging international firms. Practices like Austrians Feld72, UK-based Aberrant Architecture, Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto and Chinese MAD make an impact with a variety of imaginative installations and happenings.

In its Hong Kong guise - which will be up and running until the 27th Feb - the biennale follows a guideline, which also pushes the envelope. Following three strands of the general ‘Bring Your Own Biennale’ open call to students and professionals -‘Bring Your Own Bench’, ‘Bring Your Own Booth’ and ‘Bring Your Own Box’ – chief curator Yiu gives the power to the people, as the participants are invited to create and bring their contribution. The installations include a large-scale paper tube construction by celebrated Japanese architect Shigeru Ban at the main biennale pavilion.

Hosted in various locations around the Hong Kong waterfront and the young city of Shenzhen, the bi-city biennale highlights include installations by Chinese and International participating architects; a retrospective of iconic Chinese architect Xia Changshi; an architectural film festival; and the Odyssey literature project, bringing together famous contemporary buildings and words by celebrated Chinese writers.

Public trailer, by Feld72

Public trailer, by Feld72. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Walking chairs

Walking chairs, by Sou Fujimoto. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

North-East Square of Civic Center

With the Wind 2009, by Liu Jiakun in the North-East Square of Civic Center. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Lot-Us Probes

Lot-Us Probes by LOT-EK. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Footprints in the Square

Footprints in the Square, by MAD. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Snow Bull Station

Snow Bull Station, by Rigo 23. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Eggs of the City

Eggs of the City, by Standard Architecture. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Danser la Musique by Chen Zhen

Danser la Musique by Chen Zhen. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

People’s Roulette by Futurefarmers

People’s Roulette by Futurefarmers. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Billboard by Mathieu Borysevicz and James Brearley

Billboard by Mathieu Borysevicz and James Brearley. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Medular pavilion by Maurer United Architects

Medular pavilion by Maurer United Architects. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Curtain walls by sciSKEW Collaborative

Curtain walls by sciSKEW Collaborative. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Urban oasis by Studio Pei-Zhu

Urban oasis by Studio Pei-Zhu. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Bug dome 3, by Weak! Architects

Bug dome 3, by Weak! Architects. Shenhzen Biennale.

(Image credit: press)

Andrea, by Mathieu Lehanneur

Andrea, by Mathieu Lehanneur + David Edwards [LABOGROUP]. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: Randy Cheung)

The Projecting Window

The Projecting Window, by Sophia Cheuk Lam Ip, Haynie Wing Yee Sze, Edith Pui Yee Li, and Eva Yiu Wah Chan. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: MADes)

Slow drip, by Big Ma

Slow drip, by Big Mad. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: Eric Schuldenfrei)

Tetra Phobia, by RAD

Tetra Phobia, by RAD. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: MADes)

Dutch Design Chair

Dutch Design Chair, by Five Spices. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: Alvin Ku)

West Kowloon Walled City

West Kowloon Walled City, by Douglas Young. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: Alvin Ku)

West Kowloon Walled City, by Douglas Young

West Kowloon Walled City, by Douglas Young. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: MADes)

FarmScape

FarmScape, by UMAMI-UTILITIES and CL3. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: MADes)

Eco Farm - Green Pixel

Eco Farm - Green Pixel, by Meta4 Design Forum, Pad Chu of The Organic Farm, in collaboration with Biennale Team and The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: Marisa Yiu)

Hole in the Wall - A Slice of Public Space

Hole in the Wall - A Slice of Public Space, by Jody Marie Bielun and Pablo Leppe. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: Syren Johnstone)

Live Nature, by Ida Sze and Billy Chan.

Live Nature, by Ida Sze and Billy Chan. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: MADes)

Paddling Home, by Kacey Wong

Paddling Home, by Kacey Wong. Hong Kong Biennale.

(Image credit: eskyiu)

The two Wongs going to sea.

The two Wongs going to sea. Hong Kong Biennale

(Image credit: MADes)

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).