WHO
Map Office (Laurent Gutierrez and Valerie Portefaix)
WHAT
“Moves the boundaries of traditional architectural practice with work that ranges from territorial and urban planning to gallery installations.”
WHEN
1997 to present
WHERE
Hong Kong
WHY
“To more precisely examine the mechanisms of production and distribution and their impact on local geography and the environment.”
DESCRIBE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS WHEN DEVELOPING A NEW WORK
We usually start new work with extensive research. This can take the form of mapping and physical investigation or come through books and cinema.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE CITY THAT YOU LIVE IN?
It is probably the particular position of HK as an important hub in Asia with one of the most beautiful geographies of islands and urban density. Yet we live in HK like in a village, helped by the great sense of community developed in each neighborhood.
HOW DO YOU TRAVEL TO WORK?
We have a motorbike. The experience of driving on the highway or in the jungle is always an enjoyment.
NAME A BOOK YOU THINK EVERY CREATIVE SHOULD READ.
We have been very inspired by Edouard Glissant recently. Especially the Poetics of Relation that compose an alternative reading of the Caribbean archipelago. His text finds a great echo in what we could call the “Asian Archipelago.”