Curated by architecture and urban planning scholar Andong Lu, young architect Zigeng Wang and design curator Aric Chen, the 9th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Shenzhen) continues the principle of "the city is the exhibition site, the exhibition is the practice" as the primary exhibition of UABB came to Luohu district for the first time. It was located in GDH City · Jinpi Fang (Kingway Brewery Industrial Heritage) and the exhibition opened in December 2022 and ran until March 2023, with over two hundred events held during the three-month exhibition period.
The Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture (UABB) has always been a testing ground for exploring new ideas in urban development. Reflecting on the backdrop of the global climate crisis and the ecological shift in the urban development model, the theme of this year's Biennale is "Urban Cosmologies". It responds to the important role of urban and architectural design during systemic change, reflecting on the relationship between humans and nature, and presenting complete urban cosmologies. According to the curators, the concept of "Urban Cosmologies" encompasses both the spatial symbiosis and temporal rhythm of life. It is both a future-oriented cosmology and a concept rooted in the traditional wisdom of Chinese civilization. Shenzhen should strive to become a city driven by cosmological concepts and values, and this Biennale is the most appropriate time and place to showcase this vision of the city.
This year, the UABB invites 318 exhibitors from 15 countries to participate and present 208 works. From the macroscopic, close relationship between life and environment, diverse ecological epistemology, cross-disciplinary dialogues and experiments, to the continuous innovations and actions of urban and architectural practitioners under the concept of environmental protection, the exhibit focuses on global issues such as urban climate and ecological changes, as well as everyday phenomena like our daily lifestyles, and the niche topic of urban animals. Together, we will discuss the new prospects of future cities.
The main venue of this year's UABB consists of five main sections, "Urgent Question", " More-than-Human Adventure", "Cosmologic Dialogue", " Co-living Lab" and "Common Action", as well as one “Special section”. The exhibition also features three special pavilions, "UABB Pavilion ", "Hong Kong Pavilion" and "Luohu Pavilion", as well as the permanent exhibition "Making On-Site". These exhibitions focus on the green and sustainable development of contemporary cities from three aspects: awareness, method, and action, with emphasis on urban response strategies in the context of global climate change and exploring the harmonious coexistence between human and nature. In addition, this year's UABB also set up six sub-venues, located in Qianhai Cooperation Zone, Nantou City of Nanshan District, International Low Carbon-City in Longgang District, Dailang Fashion Town in Longhua District, Dawanshiju in Pingshan District, and Shenzhen Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, forming a multi-district linkage with the main exhibition site to create an urban art atmosphere collectively.
As a prelude to the main section, "Urgent Question" raises questions about the future, awakening humanity to explore the unknown and consider how we should live in harmony with the planet we live on. "More-than-Human Adventure" reflects on anthropocentrism through the works of architects and designers, and explores the urban environment as a microcosm of the non-human ecosystem. "Cosmologic Dialogue" introduces five segments, including "Virtual & Reality", "Have we met?", "Alternative Planet'', "Cosmic Cities", and "do it- co-habitats”, aiming to establish connections between different perspectives and jointly seek new opportunities with a non-linear approach. "Co-Living Lab" focuses on cosmological thinking in the field of urbanism and architecture to identify prototypical future genes, thus establishing new connections between various experimental explorations. "Common Action" focuses three active keywords: "youth", "local" and "imagination", presenting six sub-exhibitions titled: " Biennale of Youth", " Virtual Biennale", "Designing Urban Imaginaries", " Nearby Innovation", "Density · Vitality · Health", and "GBA Links" .
The special sections consist of six parts: "Sound of the Cosmo", "Cosmo Library", "Cosmo Suit", "Circular Creation", "Shelter for Urban Animals" and "Art Museums Partnership", all of which further convey the concepts of "dual carbon" and sustainable lifestyle through sound, books, clothing and other carriers that bring the public together in a welcoming way. Among them, " Circular Creation" explores a new way of low-carbon and environmental protection by collaborating with consumer brands to reinvent with recycled materials. "Circular Creation" works with architects and artists to create a sustainable future, reflecting the diverse power of action throughout the city. The exhibition "Shelter for Urban Animals" invites 31 architects and designers to create homes for animals in the city, and also includes a "Pet Day" to encourage Shenzhen residents to bring their pets to the exhibition grounds. Through the voices of multiple fields, the exhibition serves as an intervention for social action.
The Biennale seeks to address how we can go beyond the topic of sustainability and regenerate and heal the earth by reflecting on the anthropocentric view of the universe. It presents urban networks and processes composed of humans, non-humans, and superhumans in the city from a more-than-human perspective, thus reconceptualizing our city. The Biennale also hopes to encourage interdisciplinary exchange, inducing architecture and urban disciplines to explore more diverse possibilities beyond their inherent boundaries. Exhibitors come not only from architecture, art, design, and research backgrounds but also from diverse fields such as video games and audio design. The exhibition incorporates the concept of sustainability into the whole cycle of the exhibition and follows the principles of sustainability in its use of materials, technology, presentation, and post-exhibition treatment, such as modular design, local recycling of environmental protection materials, and reusable assemblies. The main exhibition venue of this year's UABB is the first example of a composite industrial zone renewal project in Shenzhen that integrates demolition and reconstruction with a comprehensive improvement mode in the preservation of industrial heritage. It has become a new stage for cultural development together with this year's UABB event.
The opening ceremony was held in the afternoon of December 10 at GDH City · Jinpi Fang in Luohu District, Shenzhen, with speeches by Hong Kong Chief Executive Li Ka-chiu and Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong. The opening week's gala performance, "Living Together", was staged in the main exhibition venue. It introduces the relationship between each exhibition area and the site by integrating the viewing experience with the interaction of dancers and exhibits, presenting a method of interaction between people and other living beings. The "Living Together" exhibit showcases the city's inclusive value of bringing together diverse forces and expresses the symbiotic friendship between Shenzhen and Hong Kong accumulated during the nine editions of the UABB, bringing the opening week to a climax.
During the opening week, a series of exciting activities were presented one after another, including three "Keynote Forums," five "Panel Forums," and other academic activities, as well as interactive activities represented by light and shadow performances, nature exploration, book-making workshops, pet-friendly days, urban reading tours, and open-air screenings. During the three-month exhibition period, more than 200 events will take place in the main exhibition venue of the Biennale. With an open and diversified perspective, this year's Biennale closely focuses on environmental and sustainable issues and takes Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao's Greater Bay Area as the core of research. The biennial also serves as a link between Shenzhen and Hong Kong and encourages interdisciplinary dialogue, hoping to inspire people to pay attention to the city and the environment and to reflect on reality and imagine the future.
9th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture (Shenzhen)
- Theme: Urban Cosmologies
- Venue: GDH City · Jinpi Fang (Kingway Brewery Industrial Heritage), Shenzhen
- Venue address: No. 9 Dongchang Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen
- Exhibition Period: From 10 December 2022 to March 2023
- Sub-Venue: Qianhai Cooperation Zone \ Nantou City of Nanshan District \ International Low-Carbon City of Longgang District \ Dalang Fashion Town of Longhua District \ Dawanshiju of Pingshan District \ Shenzhen Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone
- Organizer: Shenzhen Municipal People's Government
- Co-organizer: Shenzhen Planning and Natural Resources Bureau, Shenzhen Luohu District People's Government
- Execution Unit: Guangdong Yuehai Land Holdings Limited
- Supporting Unit: Shenzhen Biennale Public Art Foundation, Urban Planning & Design Institute of Shenzhen (UPDIS)
- Special Fund Support: Shenzhen Culture and Creative Industry Development Fund
- Chief Curators: Andong Lu, Zigeng Wang, Aric Chen
