Shanghai plaster is a kind of granolithic cement plaster that emerged in Hong Kong around the mid-1920s, and soon became one of the most popular material choices for modern buildings in the 1930s. Despite its popularity in the past, Shanghai plaster has now become one of the most undermined and misunderstood material finishes. Its history went far beyond the conventional narratives that postulated its Shanghainese origin and tied closely with the construction culture and movement of Cantonese craftsmen within the network of overseas Chinese in the South China Sea.

This is the first of a series of sharing sessions between members of different Docomomo chapters. The sessions provide a space to discuss the work of the chapters and exchange experiences in the documentation and conservation of modern architecture and built landscapes.

Led by Emily Verla Bovino, this talk will discuss the political unconscious of the three buildings, Hong Kong bus model culture as alternative historiography and how attending to the architectural settings of Hong Kong art and design can generate unexpected stories about the city’s built environment.

Lecture: Challenges in the Conservation of Modern Architecture in Brazil Speaker: Nivaldo Vieira de Andrade Jr. Date: October 29, 2019 (Tuesday)Time: 12:30 Venue: KB419, Knowles Building, HKU Limited capacity. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served...