好色先生TV

Hong Kong鈥檚 West Kowloon Cultural District Authority has launched a design competition for a museum of visual culture 鈥渙n a par鈥� with New York鈥檚 Museum of Modern Art.

The call to international architects came hours before the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) held the inaugural meeting of its new Hong Kong chapter.

The 60,000 m² museum, dubbed 鈥淢+鈥�, will be situated on Kowloon鈥檚 waterfront, at the edge of a 14 hectare park. It will a world-class permanent visual-culture collection, as well as providing space for artists to meet, exhibit and experiment.

M+ executive director Lars Nittve said the project sought to redefine the public鈥檚 understanding of museums.

鈥淚t aims to be a museum that is rooted in and shaped by its location - Hong Kong. A museum for its time and place also requires a building for its time and place,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e are looking for a design team who share our values and ambitions and will work with us to set M+ apart as an entirely unique museum.鈥�

Up to six design teams will be shortlisted in December, for a final appointment scheduled for summer 2013. The deadline for expressions of interest is October 15.

Meanwhile, RIBA鈥檚 launch of a Hong Kong chapter this week was hailed by British Consul-General Andrew Seaton as 鈥渁nother sign of the continued strong growth in business and professional links between the UK and Hong Kong鈥�.

The institute said it had some 600 members in the former colony and mainland China, and that the chapter would enable it to offer increased support and provide networking opportunities, a forum for local activities and continuing professional development.

RIBA President Angela Brady said that as home to some of the world鈥檚 best architecture, Hong Kong was 鈥渁 perfect base鈥� for the institute to promote the important role of architecture throughout the wider region.