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𝑬.𝑪𝑶 𝑹𝒐𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂

Human Landscape - Performing Harmony

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Project Overview

The 𝑬.𝑪𝑶 𝑹𝒐𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂 project, organised by the Department of Architecture, HKU and co-presented by 1a space. An array of exciting and valuable public programmes will be launched this summer.

 

The 𝑬.𝑪𝑶 𝑹𝒐𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂 Project is rooted in the advocacy of local rural cultural revitalisation through a ‘humanistic landscape strategy’. Integrating architecture, conservation, and culture with the innovative concept ‘Human Landscape – Performing Harmony’, it explores and presents a sustainable living legacy collaboratively maintained by villagers and citizens. 

 

Driven by a commitment to cultural heritage and continuous growth, the project has selected Yim Tin Tsai Village in Sai Kung. A bamboo rotunda is constructed in the rural as a place to foster a rich humanistic atmosphere through traditional bamboo craftsmanship, music, art, and other forms of expression. 

*This is a membership-only event, anyone who registers successfully will become a member automatically.

Human Landscape

 

‘Human Landscape’ is the idea of integrating the indigenous landscape with local culture, where humans perform activities according to their natural preferences. 

In our modern era, the city has grown to a scale intertwined with many complexities. The initial intention of settlements, where a community of people was willing to stay together for the common good, has become latent, posing significant challenges for our communities. 

The local rural culture relies on the territories of lands or waters that, in return, nurture the community. This cultivates the total environment that demonstrates the inseparable relationships between the community living, further empowering settlers with physical, cultural, and psychological attachments. 

 

Oriented by initiatives to revitalise local rural culture, the ‘human-landscape strategy’ aims to identify the indigenous landscape incorporated with cultural meanings in the architectural form of the E.CO Bamboo Rotunda to explore and showcase how villagers and citizens may join forces to cultivate a sustainable living heritage. 

Bamboo-Place-People Harmony

Bamboo groves can be seen everywhere on Yim Tin Tsai island, which was once cultivated as ‘Fung Shui Wood’ to help protect the villagers in past adverse conditions. Through a long history, the local relationship between 'bamboo’, ‘place’ and ‘people’ has become much closer than what we perceive today.

 

‘Bamboo’, apart from its symbolic meaning of resilience and character among Chinese, is a renewable and natural material applied commonly to realise eco-friendly and sustainable architecture. Local settlers of Yim Tin Tsai village also made these bamboo tools as a tradition to facilitate their agricultural or salt farming activities. Villagers’ idea of relying on renewable resource while protecting environment underpins the sustainable development of the local human landscape.

 

Upon the unique ‘place’ - Yim Tin Tsai natural landscape, we constructed the E.CO Bamboo Rotunda through an integration of the traditional craftsmanship translated by bamboo master in Hong Kong and the contemporary design concept toward collaborative place-making, to create a social-ecological platform for inheriting the craftsmanship together with relevant culture. Initiated from the bamboo construction, E.CO Bamboo Rotunda targets to motivate ‘people’ joining forces on rediscovery and co-management of the Yim Tin Tsai landscape.

With inseparable bamboo-place-people relationship building up newly, we look for local rural culture’s sustainable strategy wherein the human-nature ‘harmony’ could be achieved. We hope the story of E.CO Bamboo Rotunda driving people to reconnect with place and nature would continue to enrich the Yim Tin Tsai culture locally, even if a time comes when the E.CO Bamboo Rotunda is no longer standing onsite.

Organiser: Department of Architecture, HKU
Co-presenter: 1a space
Sponsor: Azalea (1972) Endowment Fund
Supporting Organisation: Yim Tin Tsai Rural Committee, The Salt & Light Preservation Centre

Collaborators: Bamboo Master Chan Yuk Kwong, Bamboo Generations

Honourable consultant: Anna Kwong (Conservation Expert)

Social Media: Instagram, @e.corotunda, Facebook E.CO Rotunda 竹 . 地 . 人 . 和

Event Registration: Eventbrite

Bamboo Rotunda

 

The Bamboo Rotunda has finally been completed after efforts from all sides. We recorded the construction process of the Bamboo Rotunda early on and wanted to share this wonderful moment with you. Once again, we thank Master Chan and his working team, Bamboo Rotunda architect Haynie Sze, as well as the facilitators of ‘Bamboo Generations’ and the workshop participants for their dedicated efforts in completing the Bamboo Rotunda. 

Design Concept (PDF)

Construction Process

 

Island Map

 

The Bamboo Rotunda is located in a coastal area. It only takes about 5 – 10 minutes to travel from Yim Tin Tsai Pier. Participants can refer to the route map to get to the Bamboo Rotunda, explore Yim Tim Tsai's natural landscape, and participate in an array of fruitful events and activities.

 

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Upcoming Art Event(s)

The Philosophy of Harmony between Shakuhachi, Humanity and Nature

𝑬.𝑪𝑶 𝑹𝒐𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂 will collaborate with musician Yukio Chidori to present our eighth art workshop: “The Philosophy of Harmony between Shakuhachi, Humanity and Nature”. Through a shakuhachi workshop, explore the philosophy of harmoniously coexisting with nature in Japanese traditional instruments, learn playing techniques, materials production, and the mindset of performers.

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Workshop Details

Time|18 August 2024 13:30 – 15:30

Location|The Yim Tin Tsai Village, Sai Kung

Language|Cantonese

Total Fees|HKD 200 per person (Round Trip Ferry Ticket to Yim Tin Tsai included)
Duration|2 hours 

 

Musician Information: Yukio Chidori


Yukio Chidori has been studying shakuhachi under the renowned master Teruhisa Fukuda, the founder of the Hijiri School / Sainte-École since 2007.

His repertoire is extensive, covering classical shakuhachi pieces to premiering works by contemporary composers.

He frequently performs in concert halls in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and abroad, including musical events organised by UNESCO. In 2012, he shared the stage with the renowned British composer Karl Jenkins as a soloist.

In 2019, he was awarded the title of Shihan (Master) and the name of “Seimei 聖明” (Wisdom).

He is currently a lecturer of The Chinese University of Hong Kong Music Department and a composer of Universal Music Group.

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If Interested, Register Here

Nature × Medicine × Music × Me

𝑬.𝑪𝑶 𝑹𝒐𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂 will collaborate with doctor Bel and her band Synapse to look through the lens of a COVID-19 frontline doctor through story- telling and songs. Join our workshop to explore the mysteries of mental health and emotional balance through the power of nature and music!

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Workshop Details

Time|24 August 2024 11:30 – 15:30

Location|The Yim Tin Tsai Village, Sai Kung

Language|Cantonese

Total Fees|HKD 200 per person (Round Trip Ferry Ticket to Yim Tin Tsai included)
Duration|4 hours 

 

Artist Information: Bel
Doctor, singer and songwriter


Apart from working full time as a doctor, Bel @bel.hk is an avid singer songwriter. Bel has loved music since a child. She is a classically trained vocalist with an ABRSM diploma in Vocal performance, her repertoire ranges from classical to pop, Broadway, Disney, to jazz.
Her dream is to use her music to connect with people, spreading her joy and faith. Making music is an integral part of balancing her hectic work life. In the busy and high stress environment of a junior doctor in the public system, she uses music as an emotional and creative outlet. Her music also features songs of praise and worship, helping her express and rejoice in her Christian faith.

Band Information: Synapse


“Synapse” is a pop music band of doctors first founded in 2015, and has since evolved to include musicians of all professions. In medical terms, the word “Synapse” means “the structure that passes electrical signal” in the nervous system, and its members use the principle of “music is a universal language” to create musical repertoires for connection. The band has connected with audiences of all sorts, from studio recordings to performing at university events, at an opening ceremony and pop up shows at “K-FARM”, the first urban farm in Hong Kong in Kennedy Town. They hope to connect with you and take you on a journey of medicine and music!

​Conservation Organisation:


“A Rocha” (which means ‘the rock’ in Portuguese) is a global family of conservation organisations with a Christian ethos working together to live out God’s calling to care for creation and equip others to do likewise .

If Interested, Register Here

Past Art Events

 

Workshop: Bamboo Chair - DIY Creativity
 

Unleash your creativity and create your unique bamboo chair with Bamboo Generations in this valuable workshop! Don’t miss this incredible workshop if you are interested in making furniture and crafts!

Workshop Details:

Language|Cantonese

Total Fees|HKD 550 per person (Any Ferry Tickets are not included)

*Register must be aged 16 or above

Option

Date

Time

Location

Option 1 (Morning Class)

4 May 2024

10:00 – 13:00

18 May 2024

10:30 – 14:00

No.4, Nam Pin Wai, Mui Wo

The Yim Tin Tsai Village, Sai Kung

Option 2 (Afternoon Class)

4 May 2024

14:00 – 17:00

18 May 2024

12:30 – 16:00

No.4, Nam Pin Wai, Mui Wo

The Yim Tin Tsai Village, Sai Kung

BONUS of the Workshop:

  1. Participants who join the 2nd session of the workshop can enjoy the Sai Kung Yim Tin Tsai 20-minute tour before the workshop to immerse themselves into the unique ecosystem and Hakka culture in Yim Tin Tsai.

  2. Participants who join BOTH sessions can make an appointment with Bamboo Generations’ facilitator to create their own bamboo chair for FREE in Mui Woo’s studio. Don’t miss the chance to experience the dedicated process of making bamboo chair again!

Workshop Introduction:

Session 1

Session 2

Bamboo Generations' facilitator introduces participants to bamboo-related information and knowledge as well as teaches the basic skills of making bamboo crafts. The participants can also unleash their creativity and design their bamboo chairs and make different components of the chair by themselves.

Bamboo Generations' facilitator assists participants in creating bamboo chair in the E.CO Rotunda by using different tools, such as battery-operated drill, sew and hatchets and different material, such as bamboo strips, Bamboo nails etc.


About Bamboo Generations:
Bamboo Generations feature a wide range of activities for all groups of participants, interact with each other, collaborate across generations, create community and make an impact on the environment. Currently, we provide cross-generation training courses and plan special activities with bamboo works as the theme, including bamboo tree houses, bamboo rafts, bamboo weaving, bamboo lights, bamboo playgrounds, etc.

 

Workshop: Slow-animation with Nature

Have you ever thought about -

The tide rises and falls
Sunlight flowing
White clouds swirling

can be turned into an artwork? Why not capture it through stop-motion animation? This workshop will lead participants to explore the Yim Tin Tsai ecological environment, create unique bamboo phone holders, and record their feelings using drawing or photography in the bamboo rotunda and surrounding natural environment, bringing the experience back home.

With a view to exploring the relationship between “Human” and “Place”, an array of art workshops presented by 𝑬.𝑪𝑶 𝑹𝒐𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂 will be started in June!

We collaborated with artist Reds Cheung to present the " Slow-animation with Nature" workshop. Participants will not only experience repeated animations but also be able to create unique bamboo phone stands!