Coexistence - Architecture Biennale 2016

Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macao S.A.R. Government of the People’s Republic of China, in cooperation
with Architects Association of Macao, are pleased to present a collateral exhibition, “Coexistence”, that
addresses the theme of Reporting from the Front by taking into account the unique cultural hybridisation
in Macao, the blending of the East and West, and many facets that reflect the dynamic mixed cultures.

Macao, a lucrative port of strategic importance in the development of international trade in Chinese
territory, became a Portuguese settlement in the mid-16th century and returned to China in 1999. The
“Historic Centre of Macao” is a collection of a series of locations in the old city centre that witness the
unique assimilation and coexistence of Chinese and Portuguese cultures. It was inscribed on the UNESCO
World Heritage List in 2005, and represents the architectural legacies of the city's cultural heritage,
including monuments, squares, streetscapes, churches and temples.

Macao has been a fast growing economic region in recent decades, the Historic Centre inevitably faces
challenges with emerging new and modern developments, the integrity of the major monuments and
the original urban fabric that define the historic settlement however has remained intact, with all
necessary qualities to fully convey the cultural values despite the contemporary setting of Macao.

The exhibition is based on the unique urban context of Macao, and aimed to investigate the relationship
between the local life and historical architecture, which can be influenced by the changing urban
environment and modern requirements.

Through the use of physical installation and digital communication, the exhibition will provide the
interactive opportunity to review how we can learn from these “old” buildings and the existing urban
context of Macao in a “new” way. The exhibition will explore the idea for reconditioning historical
spaces for domestic use, in which a suggestive, fertile dialogue is struck between past and present. By
presenting a series of recent restoration and regeneration projects, as well as displaying the traditional
(perhaps disappearing) building techniques and local materials that are being rediscovered, reused and
applied during the re-making process in the past and present days, one might be able to understand the
coexisting east-and west relationships between the architectural approaches and the Historic Centre.
That is, to report and share these stories at the "frontline" in Macao by referring to the theme of the
Biennale.