Several events in the past month have drawn attention to growing tensions between Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong people. In early January, the luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana drew crowds of angry protesters after forbidding locals – but not Mainlanders - from taking photos of its display windows. The company later apologized but feelings continue to run high, as evidenced by last week’s subway spat, in which locals chided a Mainland visitor for eating on the MTR.
Some of the issues being discussed as a result of these incidents are at the very core of the practice of architecture and urban design. Who is responsible for maintaining public space and infrastructure, citizens or enforcers? Should Hong Kong be proud or ashamed of its colonial past and, by extension, its little remaining historic architecture? Which is more efficient when it comes to large-scale projects, Hong Kong or the mainland? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each place when it comes to creativity and regulation, intellectual property rights for designers, construction management and quality control?
This Biennale brings together the work of designers from the mainland and Hong Kong, as well as other parts of Asia and the world, precisely to attempt to answer some of these questions. It is our hope that seeing these exhibits will spark debate and discussion among members of the public, in the spirit of civil society rather than anger and blame. Hong Kong and China may be running on two systems, but they are after all one country, and each must make the most of each other’s successes if prosperity and growth are to continue.
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