人物訪談

1、什么樣的契機下你們合伙開辦了獨立事務所？

緣分吧！我們都是香港大學的校友，畢業后大家在不同的公司工作，后來在偶然的機會下認識，大家都覺得想做點什么。當時在香港，建筑這個專業已經很穩固，但同時也比較少和其他設計專業產生交流。當你在舒適圈太久，慢慢會失去創新的動力和批判的視角。我們相信不同專業組成的團隊能幫助激發創意，所以我們組成了LAAB。

2、事務所取名為LAAB，表達了你們某種理念嗎？

LAAB 的全寫是“a laboratory for Architecture and Art”，意思是“實驗和實現建筑和藝術的工作室”。我們創辦LAAB 的時候，一般香港人認為建筑和藝術是兩個完全不同的領域，大家會認為建筑是高樓大廈，而藝術品則是放在博物館的油畫。成立LAAB 的其中一個期許是希望我們的作品可以拉近人、建筑和藝術之間的距離。LAAB取音lab (實驗室)，而在廣東話里“實驗”和“實現”語音相近，表達了我們在勇于創新，大膽試驗的同時也注重設計的實用性和落實的可能性。

3、事務所是怎樣開展一個項目的？團隊協作有何特別之處？

我們的事務所走的是橫向架構。每一個項目的團隊都由不同學術背景和個性的同事組成，然后有一個項目負責人。在團隊里，每一個同事都可以自由發表意見，負責人會幫忙跟客戶溝通，留意進度，和促進方案的討論。每一個方案提出之前都經過大家的研究，討論和實驗。

4、能否介紹一下開業以來印象比較深刻的項目？

我們在香港尖沙咀海傍的Victoria Dockside有一系列的特色建筑。城市自然(Urban Nature) 是我們的設計概念，每一個作品用不同的方式探索人，自然和文化之間的關系。

第一個作品是位于梳士巴利公園的“茅室”（Garden Restroom）。這是一個公共廁所的項目，因為它的位置在一個公園里，我們希望能把自然環境帶進洗手間內。

另外一個作品“海邊檔”是一個有機動外墻的小食亭。因為它的位置在星光大道，我們希望可以設計一個有電影感的建筑。香港排擋“朝桁晚拆”是我們的靈感來源，我們把這個文化的現象用高科技的方式表達出來。除了一開一關之外，海邊檔的每一條木條都會上下移動;一呼一吸，呼應著海浪潮起潮落。

在梳士巴利大道，我們設計了一系列像樹林一樣的的地鐵站和公車站，和馬路上的樹菜頭呼應著。

我們還有其他在Victoria Dockside 的項目會在年底開幕，很快就能跟大家分享這些作品。

5、你們怎樣把控項目的最終建成效果？

我們相信精準的數位設計和樣品制作能幫助想法落地。除了設計以外，我們的團隊有時候也會負責工程的部分。對我們來說，好的項目需要精準的設計和用心的工藝。對細節的執著和對潛在問題的觸感也是非常重要的。

6、你們的作品中對材料和構造節點有較多嘗試，能談談對這方面的理解嗎？

對我們來說，每一個設計都在講一個故事，而物料和構造是這些故事的一部分。比如說，在f22 攝影空間這個項目里，我們深深地被古董照相機吸引，并把照相機的細節轉化成建筑的結構。我們設計了一個自動旋轉的相機鏡頭門和快門樓梯，並用黃銅去制作。黃銅的上面噴了一層黑色的油漆，來攝影空間的人會把黑色的油漆帶走，慢慢的，相機鏡頭門和快門樓梯就會呈現黃銅的顏色，就像攝影師帶走古董相機上黑色的油漆，留下了互動的痕跡。在這個項目里，我們既是設計師，也負責工程。在制造的過程中，我們在結構和物料上做了很多研究和試驗。對我們來說，自動旋轉的相機鏡頭和快門樓梯都是f22 故事的一部分。

7、事務所帶著建筑與藝術雙重基因，能否談談你們如何在建筑作品中融入藝術性?

LAAB剛成立的時候，建筑和藝術是兩個分得很開的領域，但我們看到兩者之間有對話的部分。在設計的過程中，我們對細節很注重，也很在意作品的詩意和工藝。我們有一部分的作品是建筑也是藝術品，就像在萬花叢（Kaleidome）里，我們運用建筑的訓練來設計一個空間藝術。另外的作品，像在T· CAFé里，我們把拆下來的灣仔碼頭木制作成家具，除了實用以外，它們還保留了香港人的共同回憶。對我們來說，這些家具既是建筑，也是藝術品。

8、事務所未來的發展方向如何？

我們希望未來在設計和制作上會有更多跨文化的合作機會。去年，我們有機會在日本越后妻有大地藝術祭香港部屋的項目里和日本的建筑師和工匠合作。這次的經驗非常珍貴，我們在日本團隊身上學到了很多東西，特別是他們對工藝的要求和對木頭的理解。在未來的日子里，我們希望可以有更多這樣的經驗，也希望可以把我們的作品帶到世界各地。

1. What kind of opportunity did you set up an independent firm in partnership?

Life brings us together. We were both University of Hong Kong alumni; when we met, we were working in different firms.We felt that architecture is quite an established field in Hong Kong; but it also has a rather rigid professional boundary, without much crossing-over with other creative disciplines. When you are working only with architects,you can be easily trapped in a comfort zone and it stops you from creating innovatively and critically. We believe a multidisciplinary is critical in creativity, so we work together and established LAAB.

2. Does yourfirm's name LAAB express some of your ideas?

LAAB stands for “a laboratory for Architecture and Art.” When we first started LAAB six years ago, architecture and art were very separate fields in Hong Kong. People tend to understand architecture as only high-rise buildings, and art as paintings displayed in the museum. Our vision for LAAB is to bring art and architecture together, as our work often lies in the intersection between the two. We also hope that our design can bring art and architecture closer to people. “LAAB” also builds on the English word “lab,” which evokes the drive for experimentation and innovation. The Chinese translation of “lab” rhymes with the Chinese characters of“realization.” By using “LAAB,” we hope to convey our experimental spirit as well as our pragmatism to bring innovative, cutting-edge design tolife.

3. How does your team cooperate to propel a project? What's special about teamwork?

Our studio follows a lateral hierarchy. Each projectteam consists of colleagues from different backgrounds and personality and is facilitated by a project leader. Team members have an equal opportunity to voice their opinions;the project leader will help to communicate with clients, keep progress, and facilitatediscussion.We research,discuss, and test different options before coming up the best idea.

4. Could you introducea project that have been quite impressive since the opening of the firm?

We had a series of urban intervention in the Victoria Dockside, a new cultural district at the harbourfront of Hong Kong, where we designed a series of pavilions and special features. Urban nature is an important design concept throughout the project, and each architecture explores the relationship between the people, nature, and culture in their own ways.

The first of the series was Garden Restroom at Salisbury Garden - a public toilet design that brings the experience of the public garden into its interior.

Along the harbourfront, we designed Harbour Kiosk, a food kiosk with a kinetic fa?ade. Because it is in the Avenue of Stars, we want to design something cinematic.We took inspiration from local market stalls; and developed a kinetic system that allows the kiosk to open and close automatically. There is also a secondary motion where the timber fins move gently throughout the day, as if it is breathing with sea waves.

We also designed Salisbury Treescape - a series of tree-like canopies for the metro station entrance and bus stops that collectively form a continuous streetscape together with the spidertrees.

Other architectural experiments at Victoria Dockside are due to open in the fall this year. We cannot wait to see them opening to the public soon.

5. How do you control the final completion effect?

We believe that through precise programming and prototyping, we can translate the visuals and drawings into construction. Our studio focuses on both design and build; for us, the two processesare both critical in realizing a good project. Attention to details and acute awareness of potential problems are the keys.

6. There are many attempts at materials and structural joints in your works. Could you talk about your understanding of these?

We adopt a narrative-driven approach to design; the materials and structures are part of the story. In f22 foto space, for example, we were inspired by antique cameras, so we translated camera elements into structural components, such as the camera lens door and the aperture stairs.We use black-painted-brass as our materials,which will wear away as visitors come and go and reveal the brass underneath. Just like the antique camera that documents its interaction with the photographer, f22 documents its interaction with visitors. We are both the designers and builders for this project. We did a lot of R&D during the design process to test the structure and materials. For us, the camera lens door and aperture stairsform part of a narrative that tells the story f22 as a cultural hub for photography arts.

7. Your firm carries dual genes of architecture and art. Could you talk about how you integrate artistry into architectural works?

When we first opened our practice, architecture and art are very separate fields in Hong Kong, but we see the intersection between two, especially when it comes to spatial installation.In the design process, we pay a lot of attentions to details and to the poetic and artisanal quality of our work. Some of our work are both architecture and art, such as Kaleidome, where we use our training from architecture to create spatial installation. Another example would be T· CAFE, where we used fender wood from the demolished Wan Chai pier to create furniture that not only serves a functional purpose, but also preserves the collective memory of Hong Kong people. For us,that is not just a piece of furniture but an artwork.

8. What is the future direction of your firm?

We hope that we can have more cross-cultural collaboration when it comes to design and construction. We had the chance to work with Japanese architects and craftsmen in our Hong Kong House project, which is an art gallery and artist residence in Japan for 7thEchigoTsumari Art Triennale. The experience was wonderful, and we learnt a lot from our Japanese collaborators, especially their standard of craftsmanship and their understanding of wood. In the coming years, we hope to bring our work to different parts of the world and to share our experience with architects and artists from other cultures.