Press
“Via North Point”- “Be An Imagineer” Presented by Hong Kong Arts Centre A Transformational Journey through North Point: Imagining Urban Spaces Anew – Place-making Happenings, Laboratory, Exhibitions & More
Organized by Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) and funded by Urban Renewal Fund, Via North Point brings together local residents in the neighbourhood, artists, designers, architects and experts from other disciplines to re-imagine possibilities of urban spaces through participatory workshops, guided tours, public art transformation and more. Via North Point aims to empower the community to envision a better future use of public space, bringing positive changes to the neighbourhood with sustainability in mind.
Over the course of next year, Via North Point will present numerous activities. Highlight being “Urban Design Lab”- a collaboration with “HAP SAP” engaging local residents and shapes an inclusive community through a series of community research and workshops for an in-depth study of urban space, results of which will be displayed online on 26th September 2020, while 「Your SAY!」Community Relations Survey, a collaboration with Neighbourhood Innovation Lab, is conducted to gather thoughts of community stakeholders about North Point. Through diversified place-making activities, the project hopes to encourage the public to rethink about the use of urban space in North Point while rediscovering forgotten treasures of North Point.
Call to Imagine – Celebrating Acts of Imagination in Via North Point Finale
HKAC takes the lead to step out of the studio and translates imagination with the blue-print set by the community into prototypes. Public art transformation promotes discussion and interaction on recasting the possibilities of North Point, allowing urban and local aesthetics to take root in the community; cultivating a sense of belongings among residents. Via North Point Carnival will be held on a seasonal basis through a series of community activities and art performances, with increased participation of workshops and engagement of the project. In late 2020, HKAC will call for prototypes that consider the needs of North Point residents. Artists or anyone who is keen on community design are welcome to join this community experimental transformation. Infusing crucial sources of inspirations from Urban Design Lab and 「Your SAY!」 Community Relations Survey, participants can express thoughts on urban design through their prototype submission. The chosen prototypes will be showcased in Via North Point Finale held in September 2021. The Finale will also demonstrate artwork and findings of Via North Point throughout the year. Details of the open call for prototype will be announced on the website, Facebook and Instagram of Via North Point. Be sure to stay tuned!
Programme Highlight ─ Urban Design Lab Online Exhibition
Look out for hidden uses of urban spaces! A team of 40 participants have gone through a 4-month design workshop - Urban Design Lab. Taking Chun Yeung Street, North Point as a blue-print, the programme works out design solutions for the community. To break through geographical limitations, Urban Design Lab Online Exhibition will present the concept of “City as a living room”. Four perspectives of “PLAY”, “REST”, “WORK” and “WONDER” deliberated by the team will arouse re-imagination on the values and design principles of public space in North Point. Discussion and involvement of the public is essential to the exhibition. Everyone can share their thoughts and ideas on the online platform, integrating the nourishment of urban design for making public space more diversified. More details will be announced on Facebook and Instagram of Via North Point.
|
“Urban Design Lab” Online Exhibition Period : Sep 26, 2020 – Sep 2021 Online Exhibition : https://www.via-northpoint.hk/ |
In addition, HKAC has invited a group of local artists to create artwork installations in unexpected spaces. The programme promotes community integration by creating an interactive platform for residents inside and outside the district. Not only have the artists created groundbreaking installations for small shops, but they have also spread them to every corner of the community, integrating art into everyone’s daily life.
As a user of public spaces, have you ever imagined that you are capable to create new definition and inject vitality into the community?
Activities of “Via North Point”
|
Urban Design Lab |
|
HKAC collaborated with HAP SAP since June 2020. Through a series of Urban Design Lab workshops about creative thinking and urban space. Urban Design Lab gathers urban design students, professionals, and kaifong (local residents) to wander around the hidden corners in North Point, revealing neighborhood identities, (re)discovering urban living spaces, and exploring the different possibilities of living. The research outcomes will become place-making concepts and principles for a call for schematic design models that put the ideas to test. The works of Urban Design Lab will be showcased in North Point to generate public discussions and realise the vision of “City as living room”.
|
|
「Your SAY!」Community Relations Survey |
|
From June to October 2020, HKAC commissiones Neighbourhood Innovation Lab and set up an online questionnaire and mobile art cart to survey how North Point residents consider and perceive the local community. Kevin Cheung, an upcycling product designer created a uniquemobile art cart made out of recycled umbrella fabric collected from kaifong to boost public interaction with art. For details of the next station of 「Your SAY!」, please refer to Facebook and Instagram of Via North Point. Online Questionnaire by Via North Point × Neighbourhood Innovation Lab: |
|
Via North Point Carnival |
|
Via North Point Carnival will be held on a seasonal basis through a series of community activities and art performances. Date, Time & Venue: To be announced |
|
Community Wanderer – Guided Tour Design and Training Workshop |
|
From June to September this year, the guided tour design and training workshops co-organised by HKAC and Kaifong Tour invites kaifong and people from different districts to form a team of guide and receive training. Based on the themes of “City and Architecture”, “Art and Culture”, and “Community Treasures”, the programme strives to devise local cultural tour routes and explore the possibilities in living spaces during Via North Point Carnival.
*Quota of guide is full. Please visit Facebook and Instagram of Via North Point for event highlights. |
|
Via North Point Video Series “Via Hidden Gems” |
|
HKAC proudly presents “Via Hidden Gems”, a video series of six episodes joining hands with experts from different sectors to take a closer look at the culture of North Point through various angles. Since May this year, each episode is released monthly on Facebook Instagram and YouTube channel of Via North Point. Episode Archive: EP2 Reimagine North Point Pier https://youtu.be/vH2uNaPHHnc |
|
Via Community Zine |
|
Published by HKAC quarterly, Via Community Zine features stories of neighborhood and happenings in North Point to show its uniqueness. In its first issue, “Chun Yeung Street”, the Zine adopted the “Dialogue between Two Generations” as the theme to reveal the thoughts of two-generation owners of several small shops in the neighborhood and the transformation of the shopping mall over the era, providing readers with new perspective of North Point. Physical copies of the Zine are complemented with Facebook live online sharing sessions, gathering expert speakers to share their insights on North Point. (Link to the Zine Talkon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=631894731092212) Release Month: Jul & Oct 2020, Jan & Apr 2021 Distribution Location: Various organizations and stores in North Point (to be announced) Online version: https://bit.ly/335DUnV
|
|
Community Recipe |
|
Follow George Tang, Founder of George Kitchen to visit various restaurants and ingredients stores in North Point. With the authentic ingredients sourced and guidance from the culinary experts, George combines traditional ingredients with modern cooking methods to create innovative cuisines with North Point flavor that connects individuals, and publish them into “Community Zine”. The recipes and stories of the shops will be published on Facebook, Instagram and website of Via North Point. Release Month: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct & Nov 2020 |
*Programmes and events are subject to change without prior notice.
Arrangements are subject to the latest announcement by HKAC. For more details, please visit:
Website : www.via-northpoint.hk
Facebook : 路過北角Via North Point
Instagram : @vianorthpoint
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz20dDmB8In4IfQ1vu3Z5vw
About Hong Kong Arts Centre
HKAC is a multi-arts centre that fosters artistic exchanges locally and internationally, bringing the most forward creations to Hong Kong and showcasing homegrown talents abroad. HKAC stimulates innovation and promotes creativity. Being Hong Kong’s only independent non-profit multi-arts institution, HKAC offers exhibitions, screenings and performances, connecting the arts of Hong Kong to the rest of the world through programmes and collaborations.
About Urban Renewal Fund
As part of the new Urban Renewal Strategy promulgated in February 2011, one of the main objects of the Urban Renewal Trust Fund is to support heritage preservation and district revitalisation initiatives in the urban renewal context. As the trustee of the Trust Fund, the Urban Renewal Fund (URF) operates the Urban Renewal Heritage Preservation and District Revitalisation Funding Scheme to provide financial support to urban renewal preservation and revitalisation projects proposed by the community.
-The End-
For media enquiries, please contact RSVP Communications Ltd.
Ms. Kitty Chung : +852 2341 6882 / +852 5113 7915 / kitty@rsvp.com.hk
Ms. Yoyo Tsang : +852 2341 6978 / +852 6192 1331 / yoyo@rsvp.com.hk
