This project brings together materials collected from the Flower Market in Prince Edward as part of the Ecologies of Participation research initiative. EoP explores methods for participatory practice in urban space through field recordings, AI, 3D virtual worldbuilding, and 3D printing in collaboration with a network of artists and scholars.

Exhibitors from CUHK:

Ecologies of Participation (EoP): Founded in 2024 at CUHK, Ecologies of Participation is a transdisciplinary research initiative that explores creative and technological practices in urban space through collaborative art, design, and cultural research.

• Prof. Melody Yiu: a designer and researcher in cultural architecture and planning, whose work investigates spatial and cultural development across Hong Kong and Asia.
• Prof. Ashley Wong: a cultural studies scholar and founder of MetaObjects, with a research focus on art, technology, and cultural economies; her new book is forthcoming from MIT Press.
• Prof. Yim Sui Fong: an artist and educator whose practice spans socially engaged art, sound, and experimental pedagogy, with a strong focus on community and public engagement
  

In modern architecture of Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian regions, perforated blocks, known as breeze blocks, are extensively used as passive design features, which enhances semi-outdoor thermal comfort, visual pleasure, and privacy through visual enclosure. This project investigates the features and usage patterns of breeze blocks in Hong Kong modern architecture. It aims to analyse and assess these features as quantifiable performance metrics for thermal comfort, visual comfort, and privacy. The project seeks to reimagine the design of breeze blocks, inherited from modern architecture, in a performance-oriented manner by integrating contemporary computational technology.

The process involves collecting cases of breeze block designs in Hong Kong and extracting common characteristics such as size, shape, and perforation rate. These characteristics are synthesised into a typical prototype with modifiable parameters controlled by algorithms. A digital automation workflow adjusts these parameters, generating solutions and conducting simulations (radiation, wind flow, visibility) iteratively. Multi-objective optimisation (MOO) sorts solutions for optimal performance, determining the ultimate breeze block design. The optimised breeze block design will be used in designing a breeze block wall installation, composed of block walls, allowing audience to step in and experience the ambience by passive environmental control of optimised breeze block wall design.

Exhibitors from CUHK:

The Craft Design Research Lab/ Prof. Hiroyuki Shinohara, Jiajian Chen (PhD student)

FLUX is a modular, transformable furniture system that invites visitors to actively assemble, reconfigure, and adapt pieces to suit changing needs and contexts in public space. Unlike static urban furniture, each component can be easily repositioned or combined, which allows users of all ages and skills to shape their own sitting environment for comfort, collaboration, and play.

Central to the project is an integrated AI-assisted evaluation system: discreet cameras with pose detection technology collect anonymised data on how people interact, move, and occupy different configurations throughout the exhibition. This real-time analysis highlights popular arrangements, ergonomic outcomes, and emerging behaviours, enabling the design team to adjust the setup in response to public use. By directly linking interaction data to ongoing furniture adaptation, FLUX demonstrates a responsive, participatory approach to urban design, creating a feedback loop that continuously improves both experience and inclusivity.

Exhibitors from CUHK:

Pedram Ghelichi, Jimmy Ho, Sam Kwok (Y4 student), Wayne Choi (Y4 student), Carmen Lau (Y4 student)