6-1 These exhibits are waiting for you!

The participating work “Built to Wear” by architects Ball and Nogues is made with around 12,000 pieces of clothes from the American Apparel warehouse in Los Angeles. The weight on the structure decreases when visitors take away the clothes therefore this “architecture” will change during the course of the exhibition.

“Danser la Musique” is devoted to children in wars by artist Chen Zhen. It is an interactive installation that requires visitor participation. All the bullets inside the bells that are hung under the trampoline-like surface express the artist’s sympathy for children in wars. However, it’s a pity that only children can enjoy the direct interaction with this participating work.

Bureau des Mésarchitectures is a French architecture studio. Their participating work “Double Happiness” is a red billboard that has been redesigned into two swings. When riding on the swings, people can enjoy the view of all the exhibits on the Civic Square from different angels.

Alliance Architecture and Intox Design design their participating work “Food Cart Culture: Shenzhen’s Soft Urbanism” based on the food carts in Shenzhen. They’ve made a fully functional tricycle cart to provide visitors an entire shopping experience of food cart culture in Shenzhen.

Participant feld72 has brought three unique “public trailers” for Shenzhen citizens. The three trailers is a variety of bicycle trailers with different functions. They are: “the Public Speaker”, “the Urban Boxing” and “the Lonely Karaoke”. Visitors can experience the functions of these three new trailers respectively to understand the highly performative “Culture of Congestion” that feld72 wants express.

“Red Line Park” by O.P.E.N Architecture is an advanced model of public life for Shenzhen citizens. The cold boundary walls of gated community are adapted into a system of linear parks. In addition to saving land areas, these interesting parks alone are enough for tourists and visitors to spend a whole morning.

“Snow Bull Station” by Rigo23 is not only a sculpture standing in the center of the Civic Center. Smart visitors will find that there is an entrance under its neck. What’s inside the bull’s belly? You have to check it out by yourself.

Does house have to be solid and stable? “Rock & Roll House” by Zhubo Architecture Studio is built to demolish this popular understanding. Visitors can rethink this question when playing and seeking for balance in rock & roll house.

Architects from “Standard Architecture” think that booths and the homeless play very important roles in cities. It’s better to provide them places to stay and shelters from rains than to drive them away. Let’s go to “Eggs of the City” to experience the life of future tramps.

The participating work “A Paper Banquet, or, the Tiger Who Came to Tea” by New Zealand artist Dry Dairy gives people a DIY chance. After visiting the huge exhibition venue, visitors would also find it fun to sit down, browse magazines and bring home several paper cups and bowls.

“Walking on Water” by architect Hideyuki Nakiyama is an extremely simple project. However, when it is difficult to find a small pool in today’s cities, wearing rain boots and treading water happily like children may help you forget your worries for a moment.

6-2 Splendid moments from the opening ceremony

When hosting the opening ceremony for 2009 Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture in Shenzhen Civic Center Square, curator Wei Wei Shannon said, “the baby I am bearing symbolizes the hope of the city of Shenzhen, and also the possibility of a new type of biennale.”

Members from Denmark’s Parkour performing troupe – Team JiYo and Parkour lovers in Shenzhen were presenting astonishing Parkour performances in North-west Square of Civic Square on the opening night.

6-3 Coming and Going

“Totem Pole of Shenzhen” by participant Momoyo Torimistu is still under construction due to the reason of the manufacturing company. It will be displayed in the sub-venue Yitian Holiday Plaza soon.

“Pale Vessel” by participant Polit-Sheer-Form Office has been removed because its special material cannot be preserved in the exhibition venue for a long time. Let’s review its transforming process since the biennale opened.

“With the Wind 2009″ by participant Jiakun Architects has attracted the attention of many tourists during the exhibition. Because the helium gas inside the balloons can no longer sustain, we have to let it “go with the wind”. Take a photo as a beautiful memory.

6-4 Two highlights: “The Bug Dome” and “100 Days of Stories”

“The Bug Dome” by WEAK! Architects are inspired by nature. Its materials and functions are all nature. During the opening week, there were various activities hold in “The Bug Dome”. From artists, architects, musicians and poets to students and visitors, different people got together, read poems, listened to music and talked. There were even raging bonfires in the evening. For people who have lived in cities for a long time, it is rare to appreciate this kind of natural happiness.

“Go West Project” is a team of an architect and a journalist from the Netherlands. Their participating work “100 Days of Stories” invites six taxi drivers from western China going to Shenzhen. In the beginning of the exhibition, these out-of-town taxi drivers are not prim at all. Instead, their passionate way of telling passengers stories has aroused wide attention from many mediums.

6-5 Two micro cities: “Model Cities” and “Demolition Relocation”

“Model Cities” by DRDH

“Demolition Relocation” by Liu Xiaoliang

6-6 An interesting scene from “Agricultural China” Forum

“Agricultural China” is one of the most important forum activities. We will release the shorthand scripts of the forums soon. In the conference, Hsieh Ying-chun mentioned the topic of “culture understanding”. He showed the ways that how Taiwan officials shake hands with the aborigines, which is originated from a kind of aboriginal dance. He pointed out that real communication, understanding and respect can only be achieved through deep understanding of their culture.

The wrong way

The correct way

6-7 Conferences scenes

The large number of conferences during the biennale has attracted numerous audiences, creating a rare hustle and bustle in the Civic Center.

6-8 Future focus: Shenzhen Marathon!

“Interview Marathon” is a public event that combines symposiums, exhibitions and performances together. “Shenzhen Marathon” will be hold in Shenzhen Civic Center. In an exhilarating and cerebral non-stop, eight-hour event at the Shenzhen Civic Centre, Koolhaas – the architect of the new CCTV headquarters in Beijing – and Obrist – co-director of London’s Serpentine Gallery – will be interviewing more than 20 people from multiple disciplines. The broad theme of this urgent dialogue is THE CHINESE THINKING. It aims to bring together various practitioners and creators from a wide range of disciplines including art, architecture, design, and music, to form a collective portrait of current cultural production and contemporary thinking.

6-9 The opening hours of the main exhibition venue is changed

Please note that the opening hours of the Shenzhen Civic Square, main exhibition venue of the SZHKB is changed to:

Exhibition Dates: 6 December, 2009 – 23 January, 2010
Opening Hours:
11:00am－7:00pm (Monday – Friday, Please note: the underground exhibition hall is closed for maintenance on Monday)
10:00am－8:00pm (Friday, Saturday)

We apologize if it causes any inconvenience. Thank you for your understanding.