Finnish architecture for China!

The largest architectural event in China, ‘Shenzhen & Hong Kong Biennale for Urbanism and Architecture’ is now being organised for the 7th time.
The event hosted by the cities of Shenzhen and Hong Kong will highlight the current phenomenon across increasingly urbanised China, and bring together the major players in the field of architecture from developers to architects and design media, both in China and the Western world.

This Biennale, taking place between December 2011 and February 2012, will examine the different aspects of urbanisation. The event will include case studies of cities less than 60 years of age, an exhibition on the development of public transport in urban areas and on the current construction projects in Shenzen.

This is the first time that Finland will be participating in the Biennale. Museum of Finnish Architecture, Design Forum Finland and the ‘Newly Drawn – Emerging Finnish Architects’ project introducing up-and-coming Finnish architectural firms will produce two exhibitions and one event for the Biennale.

‘Newly Drawn – Emerging Finnish Architects’ is a joint venture of nine Finnish architectural firms. The Newly Drawn project will produce a series of exhibitions for the Biennale of Shenzen introducing the younger generation Finnish architecture and various players in the field of architecture. The exhibition will be used to bring attention to WDC Helsinki 2012 and related themes, how to improve life through architecture while following the principles of sustainable development.
As part of the Biennale, there will be an installation relating to Solution 239-246 Finland: The Welfare Game, a book edited by Finnish architects, to be published in 2011 by the Sternberg Press publishing house in Berlin.

One of the most surprising of Finnish cultural export products is electronic music born out of architecture. As far as is known, “Architects in the House”,  an event to be organised in Shenzen, is the first club and networking event dedicated to this phenomenon. The musicians and architects Martti Kalliala and Tuomas Toivonen will build the event around a joint performance boosted by themed visuals.

In addition, Design Forum Finland will organise an architectural export journey for Finnish architects in association with the Biennale where Finnish architects will visit local offices and developers.

The aim of the Finnish project is to boost business opportunities and to give Finnish architectural firms wider renown internationally as well as to increase visibility of Finnish architecture in China and enable networking of Finnish architects, not only with the Chinese but also Finnish and other western players within the Chinese markets.

The curator of the Shenzhen & Hong Kong Biennale for Urbanism and Architecture will be the American architect Terence Riley. Among other things, Riley has acted as the curator of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and Biennale of Venice.

Finland’s participation is part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme.