Du, Juan 杜鵑
BDesign(Florida); MArch(Princeton); Fulbright Fellow; PhD(ETH Zurich)
ContactHKU Scholars HubUEDLPublicationsStudiosResearch
Bio
Juan Du is Dean of the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto. She is also Honorary Professor at The University of Hong Kong and founding director of the Faculty of Architecture’s Urban Ecologies Design Lab (UEDL). She will continue her engagement with Hong Kong through collaborations with HKU as well as continued long-term social services and housing projects in the city.
Juan Du has previously taught at The University of Hong Kong and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She holds a Doctorate from ETH Zürich and MArch from Princeton University and is the recipient of a US Fulbright Fellowship for research on contemporary Chinese urbanisation and architecture. She has previously taught and practised in the US, Europe, and China, and founded her Hong Kong-based office IDU_architecture in 2006. Through research and design projects, she regularly collaborates with various community stakeholders to understand and improve the urban and architectural qualities of housing conditions and informal communities.
Her works have been featured by wide-ranging media such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, Nature, Architectural Record, ICON, Domus, and Journal of Architectural Education. Her latest book The Shenzhen Experiment – The Story of China’s Instant City published by Harvard University Press, is recipient of the 2020 Book of the Year Award for Interdisciplinary Research by ASU’s Institute for Humanities Research.
Research and Impact
Juan Du’s research and writings have been published in Asia, Europe and the United States, including The Architectural Review, Volume, Domus, Journal of Architectural Education, e-flux, Time+Architecture, Urban Flux and Urban China. Her book The Shenzhen Experiment: The Story of China’s Instant City was recently published by Harvard University Press. Juan is a recognised scholar on China’s rapid urbanisation, and her works have been featured by international journals and media such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, CNN, Wired, and Nature.
Juan Du’s current research and design focus is on the relationships between urban planning and informal development within rapid urbanisation, specifically on the ‘urban villages’ of Shenzhen, and the ‘subdivided units’ of Hong Kong. Through research and design projects, she regularly collaborates with various stakeholders within the urbanisation process of China Mainland and Hong Kong, including governmental institutions, community organisations, NGOs, and individual residents.
Design and Curatorial
Juan Du has practised extensively in the US, Europe, as well as China, and founded her Hong Kong-based office IDU_architecture in 2006, with projects ranging from the extent of built forms to the social and ecological processes of the city.? Her works have been exhibited internationally including multiple presentations at the Venice Architecture Biennale and the Shenzhen Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\ Architecture.? Juan was the Chief Curator of ‘Quotidian Architectures’, Hong Kong’s participation in the 2010 Venice Biennale of Architecture; Curator of the ‘Housing an Affordable City’ exhibition at the 2011 Shenzhen Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale, and Curator of the 2020 ‘Rethinking Shenzhen’ exhibition at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning.
Research Interests:
Urban Villages
Subdivided Units
Urban Informality
Urban Ecologies
Community Design and Place-Making
Social and Transitional Housing
Extreme Density and Environments
Publication List （Selected）
BOOK
Juan Du (2020). The Shenzhen Experiment: The Story of China’s Instant City. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
BOOK CHAPTERS
Juan Du (2020). Shenzhen’s Urban Villages: A Micro-Political Tale from China’s Mega-City. In Rainer Hehl, Patricia Ventura and Sascha Delz (Eds.), Housing the Co-op: A Micropolitical Manifesto. Berlin: Ruby Press.
Juan Du (2016). Back to the Future: Urban Design Informed by Shenzhen’s Hidden Rural History. In Linda Vlassenrood (Ed.), Shenzhen: From Factory of the World to World City (pp. 70-83). Rotterdam: nai010.
Juan Du (2016). Urban Villages and the Special Economic Zone – How Formal Planning and Informal Development Generated the Exceptional Urbanism of Shenzhen. In Dai Chun (Ed.) Shenzhen Contemporary Architecture 2000-2015 (pp. 400-405). Shanghai: Tongji University Press.
Juan Du (2015). ‘Low Carbon City Users’ Manual: An International Academic Research Project’ (pp. 160-169). ‘Low Carbon City – A Designer’s Manual’, by Juan Du, Phil Jones, Dorothy Tang, Ivan Valin, and Natalia Echeverri (pp. 170-179). In Seeking A Path To Future Low Carbon Cities, Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press.
Juan Du (2015). Sustaining What? In Shi Jian (Ed.), New Observations: A Collection of Architectural Criticism. Shanghai: Tongji University Press.
Juan Du (2010). The Hands that Built the City. In Lot Felizco and Madeleine Marie Slavick (Eds.), China Voices (pp. 74-79). Hong Kong: Oxfam.
Juan Du (2008). Don’t Underestimate the Rice Fields. In Ilka and Andreas Ruby (Eds.), Urban Transformation (pp. 218-225). Berlin: Ruby Press.
JOURNAL ARTICLES
Juan Du (2018). Shenzhen 2005: Crisis Amidst Celebration. Volume, 54, 14-17.
Juan Du (2018). Beyond Classification. e-flux, architecture. https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/urban-village/169804/beyond-classification/ (December 2018)
Juan Du (2018). Project Home Improvement: Movable Upgrades and Community Engagement in Hong Kong’s Subdivided Units. Domus China, 90-99.
Juan Du (2018). How I. M. Pei’s Bank of China Tower Changed Hong Kong’s Skyline. CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/style/article/100-years-of-i-m-pei-bank-of-china/index.html (4 Jan, 2018).
Juan Du (2017). Industrial Strength: New into Old, The Architectural Review, Issue 1447, December 2017/January 2018.
Juan Du (2017). History of Shenzhen and the formation of Urban Villages, Special Issue on Design for the City/ Shenzhen, Urban Environment Design, 108 (8): 34-39.
Juan Du (2016), ‘From Design with Nature to Design with Carbon? – A Brief History of the Low Carbon City (LCC),’ Urban Environment Design, 101 (6): 228-235.
Juan Du (2016). Intervention into Hong Kong’s Urban Informality, Special Issue on Modernology Research in China, Urban Flux, 51 (5), 60-65.
Juan Du (2015). Shenzhen: the Start-up Megacity, Weapons of Reason, October.
Juan Du (2014). Urban Myth of the New Chinese City, Time+Architecture, July.
Juan Du (2013). Open House and Room with a Changing View, Urban Environment Design, 076, 186-189.
Juan Du (2011). Sustaining What? Communities as the Foundation for Social Sustainability and Development, Urban Flux New Perspective (Special Report), 20, 15-20. (In Chinese)
Juan Du (2010). Urban Myth of a New Chinese City, Journal of Architectural Education, 63 (2), 65-66.
Juan Du (2009). Shenzhen Central Huanggang Village Redevelopment Research and Proposal, Urban China (Guest ed. Neville Mars), 35, 52-53.
Juan Du et al. (2007). Historical Development of Modern City, Urban China.
Juan Du (2006). Sustainable Design in Chinese Cities, IL Giornale Dell’Architettura, (9), 24-26.
Juan Du (2006). Urban and Rural Codependency, Urban China, 12, 86-87.
Juan Du (2004), Min Gong: City Builders, Domus, 873, 58-69. (In English and Italian)
CONFERENCE PAPERS/ EXHIBITION CATALOGUES
Juan Du (2019). The Dancing Dream Hall. In Juchuan Li (Ed.), Architecgure, or Architecture: The First Borderless Architecture Season. Guangzhou: Fei Arts.
Juan Du (2018). Shenzhen: Urban Informality in a Formal City, IASTE 2018: The Politics of Tradition, 16th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments, Portugal, October 2018.
Juan Du (2017). Documenting Urban Villages (pp. 182-185); Massive Change: Centuries of Shenzhen’s Transformation (pp. 186-191); Co-Design: Long-Term Community Engagement Through Small-Scale Home Improvements (pp. 228-229). In Cities Grow in Difference (2017 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture), Urbanism + Architecture Chapter.
Juan Du (2017). 1 Km2 Urban Block: Co-Evolution of City and Urban Villages (pp. 64-65); Community Intervention: Adaptive Reuse of Historic Hakka Village Compound (pp. 66-67). In Rural-Urban(ism) Breakthrough (Guidebook of Shangwei Sub-venue of 2017 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture).
Juan Du (2015). From Village to City: The Informal History of Shenzhen. In Re-living the City, Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture, Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (pp. 96-97).
Juan Du (2014). 10 Million Units: Housing and Affordable City. In?Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture organizing committee (Ed.), Architecture creates cities. Cities create architecture: 2011 Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (pp. 256-269). Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press.
Juan Du (2014). Safari SZHK. In?Studio Archipelago (Ed.), Urban Border: 2013 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Shenzhen) (pp. 94-97). Shanghai: Tongji University Press.
Juan Du (2013). Safari SZHK: Shenzhen Base Camp. In?Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture Organizing Committee (Ed.), Urban Border (pp. 68-69).
Juan Du and Janette Kim (2013). Safari SZHK: Hong Kong Base Camp. In?Travis Bunt (Ed.), Beyond the Urban Edge:?The Ideal City? (pp. 48-49). Hong Kong: HKIA, HKIP, HKDA.
Juan Du (2013). City Metamorphosis: Shenzhen Caiwuwei Research. In Ou Ning (Ed.), South of the Southern: Space, Geography, History & the Biennale (pp. 162-165). Beijing: China Youth Press.
Juan Du (2011). 10 Million Units: Housing and Affordable City. In Terence Riley (Ed.), 2011 Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture Exhibition Catalogue (pp. 26-27). N.p: n.p.
Juan Du (2010), Quotidian Architectures, Exhibition Catalogue. In Hong Kong Exhibition of the 12th International Architecture Exhibition- La Biennale di Venezia. N.p: n.p. ?
Juan Du and Nicola Borg-Pisani (2010). Performativecity\Co-OP/HK. In Weijen Wang and Thomas Chung (Eds.), Refabricating City: A Reflection (p. 183). Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.
Juan Du (2010). Quotidian Architectures: Hong Kong in Venice. In Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia (Ed.), People Meet in Architecture Biennale Architectura 2010, Exhibition Catalogue (pp. 194-195). Venice: Marsilio Editori s.p.a.
Juan Du (2008), City Recognition, In Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia (Ed.), Out There: Architecture Beyond Building Catalo, Volume 4 (p. 169). Aaron Betsky, Venice: Marsilio Editori s.p.a.
Juan Du (2008). City Recognition. In Culture Fabricate: Hong Kong in Venice, Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (p. 74). N.p.: n.p.
Juan Du and Nicola Borg-Pisani (2008). Performativecity\Co-OP/HK. In Leo Oufan Lee and Desmond Hui (Ed.), Refabricating City, Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\ Architecture, Exhibition Catalogue (p. 72). N.p: n.p.
Juan Du (2007). One City, Two Systems. In Stan Fung and Ye Zhu (Ed.), Urban New Spectacle, Contemporary Architecture Invitation Exhibition Catalogue (pp. 70-71). N.p.: n.p.
Yung Ho Chang, Shaoxiong Cheng, & Juan Du (2007). ‘Urban Tools,’ & ‘Micro-Urbanism.’ In Hanru Hou et al. (Eds.), Beyond: An Extraordinary Space of Experimentation for Modernization, The Second Guangzhou Triennial (Exhibition Catalogue) (pp. 86-88). Guangzhou: Ling-Nan Arts Publishing House.
Juan Du (2007). Urban Tools. In Hanru Hou et al. (Eds.), Beyond: An Extraordinary Space of Experimentation for Modernization (D-Lab 2), The Second Guangzhou Triennial (Conference Proceedings) (pp. 186-203). Guangzhou: Ling-Nan Arts Publishing House (In English and Chinese).
Juan Du (2007). ‘City Metamorphisis’ & ‘Urban Ecologies.’ In Qing Yun Ma (Ed.), A Traveling Exhibition, 2007 Shenzhen Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\ Architecture, n.p. Shenzhen: Shenzhen Press Group Publishing House.
Juan Du (2007). Informal Urbanism. Paper presented at the 2nd International Holcim Forum for Sustainable Construction — ‘Urban_Trans_formation,’ Tongji University, Shanghai, China, April 18-21.
Juan Du et al. (eds.) (2005). City Open Door, Exhibition Catalogue, 1st Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\ Architecture. Shenzhen: Shenzhen Press Group Publishing House.
Publications
Juan Du. The Shenzhen Experiment: The Story of China’s Instant City (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2020).
https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=86
Juan Du. Shenzhen’s Urban Villages: A Micro-Political Tale from China’s Mega-City. In Sascha Delz, Rainer Hehl and Patricia Ventura (Eds.), Housing the Co-op: A Micropolitical Manifesto (Berlin: Ruby Press, 2020).
Juan Du. Beyond Classification. e-flux, architecture (2018). https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/urban-village/169804/beyond-classification/.
Juan Du. Project Home Improvement: Movable Upgrades and Community Engagement in Hong Kong’s Subdivided Units. Domus China (2018): 90-99.
Juan Du. History of Shenzhen and the formation of Urban Villages, Special Issue on Design for the City/ Shenzhen, Urban Environment Design, 108 (2017): 34-39.
Juan Du. Back to the Future: Urban Design Informed by Shenzhen’s Hidden Rural History. In Linda Vlassenrood (Ed.), Shenzhen: From Factory of the World to World City, 70-83 (Rotterdam: nai010, 2016).
Juan Du. Urban Villages and the Special Economic Zone – How Formal Planning and Informal Development Generated the Exceptional Urbanism of Shenzhen. In Dai Chun (Ed.) Shenzhen Contemporary Architecture 2000-2015, 400-405 (Shanghai: Tongji University Press, 2016).
Juan Du, ‘From Design with Nature to Design with Carbon? – A Brief History of the Low Carbon City (LCC),’ Urban Environment Design, 101 (2016): 228-235.
Juan Du. Intervention into Hong Kong’s Urban Informality, Special Issue on Modernology Research in China, Urban Flux Journal, 51 (2016): 60-65.
Juan Du. Shenzhen: the Start-up Megacity, Weapons of Reason, October 2015.
Studios
Architecture & Urban Design I – Urban Ecologies: Safari Hong Kong & ShenzhenJuan Du
MArch Studios2013-14
Urban Ecologies of Affordable HousingJuan Du
MArch Studios2011-12
Urban Ecologies Studio 2010-11 – Water Treatment for the Forbidden CityJuan Du
MArch Studios2010-11
MArch StudioJuan Du
MArch Studios2014-15
Urban EcologiesJuan Du
MArch Studios2018-19
Research
Living on the Water: Mobile Living MuseumJuan Du
Urban Ecologies Design Lab
Community Center and Migrant Workers School – Adaptive Reuse of Historic Hakka VillageJuan Du
Urban Ecologies Design Lab
Friendship Home: Transitional Housing for the HomelessJuan Du
Urban Ecologies Design Lab
Home Improvement: Cost-Sharing FlatsJuan Du
Urban Ecologies Design Lab
Project Home Improvement – Movable Upgrades and Community Engagement in Hong Kong’s Subdivided UnitsJuan Du
Urban Ecologies Design Lab
The Shenzhen Experiment: The Story of China’s Instant CityJuan Du
Urban Ecologies Design Lab
Daily Tips to Mitigate Virus Transmission for High-Density LivingJuan Du
Urban Ecologies Design Lab
