BLA/MLA Options Studio fieldwork report: Patterns and Functions in Landscapes, Hong Kong

From 9-15 February 2025, the Patterns and Functions in Landscapes option studio engaged in fieldwork to Hong Kong led by Yun Hye Hwang and Puay Yok Tan. The full title of the studio is entitled Patterns and Functions in Landscapes: Prototyping neighbourhood landscapes in a densifying Hong Kong. The studio addresses the environmental challenges of greenfield, new town development in northern Hong Kong, near the Shenzhen border. Due to rising housing demands, such vegetated areas are now under increased real-estate development pressure. Students have been tasked to develop urban and landscape design strategies to mitigate the environmental impacts of new town development, and to use diverse approaches, including pattern-based landscape planning.

The Patterns and Functions in Landscapes option studio is a collaboration with the Future Cities Lab (FCL) Global, Comparative Ecology of Cities research team, Tsinghua University’s Architecture department led by Zhang Ye, and Hong Kong University’s (HKU) Urban Planning Department under Huang Jianxiang. Reviewers include researchers from the non-profit Liber Research Community, alongside a resident farmer and filmmaker, who contributed essential local insights. During the fieldwork, students examined the city’s varied landscapes, from mountains to high-density apartment complexes. Their methods involved on-site validation, observations, measurements, interviews, and community engagement. The trip concluded with PechaKucha presentations at HKU, where students shared findings, integrating perspectives from villagers, local researchers, and studio tutors from the three universities.