In conversation with architecture masters

Turning to the Nina Park Pavilion, both architects praised the standard of entries they’d judged. “Although there were a lot of incredibly imaginative and creative ideas, and quite poetic a lot of them, given time I think they all could be built in the end. The ones that we selected was probably closest to being buildable” explained David.

The winning entry, by trio CJS, from the Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, featured a series of organic leaf like shapes, which used a combination of high tech and natural materials. A water catchment mechanism was designed into the structures to further enhance the efficiency of the Park’s water use.

And reflecting finally on the students and their path into architecture, Brian Lee’s advice to them was: “You have to become an intelligent, inquisitive and curious person who understands the entire world. You have to read extensively, watch movies, you have to travel, and understand other cultures. Don’t study architecture as an undergraduate, do something else that makes you smarter and an expert. So that when you do go into architecture, you have a different kind of perspective.”