Is the architectural design in Hong Kong boring in recent years? Is it dehumanized? Is being a “small but densely populated” city the biggest obstacle to the development of architectural design in Hong Kong? How can the general public improve their ability to appreciate architecture so as to change the future direction of architecture in Hong Kong? Our programme host, Raymond Young, invites experienced architect Raymond FUNG and emerging architect James LAW to engage in a cross-generational conversation, covering topics ranging from their own architectural concepts to the development prospects of the young architects in Hong Kong. From Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong, we travel to Mumbai in India to Dubai in the Middle East, to take a look at their architectural works, and understand how the structures can integrate into the nature and how the structures in the future can merge with innovation and technology, so that our living space can continue to embrace bright sunshine, fresh air and clean water, and even resolve the “small but densely populated” dilemma. In face of the bureaucratic system in Hong Kong, the developers’ lack of quest for creativity, and an international market full of architecture superstars, how can our two architects overcome the difficulties step by step to achieve their own architectural dreams?
A dialogue between fashion designers Vivienne Tam and Mountain Yam.
Hong Kong – a small place once hailed as the “Hollywood of the East”, is an idiosyncratic kingdom of film that has been forged gradually for over a century where order interweaves with chaos. Is it the result of miracles? Or is it brought about by circumstances? After going from boom to bust, how and where the Hong Kong film industry should advance? Is the path forward a way out or a dead end? How do Ann HUI who entered the film industry in the late 70s, and Derek KWOK who slipped into the business in 2000 during the “Cinematic Demise”, face the transformation of the film industry as well as the challenges of this new era?
Hong Kong is a small place where athletes have been struggling for advancements with limited resources. Recent years have seen continuous breakthroughs in the city’s sports development as exceptional results have been achieved in various sports which are backed by the athletes’ perseverant efforts and their indestructible fighting spirit. Olympic medalist and current Head Coach of the women’s Representative Team for table tennis, LI Ching, and cycling athlete LEE Wai-sze who also won an Olympic medal, will share with us their hardship and keys to success.
The Government, the business community, and the public have been promoting the development of social enterprises (SEs) for a decade, and the ethos of solving social problems through entrepreneurship has also gradually taken shape. Ada HO, business elite, once set up a social enterprise sweater factory, so as to revive the textile industry in Hong Kong, and she has also established Internet platforms in recent years to promote the SE culture; CHONG Chan-yau, the anti-poverty vanguard, founded “Dialogue in the Dark” which employs a 2-hour experience in darkness as his enterprise product. Although their experiences and personalities are disparate, the two somehow cross path on the road towards social justice. In the programme, the two entrepreneurs will enter into an intergenerational dialogue to share their episodes of memories in setting up businesses with the disadvantaged groups. We will also interview two social enterprise staff who have been to Laos and Kunming to see how they achieve their vision of “keeping a foothold in Hong Kong while making international contribution.”
The decline of the local manufacturing industry makes it customary for factories to relocate to the Mainland. Brands that are genuinely made in Hong Kong are now rarities. As time goes by, how does the manufacturing industry in Hong Kong seek to survive nowadays? CHAN Kwok-man, the founder of an electrical appliance company, was born in an era when the manufacturing industry in Hong Kong relied mainly on valet processing. At the time, he believed that the water heater would become an indispensable electric appliance for every household. Therefore, he commenced designing and manufacturing the product by himself. At last, he established his own company in 1982 by which he built his own brand and brought his industrial dream to fruition. William SHUM from the younger generations features “Made-in-Hong Kong” and insists on establishing his main production line in Hong Kong, which has created a positive image for his brand. The two industrialists CHAN Kwok-man and William SHUM will share with the audience in this episode on how they craft their own respective brands in Hong Kong.
An observation of Hong Kong’s classical music arena may leave many from the arts and cultural sector pondering with a sigh – in this cosmopolitan city, the majority attending classical music concerts seem to be elderly people. Can classical music be modern in Hong Kong? In this episode, we will invite local pianists Colleen LEE and Rachel CHEUNG to talk with us regarding their backgrounds, the city’s musical ambience and cultural policies, as well as how they have turned a hobby into a career, and even brought glory to Hong Kong with exceptional achievements in international piano competitions.
Since the unification, Hong Kong has experienced several major economic challenges, including the financial crisis in 1997, the SARS epidemic in 2003, and the financial tsunami in 2008. Having found the way out of the series of predicaments, the city is collaborating with the Mainland more closely, bringing new opportunities. Yet, with competition from the Mainland and other Asian cities, it will be tremendously challenging for Hong Kong to remain as an international financial centre. Peter WONG and Joseph NGAI will look into the changes Hong Kong experienced over the past two decades from three aspects – the city’s economic situation, economic integration with the Mainland, and international competitiveness.
Marco FU was the first athlete who reached the echelons of professional billiard, and he has been hoping that the professional matches in Hong Kong can be resumed, so as to promote the sport. On the other hand, NG On-yee has grown fond of billiard under the influence of her father, and has even won numerous world championships. The two billiard players wax lyrical about how they became full-time athletes, and share how they faced their career ebbs, as well as how we should popularise the sport in Hong Kong.