Thinker's Lecture

Prof. Hsia Chu Joe, honorable professor from National Taiwan University and Yixing Chair Professor in Nanjing University in China, is cordially invited to become J.C.DISI's third thinker-in-residence. Based on the book he specially authored for 10DAYFEST, he is hosting a public lecture. He will discuss with participants on the urban planning of Shenzhen, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Issues like revitalization of historical buildings, balance between conservation and profit, and development of cultural industry will be covered. He will also share his ideas of how the three cities can complement each other in terms of urban planning.

This event will be conducted in Mandarin, with English simultaneous interpretation. Participants can get a free copy of ‘The Tales of Three Cities’, a book Prof. Hsia specially authored for 10DAYFEST. 

About 'The Tales of Three Cities'

‘A Tales of Three Cities’ is a review and theorisation of the urbanisation of Hong Kong, Taipei and Shenzhen. Through comparison, the three cities become reflexive mirrors that reveal strengths and weaknesses of each other, a device he says ‘reveal oneself from the place where one is absent. Hsia used the definition of city from the book ‘The Castells Reader on Cities and Social Theory’ as a framework to contemplate urbanisation in the three cities – city is a specific form of social organisation and cultural expression rather than just a physical space. Hsia criticised the failure of transplanted modernity in Taipei, warned Shenzhen for uneven rural-urban development and proposed the establishing a new CBD in north-western New Territories to mitigate social challenges facing Hong Kong. Concluding his observations, he suggested democratisation of urban planning as the future of urban planning.

About 10DAYFEST

10DAYFEST features a variety of exhibitions, workshops, movie screenings, salons, seminars, and lectures under the theme of “design and society”. Participants can learn about social innovation and get to co-create and share with both local and international designers, leading entrepreneurs, scholars, researchers, and makers, all striving for new perspectives and positive changes. 10DAYFEST made its debut in 2013 with over 36,000 visitors; its second edition in 2014 has drawn another 58,000 from Hong Kong and rest of Asia. 10DAYFEST 2015 waiting for you to join!