Architecture Lecture Series: Weijen Wang

Courtyardism investigates a design approach addressing courtyard typology and its relationship with landscape and the social fabric, particularly how such typologies can be reinvented and adapted into the contemporary high-density urban context. By transforming traditional courtyard typology into tall building complexes with multiple levels of patio spaces, Wang’s architecture creates new spatial forms that moderate an intermediate scale incorporating nature in the large-building complex, creating a microclimate of thermal comfort. Courtyardism also opens up strategies for negotiating the urban-rural conditions in South China, which is facing challenges of conservation, revitalization, and sustainability.

Wang Weijen is Design Director of Wang Weijen Architecture, Andrew KF Lee Professor at Faculty of Architecture, the University of Hong Kong, and 2023 Friedman Visiting Professor of Practice at Berkeley Architecture. Addressing design through integrating courtyard typology with nature, landscape and community, Wang’s projects, including recent works The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Campus, Valley Retreat, and Shixia Primary School, received awards from HKIA, AIA, Japan Good Design Award, Far Eastern Architectural Award, Green Building Award, WA Architectural Award, and China Architectural Media Award. With MS and BS degrees from National Taiwan University and MArch from UC Berkeley, Wang was an Associate at TAC San Francisco before he joined the University of Hong Kong. He was Head of Department of Architecture at HKU, Curator of 2007 Hong Kong Biennale of Architecture/Urbanism and 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale for HK Pavilion. With research focusing on typology and transformation of Chinese Architecture and Cities, his works and articles have been published in the monograph issues of various journals and in books such as Refabricating City and Regenerating Patio.