Recollection: Tao Ho – a Research and Exhibition Project
Photo of the opening show in the Hong Kong Arts Centre, 1977. Found in Tao Ho’s personal belongings in 2021.
Courtesy of Tao Ho’s Family and Miss Noelle Ho.
Design Drawing of the Hong Kong Arts Centre achieved in slide
In his career that spanned from 1960s to 1990s, Tao Ho left the world with countless sketches, drawings, manuscripts, correspondences, photographs and slides. Based on these recently available archival materials, this project will examine and provide critical insights into the Tao Ho’s life and career in an updated and comprehensive manner, in the hope of evaluating his significance in Chinese, regional, and global architectural history and prompting local and international recognition of his works.
In his career that spanned from 1960s to 1990s, Tao Ho left the world with countless sketches, drawings, manuscripts, correspondences, photographs and slides. Based on these recently available archival materials, this project will examine and provide critical insights into the Tao Ho’s life and career in an updated and comprehensive manner, in the hope of evaluating his significance in Chinese, regional, and global architectural history and prompting local and international recognition of his works.
Rather than penning a biography that focuses only on his professional life, the project intents to portray his persona and philosophies by studying his essays, correspondences, poetry, artworks, and media interviews, as part of the discourses around his works of architecture. The findings, supplemented by interviews with his peers, colleagues, and students, will be presented in a publication and an exhibition at the Hong Kong Arts Centre scheduled to take place between mid-2023 and early-2024.
- 2022 | Active
- Grantee: Charles Lai
Charles Lai is an architect (RIBA) and researcher in the history and conservation of Hong Kong and Asian modern architecture. He received his PhD degree in architectural history from the University of Hong Kong Department of Architecture, and diploma degree from the AA School of Architecture in London. He currently teaches at the PolyU and the HKU Space. Charles is also a member of the DOCOMOMO HK Chapter.
Charles is currently a partner of the architectural studio aona and co-founder of a digital marketing and experience curatorial company Culture Lab. and focuses primarily on research and curatorial works. Charles also writes regularly for academic journals and columns. His research interests includes the history of modern architecture in East and Southeast Asia, the material culture and history of Shanghai plaster, as well as the conservation of historical built heritages.