RMIT Architecture students exploring Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China!

23 Bachelor of Architectural Design students are travelling in the Greater Bay Area for the Forms of Culture Travelling Studio, led by Vicky Lam @vicky.lam_public and Caitlyn Parry @caitlynparry (RMIT), in collaboration with @collective_studio directors Betty Ng @kybeng, Chi Yan Chan @chiyanch and Juan Minguez @minguezine.

The one-month study tour is supported by the New Colombo Mobility Plan @newcolomboplan and investigates art and cultural precincts during times of economic and cultural change.

Chi gave some insight to her architectural practice journey and that of Founder Betty Ng and Co-Director Juan Minguez. She discussed their diverse backgrounds and their training at Harvard GSD and at Herzog De Meuron and OMA before joining forces at Collective Studio. In this time, they received the HKIA Award (Hong Kong Office Building Category 2025), AIA HK 2025 Honor Award (Architecture, Open International category) and the Sustainability Award for 83 King Lam Street and completed innovative projects such as Christie’s Asia Pacific Headquarters in Hong Kong. Betty, Chi and Juan are Adjunct Associate Professors at CUHK co-teaching a Master of Architecture Design Studio.

In Shenzhen, students were welcomed by Professor Qi Yi, Deputy Dean of Shenzhen University SAUP, and met Char Stiles (MIT Media Lab, Future Sketches) during her Shenzhen residency at SciArt Co-lab organised by founding member Zinn Liu, who is currently Executive Curator of the 10th UABB Shenzhen.

Students attended UABB Bi-City Biennale talks with Vicky Lam presenting PORTAL, a project developed with artist Rel Pham, Lauren Garner (RMIT Architecture), students Oscar Chaplin and Oscar Jacobs and HK based architect Silje Howard. The talk was part of a public forum where Vicky was joined by fellow exhibitors Jessica Kong (Afloat Studio) and Ashley Wong (Ecologies of Participation CUHK) who discussed their exciting research and designs, and issues of cultural identity and ritual in the AI enhanced urban realm. The students fielded questions to the panel, moderated by @uabbhk curators Aron Tsang and Jimmy Ho.