What is the Architect's Role in Rebuilding After Disaster?

The Fall 2020 Lecture Series on the theme of 'Responsibility' is hosting Jiakun Liu in conversation with Doreen Heng Liu, Monday November 2nd at 7:30pm, on the topic of the architects role in rebuilding after disaster. You may join the event here.

Jiakun Architects was founded by Liu Jiakun in 1999. Since then, Jiakun Architects has continuously organized and also participated in various international collaborations and exhibitions. As a multidisciplinary office, Jiakun Architects has been working with clients from different countries. It is not only specialized in architectural design, but also large-scale planning, urban design, landscape design, interior design, product design and installation art. With a focus on social reality, Jiakun Architects always insists that architecture, which is in respect of tradition and vernacular, is in symbiosis with nature. 

With a focus on social reality and a respect for local context and vernacular craftsmanship, Liu Jiakun aims to solve contemporary architectural issues with a sense of realism - an approach inspired by folk wisdom - for each project. His vision remains open to China's multi-traditions. Having the faith in the compatibility of tradition and modernity, Liu Jiakun devotes himself to translating traditional Chinese cultural ethos into contemporary architectural language, which represents a fine quality of intertexture between individual and collective memories. His exploration of a suitable technical approach in architecture is purely a logical continuation of his professional work on how to serve the people in need. Many of these projects throw light on the reciprocal relation between Chinese people's public life and urban cultural space.

Liu Jiakun's projects had been exhibited at many international exhibitions, such as the 15th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia ,and the 56th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. Meanwhile, Liu Jiakun designed first international Pavilion of Serpentine Galleries (London)' acclaimed Pavilion Commission program 2018 in Beijing. He has been longlisted on many domestic and international architectural awards - the Honor Prize of the 7th ARCASIA, Chinese Architecture & Art Prize 2003, Far East Award in Architecture and Architectural Design Award from Architectural Society of China, WAN Civic Award 2017: Best in Asia / PAC etc. He has been invited to lecture at Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, MIT, Royal Academy of Arts, Palais de Chaillot in Paris and many top universities in China.

Doreen Heng Liu is a Chinese architect born in Guangzhou. She received her M.ARCH from UC Berkeley in 1994 and Doctor of Design at Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2008. In 2008-2020, Doreen taught at the School of Architecture, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) as Adjunct Associate Professor. In academic year 2015-16, Doreen was appointed as Guest Professor at D-ARCH, ETH in 2015-16, and as Friedman Visiting Professor of Practice at University of California – Berkeley in fall 2019; Starting in Fall 2020, Doreen is appointed as Distinguished Professor in Architecture at Shenzhen University.

In 2004, Doreen established her own design practice NODE in Nansha and Hong Kong, and relocated in Shenzhen since 2009. Her design works have been awarded and published in many international and domestic professional magazines including Architectural Record, Domus, Volume, Abitare and etc.; and exhibited in various architectural and art exhibitions internationally including Venice, Berlin, Rotterdam, Vienna, etc. In 2012, Doreen with her firm NODE was shortlisted as one of five international emerging architects for Audi Urban Future Initiative (AUFI) awards;in 2014, Doreen was nominated as Curator for Hong Kong Pavilion for the 14th International Architecture Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia. In 2015, the Entrance Building of ShekouFufa Glass Factory renovation won Excellent Award for Creative Design Award in China; In 2016, the built project of ShekouDachan Flour Mill Renovation was shortlisted for International Archmarathon Awards and WA City Regeneration Award; in 2018, the Renovation of Dameisha Village, Yantian, Shenzhen (2017 UABB) was shortlisted for WA Social Equality Award and Nominating Award for Architectural Design Category of Shenzhen Global Design Award 2019.