rocker-lange blog

We’re pleased to share that Christian J. Lange and Mono Tung’s collaborative MArch research studio, conducted in Fall 2023 within the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong, has been featured in the latest issue of the HKIA Journal. The studio focused on AI-driven design strategies for the renewal of aging public housing estates in Hong Kong.

Their article, “Reimagining Choi Hung Estate: AI’s Role in Future Public Housing Design,” highlights innovative design methodologies that leverage artificial intelligence to reimagine one of the city’s most iconic housing developments. The piece explores how tools such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion were integrated into the architectural design process, enabling students to generate speculative yet contextually grounded proposals.

Addressing key issues of urban renewal, housing density, and community identity, the studio demonstrates how computational design—when paired with cultural sensitivity—can offer a forward-thinking model for the future of public housing in Hong Kong and beyond.

To read the full article, please go here:
HKIA Journal – Issue 80

We are pleased to announce that Christian J. Lange will be delivering a lecture, alongside co-author Jason Carlow, as part of the Future Human Habitats Lecture Series 2025 at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School. In this talk, Lange and Carlow will share insights from their recent book, Cities of Repetition: Hong Kong’s Private Housing Estates. The lecture will explore the urban logic, architectural patterns, and socio-spatial dynamics of Hong Kong’s large-scale residential developments, offering a critical lens on the city’s high-density living environments.

The lecture will be held on April 1st 2025 at 5:00pm in the lobby in Building H Future Human Habitats, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School.

I am very happy to be part of the upcoming 1-Day symposium on AI in Sharjah, UAE. The Interrogating Intelligence in Artificial Architecture symposium will be hosted by AUS’s Department of Architecture on Sunday, March 9th.

Interrogating Intelligence in Artificial Architecture

Date: Sunday, March 9
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Venue: AUS Main Building, Lecture Hall B

As the efficacy of artificial intelligence develops and its use and application becomes more widespread, academia and industry are bracing for significant change. AI is not going away and it will get smarter. The question design educators are facing is not “if” but “how” to incorporate artificial intelligence into the classroom. CAAD is committed to lead the discussion on developing an ethical, generative pedagogy that propels our students toward cutting-edge design technologies and careers. This symposium intends to probe the limits and infinitude of machine learning’s impact on the built environment. The panel comprises leading researchers, educators, practitioners and industry leaders who have been using AI to rethink architectural design and production in various ways. The event will feature five presentations on the use of AI with regard to architectural design and education followed by a moderated discussion.

Presenters / Panelists:
Omran Alowais, Founder ARDH
George Guida, Architag / Harvard GSD
Anna Wanyu He, CEO of xKool / Lookx
Andy Shaw, Principal – AMA Design Dubai
Christian J. Lange, The University of Hong Kong

Moderator: Marcus Farr, American University of Sharjah

I am thrilled to share the upcoming book launch at HKU of “Cities of Repetition,” co-authored by Christian J. Lange. The book launch is part of HKU’s discussion series and will be held on 23 October, 2024.

Abstract:
Housing is one of the most fundamental elements of urban growth, and Hong Kong has for decades hosted some of the most intense built environments on the planet. The city’s urbanization has produced unparalleled living conditions in terms of building scale and density. Due to lack of space, topographical constraints, political conditions, and extremely high population density, Hong Kong became an incubator for the development of housing models and tower typologies for high-density living.

“Cities of Repetition provides a comprehensive graphic documentation and analysis of the largest Hong Kong housing estates built by private developers from the late 1960’s through the early 2000’s. The original drawings and diagrams illustrate and compare the ultra-dense, mass-produced, highly repetitive built environments in which hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents live. Drawings, diagrams and photographs not only display the immense scale of the housing estates within the city, but also present the hundreds of similarly planned housing units and their subtle differences. Detailed diagrams compare statistical information to show how the planning of these massive estates has evolved over the past decades to efficiently conform to building regulations. The publication and larger research project present a comprehensive analysis of the architectural and spatial realities of some of the most densely populated, urban environments ever built. Overall, the project presents an investigation and analysis of how hundreds of residential towers in Hong Kong, built in the final decades of the twentieth century, were shaped by regulatory and economic forces that radically standardized the city and limited architectural specificity in relation to context.

Fall 2024 Discussion Series
Date: 23 October, 2024
Time: 18:30-20:00
Venue: KB419, Knowles Building, The University of Hong Kong

Speakers:

Christian J. Lange, Associate Professor (Teaching), Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong

Jason F. Carlow, Associate Professor and Head of Department, Department of Architecture, American University of Sharjah

Discussants:
– Eunice Seng, Head, Department of Architecture, HKU
– Juan Du, Dean, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, University of Toronto
– Gary Chang, Managing Director, EDGE Design Institute Ltd. HKU MArch 1987⁠
– Lam Lai Shun, Associate, Thomas Chow Architects HKU MArch 2013

We’re pleased to announce Christian J. Lange’s latest exhibition at PMQ, marking the culmination of his doctoral research completed at RMIT University in spring 2023. Titled Autobryksformation: Towards a New Approach to Brick Expressionism | Methods for Unique Idiosyncrasies in Architectural Material Systems | A Practice in the Making, the exhibition introduces audiences to Lange’s innovative exploration of robotic 3D printing with raw clay. Spanning six years of research at the intersection of architecture and advanced fabrication, the show presents a rich body of work through full-scale prototypes, material experiments, and visual documentation—reimagining the potential of ceramic building components in the architectural landscape.

Abstract:
With a focus on robotically controlled 3D printing methods, this exhibition reflects on the past six years of Christian J. Lange’s research, which culminated into his Ph.D. at RMIT in 2023.
Using raw clay as a base material to innovate form, function, and ornament of architectural ceramic building components, the work on display oscillates between his research in the Robotic Fabrication Lab and his teaching at HKU. The two arenas have become the dominant modes of operation to advance the creative work and constantly influence each other through their specific relationship. The exhibition combines and displays the various projects and approaches in these two streams accumulated throughout the years via physical models, 1:1 scale prototypes, video footage, drawings, and photographs.

Rethinking and revitalizing the 7000-year-old material system of brick, and in particular the brick special (bespoke brick) and other means of ceramic components, the research in this exhibition addresses new modes of production that explore innovative structures, novel performances, and unplanned surface expressions. The work offers alternative answers and applications to the generic, standardized building systems that dominate most of today’s built environment, constrain architectural creativity, and limit innovative design approaches.

The exhibition reveals Lange’s particular approach in this research territory via four lenses that will give a unique insight into the work that offers material solutions for architecture that can be more specific and expressive. The explorations with design-built projects, prototypes, and material experimentations on display unfold and contextualize the methods of making developed successively over time.

Exhibition designed by:
Dr Christian J. Lange

Assisted by:
Adeline Chan

Project Collaborators:
Donn Holohan
Holger Kehne
Dave Baker
Lidia Ratoi
Phil Thompson

Research Assistants:
Tony Lau, Anthony Hu, Teego Ma Jun Yin, Ernest Hung Chi Lok, Chau Chi Wang, Ren Depei, Mono Tung, He Qiye, Henry Ho Yu Hong, Kristy Chow, Pamela Maguigad, Kevin Xi Lin, Nicholas Lau, Leung Ka Chi Alvin, Liu Oui Desmond, Samuel Tam, Tam Chi Yan Jack, Hu Chi Hing Jason, Dominic Co, Chen Jiaao, Chan Ka Chun Tom, Lau Ngai Lam Ellen

Students:
Alexandra Bedin, Milan Nushev, Wiley Ng, Alfred Mak, Shu Ting, Qu Tao, Soo Yeon Bong, Jing Lun Zhao, Jing Jiang, Yingxin Wu, Ho Ka Wing Karen, Cheng Tak Hei Ivan, Victoria Dong, Nicole Biewenga, Fan Xinkai, Hu Chi Hing, Lin Xuancheng, Fan Taiwen, Hong Chen, Lai Chu Tung Jetson, Liu Pui Hang Des¬mond, Wang Youlin, Yam Ka Kit, Chan Ka Chun, Co Dominic Lim, IP Chung Ming, Lau Ngai Lam Ellen, Ma Chun Hon, Tam Chi Yan, Tam Shing Yat, Wang Yi Xiao, Wong Suet Ying, Chan Kwun Kit, Huang Shidan, Liu Tsz Shing, Liu Tsz Yeung, Ng Jian Yao, Tse Wang Chun, Zhang Houzhe, Zhu Chenglin

Venue:
H310, 3/F, Hollywood (Block B), PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street
Central, Hong Kong

Date:
21-Dec-2023 – 11-Jan-2024
11:00 am – 8:00 pm

“From more than 5,400 entries from 90 countries to Dezeen Awards this year, the tidal stool project is one of 15 sustainability projects that are in the running to win an award later this year in the sustainability categories.” Thanks to the team @ Robotic Fabrication Lab | Faculty of Architecture | The University of Hong Kong and at our collaborators at the Centre for Chinese Architecture and Urbanism, HKU.
So, if you have time, please vote for us!!!!!

For more information on the project, please use the following link:
https://www.dezeen.com/awards/2022/shortlists/tidal-stool/

To vote, please use the following link:
https://www.dezeen.com/awards/vote

Vote closes 10th October. Thank you!

I am thrilled to report that two projects that came out of the Robotic Fabrication Lab at HKU in the past two years have been long-listed in this year’s dezeen awards. The “Reformative Coral Habitat” project made it to the sustainable design list, while the Tidal stool has been selected for both the sustainable design category and the furniture design list. Congrats to the teams.

For more information on the projects, please use the following links:
www.dezeen.com/awards/2022/longlists/tidal-stool
www.dezeen.com/awards/2022/longlists/reformative-coral-habitats-reef-tiles

Very happy to share the recent feature in Ming Pao weekly on our Tidal stool project. Thanks to our team in the Robotic Fabrication Lab in the Faculty of Architecture at HKU for making this a successful project.

The Tidal Stool | A shoreline intervention through a robotic 3D terracotta printing method

I am happy to report the recent installation of a set of tidal stools on the shoreline of Kuk Po village, Sha Tau Kok, Hong Kong. The stool is part of a larger project on the revitalization of of the village and is a critical commentary on the common practice of how we deal with shorelines in Hong Kong.

Rather than separating through an artificial intervention, the project brings together two different ecologies, the anthropocentric and the natural environment. Both are the beneficiaries of its functional design approach. With its intricate spaces and crevices, the stool provides for many creatures hide-outs from predators and enhances the ecology of the shoreline. During high tide, the stool is partially submerged in the water. During the low tide, it invites the villagers and its visitors to take a break and enjoy the beach.

Overall, the team produced 30 unique stools with different heights for different users and varying degrees of surface complexity. The goal in producing the multiplicity of solutions was to understand which geometry would, in the end, perform best for the natural environment. All stools were produced using a standard industrial robot. The stools were made using a unique mix of terracotta clay, which is very suitable for natural habitats due to its Ph-level. So, in case the stools deteriorate over time, they get back to nature without any harm.

Funding body: Kuk Po Vision | Country Conservation Office

Project Credits:
Robotic Fabrication Lab | Faculty of Architecture | The University of Hong Kong

Christian J. Lange (Team Leader)
Weijen Wang (Team Leader)

Team:
Chen Zhaowei
Yin Fangyi
Chan Ching Yin

Christian J. Lange will deliver an invited talk at the upcoming 2nd International Conference on Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation of Marine Ecosystems (BECoME-2022). The conference will be held during 3-7 January 2022 at the City University of Hong Kong.

For more information on the conference, please use the following link:
www.become2022.com