Urban Interactions
Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (UABB)Shenzhen, China
Open to the public: December 22, 2019-March 2020
The “Eyes of the City” exhibition at the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture of Hong Kong and Shenzhen (UABB), opened on December 21, aims at engaging a global audience in a critical discussion on the impact of new technologies on cities.
Curated by MIT professor Carlo Ratti, by Politecnico di Torino (China Room – DAD) and by South China University of Technology, the exhibition pursues an open-source approach and it has been conceived for full digital fabrication – both locally and through a collaboration with an international network of Fab Labs. UABB’s 8th edition is also the first Biennale to include universities in its curatorial team: this involvement is crucial to assure an open exchange of knowledge at the very base of the curatorial process.
Located in the Futian High Speed Railway Station, the exhibition extends over more than 5,000 square meters, reacting to its transportation-hub location with a unique design inspired by duty-free shopping areas. It features more than 60 research&design projects and papers from all around the world, mostly selected through an Open Call that received more than 280 applications.
Inspired by Jane Jacobs’s ‘eyes on the street’ idea, which put people back at the heart of city-making, “Eyes of the City” reflects on what happens when the urban landscape acquires the ability to observe us. Eight sections investigate the role that technology plays in our everyday urban life, improving people’s well-being, but potentially opening dystopian scenarios as well.
As tribute to Shenzhen’s role as “factory of the world”, all installations were produced locally and assembled on-site: blueprints are available online, in an open source platform. The main themes explored have also inspired a series of talks and panels that will bring more than 80 international and local speakers to Shenzhen.
