Where Ideas Root and Flourish
Hong Kong’s dazzling, densely-populated cityscape is a perfect manifestation of the city’s complicated land problems. In this seemingly claustrophobic setting, some lament its constraints while others see opportunities beyond the blocks. In this Cubic Zine issue, Thomas Chung, Associate Professor of the School of Architecture, CUHK shares with us the infinity of possibilities with space, as well as the transfer of knowledge into abandoned rural villages. Hear his story of enlivening the once derelict village of Mui Tsz Lam through co-creating an architectural experiment with over a hundred CUHKers, villagers and volunteers.
In this issue: #Architecture #LivingSpace #ExperientialLearning #CrossInterdisciplinary #VillageRevitalisation #MuiTszLam #CountrysideConservation #HongKongCulture
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Scholarly Outreach → GLOCAL
Co-creating authenticity — connecting architecture and rural villages: Thomas Chung’s down-to-earth architectural experiment
The recent box-office success “Far Far Away” features several “secret gardens” in remote corners of Hong Kong, including the village of Mui Tsz Lam in Sha Tau Kok. The sequestered village oxymoronically beckons a jolly band of helpers to restore the dilapidated houses unflaggingly all the way.
The School of Architecture, CUHK is only a stone’s throw away from the University MTR Station. What makes a professor here leave his comfy, air-conditioned office, and commute over 3 hours by boat and on foot to launch his “architectural experiment” at Mui Tsz Lam? Why do CUHK students and volunteers alike join Prof Thomas Chung’s project avidly, rain or shine, to get their hands on all arduous tasks?
“We do much more than furnishing the place.” Prof Chung hopes to steer countryside conservation through architecture, and shape spaces by promoting community participation. Even without an architectural background, everyone can take part in designing, brainstorming, and exploring countryside living and vernacular culture.
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→ BUSINESS 2.0
eHealth
While COVID-19 disrupts healthcare systems worldwide, there has been considerable growth in smart healthcare. The mobile app “HA Go” launched by Hospital Authority in Hong Kong allows patients to attend clinic appointments at home remotely, and medications dispatched to the home address of the patients to lower risks of infections in the local community.
CUHK Medical Centre, Hong Kong’s first smart hospital, has been using fully electronic, paperless medical records system, mobile information technology, real‑time data, and internet‑of‑things (IoT) applications to facilitate quality treatment since its opening in 2021.
Taiwan’s industrial PC giant Advantech has just announced this month the launch of iWard, the world’s first smart hospital ward solution on Microsoft Azure, seizing business opportunities in the much-coveted cloud-based smart healthcare market. In addition to safe patient data management, the solution integrates applications such as real-time positioning, smart medicine storage, smart drip control and so on to enhance bedside communication.
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→ GREEN innovation
Hydrogen energy industry development
“Green hydrogen” is deemed the rising star of the energy industry. Yet according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), grey hydrogen still dominates the global hydrogen production with a whooping 95%, outstripping green hydrogen’s 5%. Many MNCs are jumping on the carbon-neutral bandwagon to invest in R&D of hydrogen production. Following plans to build the world’s first automated driving city, Woven City, Toyota Motor Corporation and its subsidiary, Woven Planet, have developed a working prototype of its portable hydrogen cartridge boasting innovative design and specifications.
Resembling a barbecue gas bottle, the hydrogen cartridge can be used in electric vehicles and drones, as well as off-grid architecture to power houses. It is portable, easily replaceable, and can be recharged quickly. Toyota hopes that this new technology can be manufactured with minimal carbon footprint and be adopted widely.
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Cubic Zine Book Publication: Stay tuned for October!
Since 2019, the Cubic Zine team has led readers to understand social innovation through interviews with CUHK scholars, and to understand the different stories of scholars. We are really grateful for your continuous support!
CUHK ORKTS has decided to include Cubic Zine articles to encourage more people inside and outside the university to enter the community, turn research into action, and make contributions to society. The new book will be published in October, welcome to order at that time!
Call for Entry! CUHK PI Centre 18th Round PILOTS Lite Programme (Fall 2022) X HKSTP Co-Ideation Programme
Want to be your own boss and achieve your innovative ideas? Aspiring entrepreneurs, don’t miss out! PI Centre is now open for application! PI Centre offers entrepreneur consultancy, training workshop, co-working space and startup seed funding up to HK$ 130,000* which is offered by CUHK PI Centre & HKSTP Co-Ideation programme to support the first step on your entrepreneurial journey!
*The shortlisted teams of the Co-Ideation Programme may receive up to HK$ 130,000 start-up seed funding upon the completion of the assessment of each phase (Subject to conditions).
Want to make your business idea a reality? Learn more about us now!
Application link
Application Deadline: 16 Sep 2022, 23:59 (Fri)
【Online Team Formation】
Looking for co-founders or business partners? Check out our platform for more information.
Details: https://www.picentre.cuhk.edu.hk/onlinematching_fall2022
For enquiry, please contact Miss Peggie HO at peggieho@cuhk.edu.hk / 3943 0431.
The Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge (HKSEC) 2022-23
Enrolment deadline: 20 Oct 2022 (Thurs)
The Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge (HKSEC) is a social venture startup competition that aims to accelerate the growth of youth-led SEs. The competition is approaching its 16th year. Details and key dates of new round of the competition have now been announced. The theme this year is closely related to the hot topic in society – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
If you and your team members are students of tertiary institutions or Hong Kong permanent residents aged from 18 to 35 (inclusive) (eligibility), who have social venture concepts in mind and want to put them into practice, interested in participating in a series of entrepreneurship workshops and to exchange ideas with seasoned business professionals, then you shouldn’t miss the chance to initiate your social venture journey with HKSEC!
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Be → ENGAGING
the 8th CUHK Entrepreneur Day
Organised by CUHK Alumni Torch Fund, the 8th CUHK Entrepreneur Day will be held at Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA) on 23-24 Sep 2022. The exciting event features online exhibitions, in-situ entrepreneurship exhibitions, interactive gallery on entrepreneurship projects, various keynote talks and themed lectures, finals of the CUHK Entrepreneurship Competition, entrepreneurship master classes, as well as mingling opportunities for entrepreneurial teams and investors and many more. Students, teaching staff, alumni and members of the public are welcome.
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