President’s Message

會長語

On behalf of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA), I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Editorial Board and the Publication Committee, Board of Internal Affairs, for their vision and diligence in working on this issue of the HKIA Journal.

Defying the COVID-19 outbreak, our editors, writers and contributors have collaborated to make sure we successfully released this issue in 2020. Indeed, they even managed to find a silver lining in the prevailing global pandemic by making this issue a platform for the architectural profession and the public to explore architects’ multiple interests in public hygiene and control.

By designing healthy, liveable buildings and urban spaces, architects have played a crucial role in laying the foundations of healthy cities. In this issue, our contributors put forward the great variety of architectures and city planning that have helped Hong Kong cope with the multi-faceted and ever-changing health-care needs of our community – ranging from the days of Hong Kong Fever and bubonic plague in the 19th century to the quarantine demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined the means needed to assess and provide what is needed to establish sustainable, healthy built environments and the demarcation and uses of public and private spaces for control of all manner of human activities beyond disease.

In this issue, we also pay tribute to Professor Tunney Lee, one of the founders of CUHK’s architectural programme and an Honorary Fellow of the HKIA, who sadly left us earlier this year. His vision and devotion in nurturing many generations of architectural talent around the globe have helped make this world a better and more enjoyable place.

The HKIA recently partnered with other professional institutes to conduct a series of webinars titled ‘Healthy Building Healthy City’ that was well received by both the professions and the public. With the physical, mental and social well-being of the community and of the future generations in our hearts, the HKIA will continue its efforts to promote architectural excellence and fostering inclusive and sustainable healthy buildings and healthy cities.

Felix Li 李國興
FHKIA, Registered Architect, APEC Architect
President