Nowadays, it seems as if no occupations could escape the fate of being replaced. Nonetheless, the art of“Sugar Blowing”, a traditional folk handicraft that lasted over 600 springs and autumns, would not be something a rookie or a simple machine could easily nail. As one of the faces of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage,“Sugar Blowing”is on its last legs amongst other handicrafts. However, a“Sugarman”from Cheung Chau self-educated himself to tell the legend as a“candy magician”. For this issue of Transparence, we interviewed“Sugarman”Louis To, documenting his journey from zero to hero, becoming a different style of contemporary artist, and recording his story of pursuing his ambitions in“Sugar Blowing”.
The dream started brewing 30 years ago, but it wasn’t until 15 years after that he began self-learning“sugar blowing”. It all originated from the little street stalls in his childhood, having an affinity with the culture. Louis recalled that he had no knowledge at the beginning, so he turned to his predecessors on the streets to learn about the raw materials. “Hmm… unwilling to say huh? Fine, I guess that means everything works!”Although his enthusiasm resulted in rejection, it didn’t beat him down, instead he tried through all types of sugar that existed within 6 months and came to the realisation that most types of sugar could be used for sugar blowing. He even jokingly claims,“I’m very grateful for his silence as an answer! If it weren’t for that, I would’ve completely gone down the same route as him. Nothing would be exciting in that!”Since then, the path to his success opened up.
When asked about an animal he typically likes making the most, Louis expressed his passion for testing the unknowns. “My favourites must include the ones that I have no idea how to create! That’s the fun that I find in sugar blowing!” He points out that every animal has unique characteristics, and those that look the easiest for production are often the most deceiving. For instance, if he’s going for a snake, he would have to flawlessly nail the whole framework of the snake. In contrast, a dragon that looks more complicated in anatomy would actually be simpler as no one would notice if it’s missing one or two hands.
On the topic of the supporters along his journey, Louis mentioned that everyone could be his mentor no matter their age. Children’s creativity could give him fresh inspiration, but the most memorable experience was an encounter with a diabetic elder. Louis recalled that the resignation from the elder’s tone hit him hard, learning that he was interested but couldn’t give sugar blowing a try due to diabetes. The words ended up being a game-changer when Louis decided to look for a noncaloric sugar to pay tribute to him. With the innovative change in material, the modifications in methods and tools followed, resulting in the invention of the crystal clear candy we see nowadays. Louis stresses the importance of paying close attention to our surroundings, as“treasures”could be hidden in the proximity.“You must have absolute passion and engagement in doing anything, otherwise why would anything matter?”
Learning Curves -“Almost Suffered from Explosions”
At the start, there were moments of self-doubt, even though Louis was passionate.“I had my whole hand covered in blisters when I started, and that’s when I doubted if I was too ambitious.”Despite the pain and suffering, he never gave up. Instead, he kept reminding himself that achievements do not come without time. Louis also had times when he thought of calling it a day, but he would always push through and motivate himself to continue chasing his dreams.“Well, if I wasn’t the first to try sugar blowing, and I couldn’t even take advantage of past experiences, there wouldn’t be anything else I can do successfully in the future.”With his perseverance, Louis managed to get a good grasp of sugar blowing techniques in about 6 months and kept refining his skills with great effort to become a“candy magician”.
“Fire hazards, explosions… Anything that you could imagine had happened before!” Discussing his most memorable accident, Louis recalled that he once tried using an electromagnetic oven to replace traditional cookers. However, sugar in sugar blowing must be steadily
simmered, and the nature of rapid-rising temperatures in electromagnetic ovens is incompatible. The pot of sugar syrup ended up exploding, and Louis said he was in complete shock. These incidents were stepping stones that ultimately gave Louis valuable experiences, facilitating his success.
On the road to becoming a master, Louis kept arrogance at bay while striving for changes all the time.“Non-stop craving for knowledge to improve”is the principle that he abides by. Apart from that, he also ensures that the hardware he works with is at its best, making his own set of equipment and cookers for use. Moreover, Louis makes sure he is comfortable with the environment he is practising in, customising tools and rotators by himself. He even goes to the extent of picking up abandoned wooden oars, modifying and cutting them into stands for cookers.“These wouldn’t trouble someone with an artistic background like me!”
Be Yourself -“Inheritance May Be Too Ambitious for Someone If It Never Crossed My Mind”
When considering passing on the torch, Louis stated outright,“I never thought of doing this for legacy. I only wanted to try it for myself.”He supplemented,“If you are learning solely for legacy, overlooking your heart, and being too ambitious, you’re never going to do it well.” Louis stressed the importance of being yourself before even thinking about inheritance, as one would need to show one’s best ability before passing it down to successors, and that could be achieved by staying true to yourself.“You won’t achieve much with your mind on others.”Louis was also asked about when he would retire from the industry.“I just love what I’m doing! You will still see me blowing sugar until I’m on my deathbed!” Louis perfectly demonstrates how determination and love can drive one to succeed in anything. Ambitions follow from passion, and for those we strive wholeheartedly. throughout our lives.
Chasing Dreams -“Don’t Leave Regrets When You’re Old”
Some spend half their lifetime dreaming, only to realise it’s too late to chase after them when they retire. However, this wasn’t the case for Louis.“I retired long ago when I was in my twenties,‘cause I was already pursuing what I love and dream of!”He expressed that even though he was short of funds back then, he had passion and time, which were crucial assets for chasing after ambitions. Louis also commented on the common phenomenon where people dream-chase when they retire.“Start earlier, or you’re only fulfilling others’dreams!”Put your youth to use, as there’s a whole world out there!
回想起整個追夢的過程 ， 杜煥笑言「 成個過程我自己覺得真 係 short short 哋 」。 追夢 ， 讓我們感覺到活著 。
“The Bitterness Behind Dreams -“Felt Like I Almost Lost My Sanity”
Born during the Cultural Revolution, Louis suffered from famine when he was a child, and later fled to Hong Kong in hopes of starting a new life. At the time, his dad always made jokes about how they had nothing to lose with only fifty dollars in their wallets. Looking back, Louis claimed that this joke ultimately unleashed all his potential, allowing him to dream big with confidence and pursue the art that he loves the most.
Louis dropped out of school in Secondary 3 and later transferred to art school, pursuing his studies in arts and graphic design. It was tough for Louis back then, having to work parttime in travel agencies and McDonald’s after class to pay off living expenses.“I even slept in McDonald’s at times!”Louis never minded exhaustion in making a living as long as it meant that he could stick to his favourite career in arts. He would work night shifts at McDonald’s, and even if he had to clean the whole kitchen and clear down, he wouldn’t ever complain.“Nothing is draining as long as I can make ends meet!”
Hard work pays off. After enduring several years of part-time work and study, Louis found his opportunity to work as a designer but later realised it was far from his ideal life.“Wow! That was an inhumane lifestyle.”Louis quit the job resolutely and became a freelancer afterwards. In retrospect, his scope of work ranged from small illustrations to large adver -
Art Central 2022 Project tisements. With basically everything involved in the arts and design industry as work, it is not hard to tell how demanding, or in Louis’words -“inhumane”it was. Louis even proclaims to be“the first generation programmers”, as computers were already his trusty companions in designing when they were up-and-coming.“Photoshop? We go back a long way! I was already using it when you guys weren’t born!”
From the depths of being an unregistered resident to standing at the peak of the craft of“edible sculptures,” Louis expressed that he felt like he had almost lost his sanity during his dream chase, but he also understood the philosophy of life. As readers, Louis sets a perfect example of how ambitions make us feel alive.
Words to the Readers -“Don’t Let Struggles Get to Your Head”
Speaking of the younger generation, Louis wishes to motivate the youth to chase after their ambitions.“You must work after what you love.”The reality is always cruel, and it is never easy to achieve what you are eager about.“You walk every mile with failure on your road to success.”Nonetheless, behind the soreness of any dream chase attempt hides personal development.“Practice makes perfect. You will never improve without putting yourself through the mill.”At last, Louis reminded us not to forget our first heart, stay the course, and more importantly, remember why we had dreams in mind. Dream big with perseverance for half a lifetime, not a life in vain. This is the legendary story of the great“Sugarman”.
城 市 筆 跡
The City’s Handwriting
不論是在馬路旁的燈箱上
抑或是在街邊的鐵欄杆上
我們走在路上 張望四周
都不難發現那些用黑色箱頭筆留下的短語或句子
有時候是本土潮語 有時候是歌詞
這些略帶玩味 而又能引起共鳴的一字一句
散佈在香港街道上的各個角落
開頁短短三年
IG專頁 @hklyrics._.ondastreet 就收獲接近二萬五
千個追蹤者
版主凱婷不時會上載一些街頭塗鴉的照片 記錄她在街道上寫下的歌詞 憑歌寄意 帶出她內心的想法
Whether the light boxes by the roadside or the railings on the streets, it is not difficult to find messages written by black markers. These short phrases and sentences, sometimes local slang, sometimes song lyrics, add a playful touch to the city’s landscape, resonating with passersby uniquely. In a short span of three years, the Instagram page @hklyrics._.ondastreet has been capturing these“street arts”, amassing nearly 25,000 followers. Page owner, Hoi Ting, regularly uploads photos of these urban handwritings, documenting the lyrics written on the streets by her and conveying her thoughts and feelings through songs.
凱婷認為 原因離不開那幾則寫香港組合 My Little Airport 歌詞的帖文 也是由這時開始 她在上載塗鴉照片時 總會加上一段親手寫的文案 寫下自己的感受 同時向更多人宣傳廣東歌 亦就此確立了專頁的發展方向
Looking back, Hoi Ting recalled the blues from being stuck at home during the fifth wave of the pandemic three years ago. On top of that, going through the pain of heartbreak never helped the situation, overwhelming her heart and sanity gradually with unspoken emotions.“A way to let off steam”, is how Hoi Ting described the start of her writing journey. During those quiet nights, in the company of her bike and some music, she thought of transforming the ubiquitous light boxes and railings on the streets into message boards, recording the emotions beyond description deep inside her heart. As an individual who had always been attracted to graffiti, Hoi Ting started living out her passion ever since, slowly growing from depicting simple words to sentences.
哥欠：#姿態
口昌：#張蔓姿
言司：張蔓姿
At the time,“LOVELOST”by Gigi Cheung was Hoi Ting’s favourite. Since then, the number of light boxes with“LOVELOST”written on them has spiralled, appearing on the streets of Hong Kong, eventually portraying the complete lyrics of the song.“Frankly speaking, my initial intention was to record my emotions.”For Hoi Ting’s part, there was not a single moment when she ever thought that the Instagram account originally used for self-documenting would slowly develop into a page promoting Cantopop through graffiti.
“It was out of the blue that so many people started following at that time.”As her page started to gain attention, the number of likes and followers increased. Hoi Ting mentioned that the“game-changer”was likely the posts about the lyrics of the Hong Kong band“My Little Airport”. From that day forward, she also started adding captions when uploading graffiti photos on Instagram. She never failed to note her feelings and promote Cantopop to a larger audience, thereby establishing the direction of the page.
“I don’t want my content to all be negative.”Later, Hoi Ting progressively stepped out of her slump and gradually gained more attention. In addition to lyrics, she began to write down values and mannerisms in the conduct of life that she believed were important on the streets. The common ones we see would be to“stay kind”and“be gentle towards life”. Her original intention was to give reminders to viewers, but the unexpected came from“the inadvertence effect on people”. She received some private messages: some would send pictures of her graffiti, and some would even share their stories. These online interactions and positive feedback were unforeseen to her.
As for the current stage of the page, Hoi Ting admitted, “I never thought that I loved writing so much during my youth and that I would write on the streets when I grew up.”A record label even approached her, hoping that she could utilise the art of graffiti to promote new songs of their singers. A singer also asked her to write subtitles for a music video. These were all unexpected gains for her since she established the page.
“I think graffiti represents this era.”Compared to the once popular but more abstract tagging graffiti, this new generation of graffiti in Hong Kong, although casual, is simple and direct, tugging at the heartstrings to a larger extent. From the start of the social movement to the pandemic years, the atmosphere in Hong Kong society has been in a downturn. Various styles of graffiti have gradually emerged on the streets, some expressing emotions, while some encouraging others. Nowadays, graffiti in Hong Kong is no longer just vibrant patterns. The newly emerged text graffiti, although in a single colour, conveys the messages that the people living in the same city would like to leave behind. These heartfelt words have gradually become mainstream, redefining graffiti in its value, and more importantly, leaving more and more marks representing every era.
In Hong Kong, graffiti is not only an artistic expression but also a record of the changing times. City dwellers write down their truest thoughts on the bustling streets. Just like the words“Repair the electromagnetic stove”on an electric box, sometimes the words people write puzzle us. Still, these are what they want to leave behind most at that moment, which is precisely the attraction of Hong Kong graffiti. Especially in a society with advanced technology, strangers who do not know each other turn bridges or electric boxes into message boards, leaving records with handwritten words, creating a romance that only belongs to this era stroke by stroke. In this apathetic world, strangers living in the big city silently leave one casual but sincere message after another, bringing warmth to the community.
哥欠：#世界與你無關 口昌：#陳蕾 言司：陳蕾
Interviewing the New
Professor
Interviewing New Dean Professor CHANG, Yung Ho
Dean, Faculty of Architecture, HKU
Originally from Beijing, Chang received a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1984. He has been practicing in China since 1992 and established Atelier Feichang Jianzhu (FCJZ) with Lijia Lu in 1993. He has won a number of prizes, such as First Place in the Shinkenchiku Residential Design Competition in 1987, a Progressive Architecture Citation Award in 1996, the 2000 UNESCO Prize for the Promotion of the Arts, and the Academy Award in Architecture from American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2006. He has published several books and monographs so far, including Graphic FCJZ, Yung Ho Chang Draws, Yung Ho Chang Writes, Yung Ho Chang/Atelier Feichang Jianzhu. A Chinese Practice in English/French, Yung Ho Chang: Luce chiara, camera oscura in Italian and Feichang Jianzhu, etc. He participated in many international exhibitions of art and architecture, including five times in the Venice Biennale since 2000, and curated/co-curated the 1st West Bund Biennale of Architecture and Contemporary Art in Shanghai in 2013, the China Pavilion at Venice Biennale in 2008 the 1st Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture in 2005. He has taught at various architecture schools in the USA and China, he is presently a professor at Tongji and MIT where he served as the head of Architecture Department from 2005 to 2010, founded the Peking University Graduate Center for Architecture in 1999 and was the Kenzo Tange Chair Professor at Harvard in 2002 and the Eliel Saarinen Chair Professor at Michigan in 2004. In 2009 he was bestowed the honorary membership by AIA Hong Kong. Since 2011, he became a Pritzker Prize Jury member.
What are the general responsibilities and duties of the Dean?
On one hand, my job is more on the conceptual side, such as deciding what we would like to achieve as a Faculty. I have been given the mandate to lead the Faculty of Architecture at HKU to a higher level, which means that we will aim at being one of the centres of design creativity in the world. On the other hand, I take on the organisational and administrative duties with the team on a daily basis.
What is your vision and what do you hope to achieve during your term?
Today, many parts of the world underestimate the importance of teaching students about making buildings. Some would argue that physical space is no longer as important due to the advancement of technology. However, we still need a roof to stay inside when we work on computers. Computation and technology, such as artificial intelligence, take up a lot of space. It turns out that we still constantly make buildings, unfortunately only low-quality ones. We need to care about all aspects of our living environment and make improvements to landscape, infrastructure, urban and public spaces, among others. As a matter of fact, in order to push the broadly defined discipline of architecture forward, learning the basics of making buildings is only the first step. We must be aspired to create some of the best buildings and even cities in the world in the near future. This is something I firmly believe I could help with.
Speaking of architecture as well as the tangible world, it is about an experience distinct from reading a book. You feel the texture, temperature and weight
of the materials. We understand the world not only by looking but through all our senses as well, touch, smell, perhaps even taste. This is the basis of architecture and design disciplines. Therefore, my vision is to make the link between students and the physical reality more direct in the Faculty of Architecture.
This is a very diverse Faculty. In my coming 5 years of office, my focus is not on having more students or greater quantity, but on having better students and quality. Lately, there has been a push for quantity in production and publication. Quantity is not something to be disregarded, but greater emphasis has to be put on quality. It is about“can we discover something?”Otherwise, even if you are using big data to collect tons of information, you may not be able to notice Newton’s apple falling from the tree.
What is the future direction in teaching and learning of the Faculty?
Among many measures I am considering, such as developing collaboration among the departments and between the faculties, there will be more field trips to both completed projects as well as construction sites. Recently, Department of Architecture took a group of students on a field trip to a construction site as well as a building my office designed in Guangzhou. When I asked if any of them had been to a construction site before, none had. However, this is not your problem, but our problem. We have to change. There is a“dirty reality”students should be aware of before leaving school: a reinforcement bar, for example, may appear absolutely straight and clean on the drawings, but in reality, it is a rusty piece of metal that is often crooked. Therefore, don’t be afraid to leave the campus and explore around.
On top of that, more importantly, we are hiring professors who can teach building systems and structural engineering along with architectural design. Buildings nowadays have lots of mechanical equipment. As an architect, you may think:“I will leave that to the mechanical engineer”. However, if you want to have a well-integrated building, you have to work very closely with the engineers, you have to design with them. This is about the building as a system. We hope to see the fields of architecture, mechanical engineering, and structural engineering merge into one at HKU. This interdisciplinary approach does not happen often in architectural schools.
Besides, we are searching for experienced practitioners in different fields to teach. We need to have more architects teaching architecture. Architecture, planning, and surveying, etc. are practice-based disciplines like the medical field. Therefore, the practice plays a critical role in the study of architecture.
What will you do to enhance the social and men� tal health of students?
This is a worldwide problem right now. I was teaching at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for many years and there was a very bad situation in terms of the mental health of students as well. Overall, I believe we should take this matter very seriously. Currently, we have an Associate Dean to take care of students’mental health. If there is any serious issue, professors will help contact the professionals.
In addition, one of my projects is to turn the lounge area of the Faculty Office (KB415) into a large public space by shrinking a bit of the adjacent conference room. That space will become a cafe where students can meet one another and with the faculty members. A“community centre”so to speak.
How will you engage with the students to hear their voices?
As the Dean, I think the important point is that formal meetings often do not go very far. Students may be shy to engage and the settings are too formal for people to open up. I think more casual conservations could help, like a“happy hour”. We may not have alcohol but having a“happy hour”may still help the students and the faculty alike to have a better communication.
What is your view on the career prospects of graduates of the Faculty?
You may be aware of the economic decline in China and that the real estate industry has been hit very hard. Many have mistaken that as the end of architecture. However, regardless of the ups and downs in the economy, we need housing for one thing. We also need other kinds of physical spaces so that we can bring the economy back. Yet, I have to say it is not going to be easy for architects to find jobs nowadays, let alone good jobs. Nevertheless, my experience is that HKU graduates who are well-prepared are highly competitive in the industry. When there are job vacancies, I believe HKU graduates will be very strong contenders. Also, for the well-prepared ones, starting your own business, inside and/or outside of architecture is always another option.
What support will the Faculty provide to help graduates find jobs?
I think we need to develop a very close connection with the professional world, through which the school could help students reach out to some of the potential employers in the industry. The Faculty has plenty of social connections with firms in Hong Kong right now and we are working on expanding them.
Would you like to share any messages or words with the students?
I really encourage you all to go out and meet students who are studying in totally different disciplines. You may have to collaborate with a variety of professionals in the future, so building the connection up now is something to do.
Also, do not let the temporary downturn of the economy and the building industry discourage you. Everything has its ups and downs. The important thing is to take this tough time as an opportunity to better prepare yourself. You may be worried about finishing your studies or getting a job, but remember, if you are interested in what you are doing, you are already in a strong position. It does not matter if the economy is going up or down, what matters the most is that you keep getting better regardless.
This season of the Inter-Faculty Sports Competition has drawn to a close with great success. AS participated in the Men’s Volleyball and Women’s Badminton competitions, which were both held between October and November last year. We are grateful for the satisfactory results that our athletes brought us, and it is delightful to see that athletes could meet one another sharing the same ambitions!
Competition
小組賽 Group Stage
0 : 3
0 : 3
3 : 0
建築學會 vs 理學會
Architectural Society vs Science Society
建築學會 vs 文學院學生會
Architectural Society vs Arts Association
建築學會 vs 法律學會
Architectural Society vs Law Association
季軍戰 Third Fight 3 : 1
建築學會 vs 文學院學生會
Architectural Society vs Arts Association
AS was put up against Law Association on 5/11 in the pool round. The match was very competitive, putting the audience on the edge of their seats at all times. It was definitely nerve-racking to be sitting on the side and supporting your team, watching the shuttlecock flying at great speeds for multiple long rallies. In the end, we were able to capitalise on the momentum that we slowly gained, and our skilful players won the match 3:0. Our next match was held on 29/11 against Arts Association, which also happened to be the Third Fight. We expected nothing less from our opponents in the top 4 of the pool, being as adept as our athletes. Needing to put in all our efforts, knowledge, and skills, we fought with all our might, with unpredictable results until the final few points. Although we fell behind at the start of the doubles match, our athletes kept their composure and slowly picked up the pace, demonstrating the importance of team effort in the sport. We managed to secure a bronze medal at the end!
We fought against the Education Society in the group stage on 4/10. This was the first Inter-Faculty Sports Competition of the semester, and we are glad to have Freshmen and even non-local Members joining us. Everyone gave their best efforts during the match, and team chemistry was built effectively despite language barriers. Unfortunately, it was an uphill battle against skilful opponents, resulting in a 0:3 loss. Another match was held on 18/10 with Arts Association, but the match was cancelled by a walkover due to a lack of participating opponents. Nevertheless, both sides agreed to a friendly match for fun. It was great to see our Members engaging proactively, and we even captured some wholesome moments of participants posing after scoring a point for the team!
In the Athletics Meet, our Members showed their abilities on the fields and tracks, performing outstandingly all around. At the end of the competition, we captured 3 gold medals and 1 bronze medal! The satisfying results brought by our athletes are greatly appreciated, but we also couldn’t forget the dedication of our helpers, working without complaints while enduring the heat that day. Thanks for your contributions!
ATHLETICS MEET INTER-FACULTY ATHLETICS MEET
ATHLETICS MEET
CHAMPION
Men’s Triple Jump Hon Ho Tung BSc(Surv) IV
Men’s Discus Hon Ho Tung BSc(Surv) IV
Women’s 200m Wong Chloe BA(ArchStud) I
Architectural Society vs Arts Association 季軍 2ND RUNNER-UP
Women’s Shot Put Tang Cheuk Ying Fiona BA(UrbanStud) II
四年嘅光陰 ， 話長唔長 ， 話短唔短 ， 但係對於 畢業生嚟講 ， 最緊要嘅就係大家終於都畢業啦 ！ 為 咗感激咁多位 Class of 2024 畢業生喺呢四年都咁支持 AS ， 我哋準備咗一個畢業帽設計嘅木製收納箱 ， 希望可以 為各位畢業生喺建築學院四年嘅點點滴滴留下紀念 。 每一份禮 物都係我哋一步一步組裝而成㗎
， 希望大家都鍾意呢份手工制嘅 小小心意啦 ！
Four years have passed — long or short, it depends — but for graduates, the most important thing is that everyone has finally graduated! To express our gratitude to all the Class of 2024 Graduates for their support of AS over the four years, we have prepared a Graduation Cap Wooden Storage Box for each of you. We hope it helps to record the various moments of each graduate’s journey in the Faculty of Architecture. Each gift has been assembled step by step by us, and we hope everyone enjoys this handmade token of our appreciation!
Warm greetings from AS! We are delighted to meet all Freshmen studying in the Faculty of Architecture on the Registration Day. It is a yearly tradition that we help freshmen register as our Members, chat with you guys, introduce FoA and AS, and answer all university life enquiries. Naturally, sharing on upcoming AS events and applying for ASO is inevitable! Through interactions with seniors, we hope that Freshmen learn more about university life. We would also like to extend our appreciation to the helpers who assisted us in facilitating the event’s smooth operation, giving Freshmen the best experience at the start of tertiary education.
Being the Chairman of the Organising Committee for ASO24 was one of the toughest yet most rewarding experiences of my life. Constantly brainstorming conceptual ideas within the Organising Committee as well as the Executive Committee, while keeping everything on track and according to schedule was a challenge in itself.. Each member had their own vision, and finding common ground took time and a lot of patience.
We ran into all sorts of obstacles—budget issues, venue problems, and conceptual debates. There were definitely moments when the pressure felt like too much to the point where I questioned if we could pull it off. But amid the chaos, I reminded myself of why we were doing this: to create an event that would bring joy and connection to the future newcomers of our Architectural Society, as well as those who are within our community..
It wasn’t until the days of the ASO24 camp period when I could see people laugh, engage, and connect at our event that convinced me that our hard work had paid off. Looking back, I also realise that those challenges had brought our Organizing Committee and Executive Committee closer together in bonds and cooperation skills. I have gained insights about resilience and the power of teamwork, and has made the experience worthwhile out of my own studies.
Anything needed to be said and done has been left in ASO24 by me. Through the ups and downs this year, I’d never thought I’d be a part of this unbelievable journey. To this day, I still get friends asking me “Why be an OC?” or “Why not join as a Coordinator”. Honestly, I still don’t have an answer in mind, and frankly, it could just be the commitment you have to make as an Executive Committee Member rather than having the passion in yourself to organise an Orientation. With that being said, looking back after a semester, you seem to realise that you have carried the commitment into passion. There should be no regrets when you are committed, and there weren’t.
Grateful for everyone along the way, my fellow Committee Members, OCs, friends and helpers supporting, and glad to see everyone enjoying the Orientation. Finally, things go, but people stay. The memories are ever so sweet, and they will always hold a special place in my heart.
壹日叄橙 Freshman Keli s 對我嚟講，ASO24係一個好特別嘅經歷。原本諗住入大學費事自己一個，諗住參加個o-camp識吓人，估唔到師 兄師姐準備嘅活動咁有深度。每一日嘅活動除咗玩得開心，夜晚嘅sharing都可以令到Freshmen更加了解自己， 諗清楚自己想喺大學生活得到啲乜嘢。真係感受到每一位OC花咗嘅心思同埋每一位爸媽迎接我哋班Freshmen嘅 誠意。最後當然好開心識到綠組呢班朋友啦！
綠菜俾4hoebe Freshman Jeremy ASO係全個香港大學入面最特別嘅O，不論係人生道理，定係人與人之間嘅友誼，都可以喺ASO入面獲得，多謝 ASO24 OC、Asperia、Two Red To Handle嘅組爸媽同組仔女帶俾我一個咁特別嘅體驗！
Two Red to Handle Coor Jimmy 今年好慶幸可以返嚟ASO做組爸。返嚟呢個大家庭，帶住一班新鮮嘅建築學院學生，經歷我經歷過嘅嘢。再次 踏入長洲，得到嘅唔只係歡樂，而係有更重要嘅學習同傳承意義。喺呢四夜入面由零開始認識一班朋友，一齊經 歷所有嘅活動，從互不相識到無話不談。希望ASO嘅火會繼續燃燒落去，將呢份精神不斷傳承！
七味粉 Coor Trinton
A good start to university life must involve the Uniform Party! Playing ice-breaking games with a bunch of new friends while wearing school uniforms seems so familiar to the good old days, living the life of Riley. Nostalgia from secondary education made a night to remember and, more importantly, to enlighten everyone to look ahead, grasp every chance, and traverse through the wonders that lie in the bright future!
Sem break咁耐冇見班friend ， 一 開sem梗係要嚟食個雞煲火鍋聚吓 啦～我哋仲準備咗獎品豐富嘅Lucky Draw ， 希望大家食得開心又滿足啦 ！
Longing to see your friends during semester break? During this year’s New Semester Dinner, we gathered together and enjoyed chicken hotpot. We have also prepared a Lucky Draw session with fabulous prizes. Bon appétit!
It couldn’t be a new semester without the“Opening Ceremony”! As in the years before, apart from inviting Mr. Dominic Ho to do traditional Chinese calligraphy, there was also a splendid lion dancing performance and a roasted pig cutting session. In addition, we specifically organised a“Faichun writing” booth for Members to leave notes of blessings for friends, which was particularly popular amongst passersby for its function. We hope that everyone can have an energetic start to the semester. May good fortune be with Knowles!
It’s that time of the year again!“Knowles Fest” returns greater than ever with the theme of “Knowlestalgic”, meaning childhood memories. The date, 12/11/2024, marks the time of great festivity, where stellar activities such as Rainbow Tossing, busking, lucky draw, Superpass Faichun writing, and“Knowlesother”for “Knowlesian”to leave a mark on commemorative booklet and keep as a memento. The Welfare Week was also held with “Knowles Fest”between 12/11 and 15/11 for Members to enjoy our welfare. Were you taken away from the strenuous academic work, reminiscing the youthful recollections from the past? We are grateful for your positive support and keenness to participate, and we trust that there will be more leisure opportunities like these.
我哋Asperia第 二次嘅Product Sale已經喺 上年十一月舉行 ！ 今次Product Sale II我哋為各 位會員精心設計
Asperia’s second Product Sale was successfully held in November last year. As our second service of the year, we stepped up a notch and hand-designed two new products, including the zzz Jacket and #archiTOOchur Hoodie. Did they accompany you through the hardships and tight deadline schedules during your finals? We have also provided Post-Order service for Members who missed the Product Sale week so they could make desirable purchases. We wholeheartedly appreciate your support for us and our products along the way, fueling us with the most significant motivation we would ever need!
The Annual High Table Dinner 2025 of AS was successfully held on 27th January, 2025. This event not only marked the first event of the year but also served as the last event organised by Asperia, the Executive Committee of Architectural Society, Session 2024-2025.
As our last event, Asperia had taken the chance to bless all those who attended with a thoughtful message - Tempus, to treasure the time we have with one another during these fleeting years of university life. With our greatest honour, we invited Architect Julia Lau, President of HKIA, who shared her insight that university is a golden period for people to discover who they truly are. Through her growth experience in the architectural industry, she encouraged us to be brave enough to pursue what we truly love. Mr. Van Chan, an alumnus of the Faculty of Architecture as well as the main vocalist of Nowhere Boys, had also shared his reminiscence of Knowles Building and the rest of the HKU campus, in remembering the kind of person he once was, as well as the burning fire in his heart as a young student in the very same place we are currently in.
We hope that those moments shared in Loke Yew Hall during the event will remain cherished memories in the hearts of all participants.
How could this year’s event be complete without AService! We are thrilled to once again work with the Urban Renewal Authority and Wofoo Social Enterprises. This year, 35 students participated, and the response was much more enthusiastic than last year! The students were divided into 9 groups, visiting low-income families in Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City, where they designed and customised unique pieces of wooden furniture based on each family’s needs. From the end of January to the beginning of February, all groups have built oneof-a-kind furniture with the help of professionals from the wood workshop, which is soon to be delivered to the families! We are delighted to see our students’enthusiasm for helping those in need, gaining a deeper understanding of Hong Kong’s social issues while learning new design and carpentry skills!
ParticipantsWorks ParticipantsWorks
請記得 誰和誰掠過
請記得 還有一份愛 不怕什麼
請記得 留住感覺 過渡在人海
我感激 曇花盛放 — Hinton
想跟你沿途美景都一起飽覽 :D — Kityi
多謝你自己 — Fiona
This session has come to an end, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of bitious in our endeavours, organising significant events such as the Inauguration Ceremony, Registration High Table Dinner. In addition to these larger events, we also organised various activities, rial Cup, among many others.
In our publications, we dedicated considerable effort to the designs and content, delivering materials and Policy Address. Throughout our session, we also published two volumes of Transparence, sharing many events is no small feat. Despite facing frustrations, conf usion, and some arguments, we Members have enjoyed our events and will continue to support us in the future.
We committed much of our time during our first year to the University, which has significantly have joined us on this journey, and we hope that the experience s and memories we’ve created
迷 — Titus
滄海桑田 欲言又止
日月如梭 無悔當初 — Tommy
824-長洲-台灣- and more ! — Tsoiwai
It’s a long way to go...
— Ocean
—
Duncan
Hey Hey OKOK!
— Aristo
Knowlesheungjong Yewlokejong
— Gianna
of you for joining us and participating throughout the entire session. We have been quite amRegistration Day, ASO24, Opening Ceremony, Knowles Festival in Happy Park, and the Annual including Product Sales, the Inter-Faculty Sports Competition, and Professor Lye’s Memomaterials to our Members, such as the five issues of ArchiTimes and highlights of The Budget sharing intriguing stories related to students from the Faculty of Architecture. Organising so we have managed to serve the Society to the best of our abilities. We sincerely hope that our significantly strengthened our relationships and fueled our passion for working together. Many Members will aid us throughout our time at the University. Wishing all of you a happy year ahead!
