Mr Kevin K K YAPM. Arch MSc(urban Planning) MRTPI, MBIAT, GMHKIA
Lecturer of Division of Building Science and Technology
Contact InformationOffice:MMW-5419
Phone:+(852)-3442-7614
Fax:+(852)-3442-9716
Email:bskmanue@cityu.edu.hk
Web:Personal Homepage


Research InterestsUrban Design and Planning
Sustainable Development
Urban Renewal and Urban Conservation
Urban Greening

The expertise of mine as an urban planner and designer and a natural lover cannot enable me to strengthen my research under the existing context and programmes of BST. The problem is that there is an extremely large gap between research and teaching at BST. Teaching has little to do with research at BST Division. While the University has greatly emphasized upon research performance, the sort of “low profile and second class research has been a stumbling block to University recognition.
Hence, it is a rather sad story of mine but life goes on. I have developed a variety of interests from botany, Chinese medicine, from languages of at least ten countries and 3 fluent local dialects to social science of urban planning and city development, from conservation to renewal. Hopefully, these could all be able to share my knowledge with students and colleagues.
Research GrantXue, Charlie Q. L. and Kevin Manuel, Chinese Architecture 1985-2005 -- A study of its mechanism, methodology, constraints and prospects, Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Competitive Earmarked Research Grant, (CityU 1053/00H), Research Grant Council, Hong Kong government, HK$ 408,817, September 2000-- May 2003, Final report submitted in November 2004
Xue, Charlie Q. L. Xue, Kevin Yap and Wang Jun, Building and Urban Space in a City's Celebrative Event - A Study on the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, Strategic Research Fund from City University of Hong Kong, No.7002605, $180,000, May 2010 - April 2011
Xue, Charlie Q. L., Kevin Manuel and Issac K C Ng, Redesign of the derelict city area—an alternative urban design model for Hong Kong, Strategic Research Fund from City University of Hong Kong, No. 700947-720, HK$ 235,000, August 1999 — September 2001
Sustainable Street, 2002-03, $44000. Sponsored by Division Teaching Research Grant
PublicationsBook ChaptersYang Yong Sheng et Al, Chinese Architecture of the 20th Century, Several sections on Hong Kong Architecture Description in published by Tianjin Science and Technology Publishing Ltd. pp 177, 178, 446, 560 & 56, (Chinese Edition) 1999.
The Review and Inspiration of Hong Kong Architecture in the 90s in “A Collection of Works of Architectural Critics, China Constructiojn Press, (Chinese Edition) 2000.
Miao (ed) Public Places of Asian Pacific Countries: Current Issues and Strategies, University of Hawaii, pp. 171-190. “Chapter 9: The Quest for Better Public Spaces: A Critical Review of Urban Hong Kong” in “Public Places in Asian Pacific Cities-Current Issues and Strategies, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001.
Planning, Territorial Development Strategy and Development Control in Building Design and Development in Hong Kong, 2003.
“Urban Planning and Territorial Development Strategy” in Property Development and Project Management in Hong Kong, Division of Building Science and Technology, Chinese Edition, 2011.
Journal Articles"Evolution of American House
Architectural Development of HK in the 90s" Building Journal, Jan., 2000, (English), page 54-63
"Architectural Development of HK in the 90s (Chinese)
Investigation of Public Space in Monkgok
HKIA Journal, Issue 41, Page 20-33, 1^st Quarter, 2005.
Conference PapersA Quest for Cultural Heritage and Development Strategies” at the University of Hawaii,USA, April, 1997.
"The Civic Space of Urban Hong Kong after 1997
Public Space in the Derelict Old City Area- A Case Study of Mongkok
Achieving a Cleaner Environment by Ecological Design-A Natural Approach towards Sustainability
Street Rebirth to foster Cultural Identity in Urban Hong Kong" in Proceedings of Great Asian Streets Symposium: “Public Space 2002”, held in July 25 & 26, at National University of Singapore.
"Renewal of Urban Streets in Hong Kong" in the Academic Treatise of 2002 International Symposium on Architecture and Culture in Lushan Mountain Jiangxi, China.
Identities of Hong Kong Architecture in the Academic Treatise of 2002 International Symposium on Architecture and Culture in Lushan Mountain Jiangxi, China.
"Implementing PBL Curriculum- A comparative Analysis between Problems and Projects
Public Space 2006", held in Dec, 2006 at National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Identity from Mediocrity –the Challenge of Built Heritage Conservation in HK, in ISAIA, Beijing. (International Symposium on Architectural Interchanges in Asia), 2008
Quality Urban Space-Does it go anywhere in Hong Kong?, in Asian Street Symposium, organised and hosted by National University of Singapore, 2009.
Urban Renewal in high-dense cities-HK as a Model? In China Urban Housing Conference, Hefei, 2009.
Urban Greening for a Sustainable City – Issues and Challenges in Urban Hong Kong, organized by ISAIA held in Kyushu, Japan.