The Nest for Phoenixes
In 2010, I first encountered the biopharmaceutical industry and industrial park projects in my architectural practice. Fourteen years have swiftly passed, and my involvement in planning and designing industrial parks in mainland China has surpassed 20 million square meters. The architectural projects I have undertaken have intertwined closely with the advancement of the national science and technology innovation. Visits to economic development zones and high-tech development areas in various cities have provided me with opportunities to present design proposals to numerous decision makers or authorities. Quite consistently, they harbor the wish to attract targeted talents and companies to these areas through upgraded campus and urban environment, as well as favorable policies, aiming to foster innovations and industrial clusters. The old Chinese saying of "Building the Nest to Attract Phoenixes" has been their common motto.
Academia-Industry-Government Collaboration
It is noteworthy that most industrial parks and science park projects are government-driven or led, while some are self-built and utilized by tech companies or managed by developers or operators. Many projects involve collaborations with universities or research institutions, demonstrating various combinations and models of industry partnerships involving industry, academia, and research, as well as government, developers, and tech companies.
Moving Forward
One of the most renowned projects I participated might be Baidu's global R&D headquarters in Beijing's Zhongguancun area. The largest single construction project was the Zhongshan Life Science Park in
the Greater Bay Area, covering nearly 710,000 square meters. The project that won the most awards was the Zhengzhou Life Bio-Pharmaceutical Park in Zhengzhou. The most intriguing industrial model was Hangzhou Bay's BioVillage in the Hangzhou Bay area. The park with the most comprehensive "4Ss" amenities should be the XValley Life Science Park in Hangzhou. These experiences constantly remind me that architects need to move forward, leveraging our innovative and architectural creativity to empower various industries beyond the conventional real estate sector.
Studio Workbitat
In 2023, upon returning to my alma mater to teach, I expressed my interest in leading a master's program for research students, allowing me to decide the research direction and topics for my own design studio. Leveraging my past professional experiences, I pioneered the concept of "Workbitat," focusing the studio's research efforts around this concept. What is "Workbitat"? It combines "Workplace" and "Habitat" to encompass the comprehensive environment and conditions selected by talent in cities like Hong Kong and other cities in the Greater Bay Area. This concept can be described using the "4Ss” spheres: "Production, Living, Ecology, and Vitality." Production, living, and ecology are self-explanatory, referring to talent's work, company production, daily life aspects like dwelling, dinning, transportation, education, healthcare services, entertainment, environmental quality, and climate conditions. Vitality refers to opportunities for job changes, business collaborations, or entrepreneurial environments, reflecting the knowledge workers' demand for continuous growth and progress, closely tied to the level of industrial aggregation in that region.
As architects, it is our responsibility to create a better built environment while conserving the nature. How can we contribute effectively to this cause?
Architecture X Biotech
With these considerations in mind, I guided my students in embarking on their master's design projects. We selected the life sciences industry, focusing particularly on the biopharmaceutical sector and the typology of Hong Kong's advanced "Good Manufacturing Practice Center for Advanced Therapy Products." With the backing of the Hong Kong Biotechnology Research Institute (HKIB), we were granted the opportunity to tour their facilities, enhancing our comprehension of its distinct spatial layout and operational processes. Dr. Gina Jiang, the HKIB Director, shared with us that the initiative to advance biotechnology was established nearly four decades ago by our former Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Sir Charles Kuen Kao. This marks a crucial juncture for this field to collaborate and invigorate Hong Kong's development.
The First Batch
The cohort of students in the 2023/24 academic year faced an unprecedented graduation design challenge. Each student designed a Good Manufacturing Practice Center for Advanced Therapy Products based on a real functional brief, with the choice of location left up to the students. The selected locations included the Bio Island in Guangzhou, Life Science Park in Zhongshan and the Hong Kong Science Park. We are grateful for the support of these parks, especially the project development director of the Hong Kong Science Park, Mr. Tony Ho who personally engaged with the students on their design proposals, greatly benefiting the students.
Apart from developing their design concepts through site selection, students responded to the needs of the site, talent, or other stakeholders by proposing functional typologies, thereby achieving goals like building an ecosystem for industry, academia, research, or industry incubation and talent development. The complete value of these projects is not confined to the discipline of architecture but aims to make graduating students aware of how architects can empower other industries, cities, and relevant communities through excellent design solutions.
