The open call for Urban Village Archive is issued and introduced by Chief curators, LIU Xiaodu and MENG Yan, of 2017 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Shenzhen) (UABB). It is with great pleasure that we write to invite you and your team to participate in this event.

We will continue to release open call information for different sections and this is the open call for submission for “Urban Village Archive”. This section firstly collects and streamlines the massive studies and literature related to urban villages; then it conducts an intellectualized induction and summary, and finally systematically present the findings through exhibitions. Experience and paradigms from advanced countries and regions can no longer adapt the unique symptoms that have emerged in the modern Chinese cities. The unique adaptive survival strategies of urban villages create flexible, diverse and rich urban spaces as well as providing alternative thoughts for future urban development. It is very necessary and urgent to systematically streamline the knowledge related to urban villages. How does the diversity of urban villages come along? Are there any rules to follow for its spontaneous growth mechanism? What are the inspirations we could learn from these bottom-up strategies for building our daily urban space? How do adaptive spaces follow a pragmatic logic and work beneath the seemingly irrational surface? Hence, we initiate the open call for the following sections to leave a consolidated urban archive for the urban villages in Shenzhen

Submission Categories:
1. Urban Village Document: Text, research or literature regarding urban village including chronicle of urban villages in Shenzhen, research in humanity and histories, context development, policy research and evolution of space etc.
2. Urban Village Image: Visual work documenting current urban villages or depicting/imagining/creating future urban villages.
3. Urban Village Observation & Research: social and spatial research regarding urban villages.
1. Urban Village Document

About
The coexistence of the city and the village has become a unique urban reality. Decades of rapid urbanization in China has resulted in tremendous changes to the traditional village, which has been gradually surrounded by the contemporary city. The development of the city and its growth in population continue to accelerate, aggravating the widely criticized problems of the urban village. Nevertheless, the development of Shenzhen city is inseparable from the urban villages, providing the city with informal affordable housing for migrant workers, ensuring the work-life balance of the city and alleviating traffic. Although the value of the urban villages gradually receives more recognition, urban renewal processes over time also lead to the rapid loss of the symbiotic relationships between the coexisting urban and village spaces of Shenzhen.
A large number of studies taking a variety of perspectives on urban villages have emerged from this context. It is necessary and important to collect and sort through this relevant literature. The Urban Village Document is the accumulation of knowledge regarding the urban villages; it is an urban development sample, a recording of lived experiences, and a comprehensive understanding of the value of urban villages. It is an effort to establish a repository of knowledge from a number of schools and disciplines.

Topics
“Urban Village Document” explores the issues of urban villages comprehensively through multiple perspectives and a global mindset: How is the spontaneous growth of informal settlements developed in the orthodox city throughout history? What are the original culture, social structure and economic life of an area and how are these transformed with the development of the city? What results from today’s condition? As a complex social and ecological system, do urban villages produce their own inherent problems? Can we analyze the cause of these problems from a multi-disciplinary perspective? Under an unattractive appearance, is an urban village a tumor on the city or a place to attract investment? As for its management and transformation, are there any alternative approaches? Are there currently any actions or practices adopted by community groups or institutions? What underlying meaning can be drawn from the life of urban villages?

Requirements
(1)Participant should understand the theme and the concept deeply; accept and respect views from others;
(2)Participant should have basic knowledge in regard to urban villages while being able to explore and elaborate on the research topic;
(3)High academic level is required;
(4)Non-Chinese exhibition must be translated into Chinese in the exhibition; Nevertheless, English material is acceptable for this submission.

Compensation
Elected as exhibitor for UABB2017; Elected work will be presented in the exhibition and included in related promotional material.

Submission
(1) Material Requirements
Each application should comprise the following:
Filled and signed application form
Complete resume of the participants
Proposal, including but not limited to a clearly articulated synopsis of the topic or theme to be investigated along with the method of investigation
(2)Language
Chinese or English
(3)Delivery
All entry material can be sent as a digital file via email (PDF format, Max 10MB) to UABB2017@Urbanus.com.cn;
Indicate the name of the participant and the category for the open call.
All entry material submitted by mail must be sent in an A4 or US Letter size envelope or appropriate packaging in this same size format, identifying the name of the participant, to the following address:
2017 UABB Architecture Curatorial team
Bld. E6, 2nd Fl. OCT Loft
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China
518053
(4)Note
The costs of sending entry materials are the sole responsibility of the participants.
Do not send originals as all material received will not be returned.
There is no charge for submitting a proposal for this initiative
Submission Deadline
(1)Application form can be downloaded through UABB official website or other co-operated media
(2)The proposal must be post-marked by May 29th, 2017, 6pm.
Timeline
(1)Finalists: list of candidates will be announced on July 15, 2017
(2)Exhibition: Agreement will be signed before July 31, 2017
This schedule is subject to change. The curatorial team reserves the right of final interpretation.
2. Urban Village Image

About
Visual presentations are undoubtedly an invaluable component of the urban village archive. Visual presentations communicate directly with a wide range of audiences. This can include animations that can be understood by children, photography that strikes a responsive chord in the hearts of the villagers, or a rich documentary film. Not only should these images be a fascinating presentation, they should also be images that reveal reality from a critical perspective and lead to a deeper level of reflection. By depicting the urban villages from unique angles on distinctive issues, different aspects of the lives and spaces in the urban villages will be presented to break the established impression of the urban village for the audience. The topics can include the exploration of the development of China’s urbanization or a vivid description of the lives of residents in urban villages etc. Format of the work can be photography, documentary, painting etc.; it can also be drawings, comic books, animation, and other creative works.

Categories
(1) Documentary
The unique life style and space of the urban village are being lost to the process of urban renewal. By the means of photography, documentary and painting etc., establish an image database with a unique observation angle and visual expression for the alternative spaces and lives of the urban villages. Format: Photography, documentary film, painting, sculpture, etc.
(2) Creation
The urban village can be a platform for possibility, creativity and imagination. Inspired works can take the form of a series of ordinary life stories, paintings that reflect the current status and mental state of life inside, or an imagined vision of urban villages’ future. Format: Paintings, comic strips, animation, etc.

Requirements
(1) High quality visual presentation
(2) Clear theme and points of view
(3) Close collaboration with the curatorial team
(4) Non-Chinese exhibition must be translated into Chinese in the exhibition; Nevertheless, English material is acceptable for this submission.

Compensation
Elected as exhibitor for UABB2017; limited funding will be provided for exhibition presentation; outstanding work will be collected in UABB archive

Submission
(1) Material Requirements
Each application should comprise the following:
Filled and signed application form
Complete resume of the participants
Proposal, including but not limited to a clearly articulated synopsis of the topic, covering concepts and corresponding urban issues etc.
(2) Language
Chinese or English
(3) Delivery
All entry material can be sent as a digital file via email (PDF format, Max 10MB) to UABB2017@Urbanus.com.cn;
Indicate the name of the participant and the category for the open call.
All entry material submitted by mail must be sent in an A4 or US Letter size envelope or appropriate packaging in this same size format, identifying the name of the participant, to the following address:
2017 UABB Architecture Curatorial team
Bld. E6, 2nd Fl. OCT Loft
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China
518053
(4) Note
The costs of sending entry materials are the sole responsibility of the participants.
Do not send originals as all material received will not be returned.
There is no charge for submitting a proposal for this initiative.

Submission Deadline
(1) Application form can be downloaded through UABB official website or other co-operated media
(2) The proposal must be post-marked by May 29th, 2017, 6pm.
Timeline
(1) Finalists: list of candidates will be announced on July 7, 2017
(2) Exhibition: Agreement will be signed before July 31, 2017
This schedule is subject to change. The curatorial team reserves the right of final interpretation.

3. Urban Village Observation and Research

About
“Cities, Grow in Difference” emphasizes multiple identities and perspectives, and acknowledges the diversity of society as well as the importance of time and the variety and uncertainty involved in the process of urbanization. Hence, the curatorial team issues the open call for submission of observation and research from different perspectives, different voices. These voices arise from the observation of the urban village through different social disciplines. They are the articulation of different values from a range of events and in-depth discussions of issues supported by objective facts. They give the audience a global perspective and insight into the development mechanism of the Chinese city through the example of the urban village.
Note that the form and presentation of the exhibition determines the effectiveness of communication with the viewer. For observation and research, a high quality presentation is as important as the quality of the research. An effective visual communication will help the viewers to understand the ideas behind the research within a limited time frame.

Categories
(1)Literature
White-collar workers, migrant workers, and villagers form highly complex social relations within the urban village. Countless stories and fantasies, both bitter and inspirational, have taken place here without any acknowledgement. Tell the story that reflects the problem of the urban village, and the different roles of the residents in daily life.
(2)Society and Humanity
Explore the formation and development of urban villages from the perspective of sociology, the life of the residents and their activities etc. Analyze and speculate on how daily life there contributes to a highly complex society that serves as the true arrival city for countless young migrants to live.
(3)Urban Villages & Urbanization in China
From a global perspective, explore the city’s all-embracing character that seeks harmony yet not uniformity. Analysis of the relations between urban villages and the surrounding city indicates the survival and prosperity of a city lie exactly in being more inclusive and tolerant toward cultural “difference” and “otherness”. Investigate the role of urban villages in China’s urbanization process in the context of macro society.
(4)Spontaneous Construction
Urban villages are still in a state of “incompleteness,” continuing to evolve, self-proliferate and self-regenerate. Such self-motivated, bottom-up urbanization shows strategies that could be adopted by the development of Chinese cities more broadly. Discover and extrapolate the spontaneous growth of urban villages in terms of architecture and urban strategies.
(5)Others
“Cities, Grow in Difference” is fundamentally the recognition and inclusion of different origins, status, and values at social, cultural and spatial levels. We aspire to be able to receive multi-disciplinary research and points of views.

Requirements
(1)Participant should understand the theme and the concept deeply, while accepting and respecting views from others;
(2)Participant should have basic knowledge in regard to urban villages from a global perspective, while elaborating on the research topic; the work can be avant-garde and critical, with high academic quality.
(3)Participants should be able to elaborate on visual presentation;
(4)Collaborating closely with the curatorial team;
(5)Non-Chinese exhibition must be translated into Chinese in the exhibition; Nevertheless, English material is acceptable for this submission.

Compensation
Elected as exhibitor for UABB2017; limited funding will be provided for exhibition presentation; research funding is not provided.

Submission
(1) Material Requirements
Each application should comprise the following:
Filled and signed application form
Complete Resume of the participants
Proposal, including but not limited to a clearly articulated synopsis of the research topic, covering concepts and corresponding urban issues etc. Specific plans for approach to visual presentation must also be included.
(2) Language
Chinese or English
(3) Delivery
All entry material can be sent as a digital file via email (PDF format, Max 10MB) to UABB2017@Urbanus.com.cn;
Indicate the name of the participant and the category for the open call.
All entry material submitted by mail must be sent in an A4 of US Letter size envelope or appropriate packaging in this same size format, identifying the name of the participant, to the following address:
2017 UABB Architecture Curatorial team
Bld. E6, 2nd Fl. OCT Loft
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China
518053
(4) Note
The costs of sending entry materials are the sole responsibility of the participants.
Do not send originals as all material received will not be returned.
There is no charge for submitting a proposal for this initiative

Submission Deadline
(1) Application form can be downloaded through UABB official website or other co-operated media
(2) The proposal must be post-marked by May 29th, 2017, 6pm.
Timeline
(1) Short list: list of candidates will be announced on June 1, 2017
(2) Presentation: Presentation for detailed proposal June 20, 2017
(3) Finalist: list of exhibitors will be announced in July 3, 2017
(4) Exhibition: Agreement will be signed before July 31, 2017
This schedule is subject to change. The curatorial team reserves the right of final interpretation.