Hong Kong, August 13, 2007 -- Qingyun Ma, dean of the University of Southern California School of Architecture, will be the curator of the 2007 Shenzhen-Hong Kong Biennale that opens December 1, 2007 simultaneously in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. It is the first bi-city biennale and will run through March 1, 2008. An estimated 100,000 international visitors are expected to attend.
"The idea of a bi-city and bi-annual comes from the notion of an urban hybrid which is not only a strong postmodern urbanity but also the essence of Deng Xiaoping's urban policy," said Ma.
"City of Expiration and Regeneration" is the theme of the biennale that will explore the notion of the lifecycle of built environments and the need for revitalization to take advantage of new materials, technology and resource management techniques as well as accommodate changing trends in the way people live, work, play and communicate.
"Should cities have an expiration date like everything organic?" questions Dean Ma. "Or should they be preserved as built? Both ideas need to be challenged," maintains Ma, noting that the media of inquiry at the biennale will be exhibitions, films, symposia and special events. Ma believes that architecture must make sense in the whole stream of the social construct and mass communication, calling this concept "an architecture without boundary" which will be demonstrated in the biennale.
Ma sees one of his curatorial missions as to showcase how information and imaging technology have reshaped our environment and our perception of the environment. He is calling this initiative "Digitopia/Geospace" and has invited technology and digital companies to participate, as well as architects, planners, artists and urban thinkers.
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