AAP AND PA COLLABORATE ON LANDMARK ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION

ArtAsiaPacific magazine and People's Architecture Foundation proudly announce their collaboration on the two year-long traveling exhibition and workshop Building Asia Brick by Brick, a landmark cultural and educational experience that will travel the People's Republic of China in 2007 before culminating in New York City in 2008.

Working together, ArtAsiaPacific and People's Architecture have invited leading Asian and Pacific architects to create original architectural models from custom kits of white LEGO ® bricks with the intent that the models should be exhibited and auctioned to raise awareness about architectural preservation in Asia. Additionally, conceptual artist Ai Weiwei, also an architect, is contributing a special model that will reflect both aspects of his creative practice. The project engages concepts of creativity through play and issues of urbanism, new design and heritage awareness that affect architects in a region undergoing dramatic change and development.

In China, Building Asia Brick by Brick will begin in June with broad public exposure as part of the touring Get It Louder! (GIL) festival, on display at major shopping centers located in the urban hubs of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu. GIL engages China's dynamic, intelligent and trend-conscious youth population by bringing together cutting-edge international and Chinese creative talent in the art, design and architecture fields, and continues through September.

In December, Building Asia Brick by Brick will travel to Shenzhen as part of the 2nd Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism & Architecture. It will then exhibit in Spring 2008 as a stand-alone display at the government-sponsored education center Soong Ching Ling Foundation Children's Science & Technology Pavilion in Beijing, incorporating innovative children's educational programs and workshops lead by participating architects. 'Building Asia Brick by Brick' tours to New York in 2008 with an exhibition, youth educational programs and an auction of the LEGO' models.

Building Asia Brick by Brick originates from a special feature in ArtAsiaPacific no. 49 (June, 2006) for which nine leading Asia and Pacific architectural firms created original models from custom kits of white LEGO' bricks. The touring exhibition will include the original models and additional models that ArtAsiaPacific and People's Architecture have commissioned from China's most exciting architects.

The Building Asia Brick by Brick (BABB) website will be updated frequently. Check back soon for the launch of the BABB blog featuring Wei Wei Shannon and Andrew Gluckman from People's Architecture and participating architects as well as exclusive previews of models, exhibition sites and documentation of the design process!