An upcoming exhibition will bring together two vastly different cities on opposite sides of the same ocean. Organized by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA), Island__Peninsula is a 14-day public exhibition which aims to compare the contrasting urban landscapes of both Los Angeles and its Chinese counterpart while illustrating what they believe to be a unique “Hong Kong style”. 

Sixteen exhibits have bene organized under four themes that encompass the architecture of Hong Kong: glamor, efficiency, orderliness, and constant change. The exhibits will be displayed in the form of “islands”, a concept inspired by a 1975 novel, Island and Peninsula, by Liu Yichang which explores fragments of daily life in the Chinese city composed of 263 islands. 

Accordingly, Island__Peninsula will offer a range of both built and conceptual work at various scales from individual homes, high-density towers, streetscapes, and community facilities. Works on view will include a theater emphasizing the traditional Chinese craft of bamboo scaffolding, speculations on transit-oriented developments, and how a university project adapts to the undulating hillside terrain of the city. 

Under the “Land of Efficiency” theme, one exhibitor opened a dialogue between the two cities through a project called “Case Study Tower”. Employing the symbolism of Art & Architecture’s Case Study Houses, Chiu Ning and Lau Wai Kin multiplied and composed imagery and drawings of the homes to visualize a fictional tower typical of Hong Kong’s residences. 

In concurrence with the exhibition, an interactive installation titled “Skyline Cello” will be on view at Hysan Place in Hong Kong. The artist, Keith Lam, “uses the skyline of Hong Kong and Los Angeles as musical score”, encouraging visitors to create their own “music of the city.” 

Island__Peninsula was co-curated by Chang Hoi Wood and So Kwok Kin and will run from September 19 through October 2 at the Westfield Oasis Space at Westfield Century City, Los Angeles.