Date 08.07.2014

Location Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD), USA

In May 2014, a group of CUHK Master of Architecture students presented their design studio projects at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design (GSD) during the annual final project reviews of their Harvard counterparts. This was the culmination of a year-long joint studio research and design project led by Adjunct Associate Professor Doreen Liu in collaboration with the GSD Urban Design studio of Professor Peter Rowe, former GSD Dean and an internationally renowned scholar. The joint-studio is part of a longer academic exchange with the GSD initiated by the School of Architecture over three years ago, as well as future research collaborations by Prof. Liu in the coming years.

Back in February 2014, the Harvard graduate students visited Shenzhen for their one-week research field trip and interacted with the CUHK group. The joint-studio was based on the theme of industrial re-use at Shenzhen’s Shekou and set within the area’s ongoing urban transformation. After the field trip, each group developed their projects, and presented their results together at Harvard. At the GSD, CUHK students were also able to attend other design reviews to see the range of student works there.

The eight CUHK students were accompanied on this Harvard trip by their studio tutor, Adjunct Associate Professor Doreen Liu, School director Professor Nelson Chen and Associate Professor Thomas Chung. Professor Chen, Harvard alumnus himself, enthused in recounting inspiring stories of his alma mater while introducing the GSD to the students. Besides official duties, the CUHK group also visited nearby Boston, Exeter and New York to see many outstanding architectural works by contemporary as well as past masters.