The Beyond Territories - Made, Make, Making exhibition in Beijing on September 20, 2022 Photo: Courtesy of Hong Kong Institute of Architects

A new exhibition featuring Hong Kong's achievements in urban design and orchestrating a matrix of "past meets future" and "East meets West" opened in Beijing's Choi Centre on Tuesday. 

As part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the Beyond Territories - Made, Make, Making exhibition hosted by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects aims to give mainlanders more opportunities to learn more about Hongkongers and how they created a city with a unique dense and diverse aesthetics. 

The "significant exhibition, telling the great story of Hong Kong architects" will have mainlanders "celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region together" through a series of inspiring architectural designs exploring the populated and diverse Hong Kong and savoring the city's tenacious spirit and unique landscape, said Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in a pre-recorded video during the opening.

He believes that the "living environment for Hong Kong residents can be better" with the support of the motherland and the central government. 

According to the exhibition's curators, considering the city's diverse culture and rich traditions, Hong Kong architects have always aspired to create a sustainable city and strived to bridge the gap between the past and future by using their expertise and paying close attention to heritage conservation practices while also taking into account technological innovation. 

Each of the three sections - Made, Make and Making - allows visitors to learn about the rich history, essence and legacy of Hong Kong, the local creativity and imagination that emerged from "each street and alleyway," and how contemporary cities concentrate on possibilities that lead to innovation and new foundations.

Among the exhibits is Street Scene Dream, which is designed as a presentation of radically distinct shapes and layers throughout time. 

Like the rings inside a tree, miles of skyline radiate the energy of different eras in the Hong Kong history while leading viewers into a fast-forward view of an immersive world, turning a sleepwalk into a sweet dream.

An innovative and creative design on display is the Musical Faucet, which is fitted with a linear array of 13 spouts. 

The artwork may remind some visitors of the traditional Chinese stringed musical instrument known as guzheng, or the Chinese plucked zither. 

The faucet is therefore reassembled into an architectural guzheng through the use of various materials and fittings. 

"This is the first time that the Hong Kong architectural industry has hosted such a large scale exhibition in Beijing," said Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Yeung Yun-hung in a video, adding that he hopes more and more exchange events will take place in the future. 

"It allows us to see the wonderful works created by the many talented architects, designers and artists that have really encouraged us. 

They have succeeded in showing the unique beauty of Hong Kong in the past, present and future. 

Through the exhibition, we hope to stimulate everyone's imagination as well as care for the well-being of the local and global environment, and to further demonstrate the various contributions of architects to our daily lives," said architect Lim Wan-fung, one of the curators, in Beijing on Tuesday. 

The exhibition in Beijing will last until October 5.