Project Director: Wendy Ran Wu
Project Team:Rao Enchen，Zhang Jiajia | Zhou Wei
Project Location: 3rd Floor of Former Dacheng Flour Factory, Shenzhen
Exhibition Period: Dec.4th, 2015-Feb.28th, 2016
As the testing ground for reform and open policy, Shenzhen with its pioneering and exemplifying impacts has been the model of China’s urbanization for a long time. In each phases during Shenzhen’s rapid development, it has been the focal point of architectural academia and industry. Shenzhen is vitally important to the development of Chinese contemporary architecture. Thanks to Shenzhen City Planning and Land Resources committee, Time + Architecture Journal is endowed to initiate the research process and publication of “Shenzhen Contemporary Architecture” since 2014. We had invited experts and scholars to examine the value and meaning of Shenzhen’s urban and architectural practices of the past 35 years, and selected several built projects with unique architectural significance from the past 15 years for analysis and reviews. We further studied the spatial vocabulary Shenzhen endeavored to create and its social and cultural meanings, and sponsored ensuing series of research and academic activities. The dedicated book will be published in 2016, and we would like to take the occasion of “2015 Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture”, to present the research through a special format, and host several related academic events as well.
The exhibition is based on the content of Shenzhen Contemporary Architecture. Through five categories and a dozen topics, the recent urban and architectural development of Shenzhen will be revealed with multiple perspectives. Our themes on city is “Shenzhen: an instant city worthy of world contemporary cultural heritage”, and ” Shenzhen: urban regeneration under ecological control”; While our theme on architecture is aimed at “pioneers and originality of experiment”. As for the activities, we plan to present the research and publication process of the book, and organize events like lectures, discussion panels, and workshops featuring experts and scholars.
Regarding the exhibition format, we conceive the show at the biennale space as an information center for viewing “Shenzhen contemporary architecture”, while the entire city being the “ongoing” main exhibition stage. We look forward to guide visitors into the city, to search and feel the fast-growing city’s current conditions and characteristics, to experience the projects built or being built in their real loci.
