Few designers would disagree: Asia is hot right now. OK,
maybe not literally – Hong Kongers celebrated a dark and gloomy Lunar New Year
amid cold-weather warnings, fog and rain – but the number and scale of projects
going on in Asia have far outpaced what’s happening in other world regions.
In the US and in Europe, many designers have found
themselves out of work since the 2008 financial crisis. By contrast, Hong Kong
firms are advertising multiple open positions at once. Admittedly, Western
designers may find it difficult to make the leap to working in Asia: language and cultural differences, as
well as visa requirements, create hurdles that are daunting to some. However, more
and more are choosing to make the leap, a transition that is eased by the fact
that all the major Asian cities house local branches of the big international
firms.
As a community, we designers should step back and savor this
moment. Unlike the other arts, which remain stubbornly Eurocentric (and, some
would argue, stuck in the past), architecture and urban design are modern,
global, fast-paced. The future of architecture and urban design is being forged
here in Asia, and we are lucky enough to be a part of it.
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