Tom Verebes, Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong, believes passionately that architectural exhibitions play an important role in forming the public’s perception of the city, and also how the public can play a part in shaping the future of towns of Hong Kong, as well as cities in the Pearl River Delta.

Verebes is the creative director of OCEAN.CN Consultancy Network, an architectural practice, which is currently participating in The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale in Architecture which opened on 4 December, 2009 and runs until 27 February, 2010. This is the largest architectural exhibition in Hong Kong, held every two years.

Located in the West Kowloon Promenade, the exhibition is titled “City Mobilization”, emphasising public participation, as an open collaborative platform that intersects with the local community.

Presenting a range of cross disciplinary approaches from everyday Hong Kong life to innovate a cultural landscape relevant to Hong Kong, as well as to other global cities.

Tom Verebes says, “this mix of local and global culture and participants reflects how the Jewish community of Hong Kong contributes to both local and international culture”.

Canadian-born, yet living in London for twenty years prior to moving his family and practice to Hong Kong in early 2009, he shares this unique mix of cultural, educational and professional background.

In fact, Verebes continues to remark how, “Jews have a long history of making outstanding contributions to urban, commercial and cultural development in Asia, playing a central role in the histories of Shanghai, Mumbai, Calcutta, Baghdad and related to many other cities.

OCEAN.CN’s project, the “Parametric Pearl River Delta”, is located in one of 10 containers placed on the West Kowloon promenade – it explores problems of rapid urbanisation of the Pearl River Delta and acts as an interface for visitors to this exhibition to “design their own city”.

_{(Issue February 2010)}