Department of Architecture
Research Project -"Live over the Store"

Research Collaboration with University of Oregon, USA

Mr. Patrick Luk (HKIA), faculty member of the Department of Architecture and Research & Development Unit of Faculty of Science & Engineering, was invited by Professor Howard Davis of University of Oregon School of Architecture to participate in a research project known as "Live over the Store" - a research of architecture with integrated mixed functions that will lead to a book of the same title.

The one-week research field work was carried out in Guangzhou in September 2005 where a bunch of shophouses were built before the WWII. It included in-depth study of the shophouse typology and urban morphology of Guangzhou in particular in the period of 1920s to 30s when the development of shophouses was at its highest peak.

After the research field work in Guangzhou, Professor Howard Davis and Mr Matthew Brown visited Chu Hai on 12 September 2005. After an extensive brain-storming session, a number of interesting ideas have been formed. This marked the start of a formal research collaboration established between Chu Hai and University of Oregon in which more research plans have been mapped between the schools for further collaboration.