Exhibited at the
Venice Biennale | Hong Kong Pavilion – “Photovoltaic Hybrids”
In Hong Kong, where only 1.9% of land is cultivable and 95% of food is imported, the city faces significant vulnerabilities to food security, particularly during extreme weather events. Amidst this challenge, innovative forms of architecture emerge: bridging technology and nature; artificial and natural. Tai Po Long Shan Garden and Lau Fau Shan Hydroponic Farm showcase photovoltaic roof structures, merged with cultivation spaces that exemplify bottom-up collective intelligence of local cultivators.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewable Capacity Statistics 2023
Kruitwagen, Lennard, et al. “A Global Inventory of Photovoltaic Solar Energy Generating Units.” Nature, vol. 598, no. 7880, 2021
Drawing inspiration from natural systems, these “Photovoltaic Hybrids” function like trees, providing essential shade and shelter while harvesting solar energy. This concept transforms conventional roofs into Climate-Responsive Architecture that enhance both resilience and sustainability. The hybrid systems go beyond infrastructure, representing a paradigm shift from scarcity to abundance, showing deep interconnections among energy generation, food security, and community participation.
By integrating agricultural productivity with renewable energy infrastructure, these projects illustrate how architectural innovation can simultaneously address multiple urban challenges. This collective and adaptive approach offers a scalable model for land-scarce cities worldwide confronting similar sustainability issues.
By examining historical and prospective changes in land use, resource management, and social dynamics, the project reveals intricate relationships between energy-food co-production and village life. The study explored the synergy of natural, artificial, and collective intelligence in designing adaptive, resilient environments that empower communities to thrive amidst ecological and social complexities.