(Hong Kong, December 17, 2017) Ten young students who succeeded in discovering the many "smileys" to be found in the city's buildings through using their sharp eyes, exceptional observation powers and imagination, were recognized at a prize presentation ceremony yesterday (December 16). The ceremony was held to announce the results of the innovative "Buildings that Smile" photo competition conducted under the Hang Lung Young Architects Program.
As part of the Program, the "Buildings that Smile" photo competition motivated the students to look beyond the appearance of structures and deploy their imagination to appreciate the hidden surprises that buildings may bring us. Hang Lung invited three judges to form the professional judging panel: art director and freelance photographer Ms. Elaine Li, architect and founder of Studio UNIT Ms. Vivien Liu, and co-founder of Lumenvisum and professional photographer Mr. Dick Chan. From 80 impressive entries, the panel selected 10 winning photographs based on criteria that included thematic relevance, aesthetics, creativity and caption design.
The judges agreed that the students had risen to the task magnificently and had managed the difficult task of thinking out of the box to take photographs that truly reflected the theme. They were also impressed by the students' passion, creativity and energy in capturing buildings from unique angles and obscure perspectives. Please refer to the appendix for the winning entries, which can also be downloaded from the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d90u14tuokwzjzl/AADQPkJ6Nl-AV87_KSLdVQ7ea?dl=0 Aged 16, Kwok Ting Yan from the Po On Commercial Association Wong Siu Ching Secondary School was able to capture her "smiling" building at Luk Yeung Sun Chuen in Tsuen Wan. Her photo with the theme "The Clown in a Housing Estate" was given the highest score. Kwok said, "I have noticed this hidden smile when I passed through Luk Yeung Sun Chuen on the way to school. I have paid special attention to the composition and framing of this photo. To participate in this competition, I have also changed my habit of just looking downwards when walking along streets. Looking up at our surroundings allows me to discover and explore more." Ms. Vivien Liu, one of the three judges, pointed out that this entry was able to reflect the confluence of the old and new, the man-made and natural, while at the same time reflecting the beautiful synergy between "straight and curved lines". The three judges agreed that Kwok's choice of caption was highly creative and matched the photographic image perfectly.
Hang Lung joined hands with the local cultural enterprise "Walk in Hong Kong" to launch the Hang Lung Young Architects Program this year. It is hoped that by participating in this series of interactive lectures, workshops, games, and walking tours, students will be able to develop a better understanding of the connection between architecture and the community, and to gain a deeper insight into Hong Kong’s architecture and its history.
Before the prize presentation ceremony, a lecture and two workshops were also held yesterday. In the lecture the HKIA Young Architect Award 2010 winner, Mr. Tony Ip, spoke on the topic, "Think Out of the Box: How Creative Can Architecture Be?". In the two workshops, students learnt about the various elements that are combined in creating architectural works, the relationship between space and buildings, and the architectural styles of different historical periods. Students also had the opportunity to learn how to be an architect themselves by designing their own living spaces and community facilities.
In the final stage of the Program, over 320 students will be required to work out their own architectural tour and act as docents as they guide the judges through their designed route. Students completing the Program and winning the final competition will be awarded scholarships and the opportunity to participate in an overseas architectural tour to be held in the summer of 2018.
For details of the Hang Lung Young Architects Program, please refer to:
Website:
https://youngarchitects.hanglung.com/Facebook Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/hanglungyoungarchitects/ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/hanglungyoungarchitects/ 
