IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section B

Abstract

Hong Kong’s “Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development,” a newly released government policy, promises to position the city as a global cultural hub through significant investment in cultural infrastructure. Yet, beneath this ambition lies a complex interplay of economic models and architectural expressions that reflect the city’s cultural aspirations and urban challenges. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of cultural buildings in Hong Kong and Melbourne, exploring how financial mechanisms and architectural design shape spaces of cultural production. In Hong Kong, the study examines typologies such as the state-funded M+ Museum, developer-backed projects like Hart Haus, adaptive reuse examples such as PMQ, and JCCAC, a charity trust funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. In Melbourne, the analysis includes the state-funded NGV, developer-driven projects like Collingwood Yards, philanthropic initiatives such as the Lyon Housemuseum Galleries, and community-led adaptive reuse projects like the Abbotsford Convent. These case studies highlight the tensions between architectural ambition, economic backing, and cultural equity. While projects like the M+ and NGV embody state-led cultural diplomacy and international prestige, grassroots spaces in both cities often grapple with financial precarity and limited accessibility. This dynamic reveals a shared challenge: the systemic forces that claim to sustain cultural economies may also undermine their long-term viability. By cataloguing and comparing these architectural and economic systems, this research challenges architects to move beyond the performative, toward practices that negotiate systemic inequities and redefine the future of cultural production. It reframes the narrative of “livable cities,” asking not only who they serve but at what cost they are built. The paper will include fieldwork conducted in 2024 Hong Kong Travelling Studio at RMIT Architecture.