Michael Kokora

Partner at Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)

Michael Kokora is a partner at OMA and is based in Hong Kong. In 2009 he established OMA Asia together with OMA partner David Gianotten. Within the Asia Pacific region, he is responsible for leading a large portion of OMA*AMO’s portfolio and is developing projects in China, South East Asia, and Australia. He oversaw the design and construction of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2007 to the building’s completion in 2013. Other projects have included: the conceptual masterplan for Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, an office tower in Kuala Lumpur, a residential project on the peak in Hong Kong, a cultural resort in Indonesia, a broadcasting facility in Indonesia, and AMO's revitalization projects in Jakarta. Michael is an Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong where he teaches in the Master of Architecture program. Prior to joining OMA, he worked for 10 years on a wide range of projects in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from Yale University.

Shi Jian

Architectural critic, curator, strategy director of ISREADING CULTURE Beijing, founding partner of Position Shenzhen

Shi Jian independently curated Regeneration Strategy: New Xisi Bei Project International Invitation Exhibition (2007, Beijing), The People’s Architectures, Hsieh Ying-Chun, Architect (2011, Beijing/Shenzhen/Hong Kong/Shanghai) and Upgrade Strategy: International Invitational Exhibition on OCT-Loft Concept Design (2011, Shenzhen). Exhibitions he has co-curated include Building China: Five Projects, Five Stories (2008, New York) and China Design Exhibition – Space Design (2012, Shenzhen). Shi Jian’s work mainly involves research and criticism of urban space/architecture, a subject on which he has also planned and edited a number of books.

Michael Kahn-Ackermann (Stiftung Mercator China Special Representative)

The Mercator Salon is a series of events run by Stiftung Mercator in Beijing. The salons provide a platform for Chinese and Europeans to exchange ideas and opinions on topical issues relevant to culture and society. The first three rounds of Mercator Salons took place from October 2012 to November 2013 on the topics of “Cultural Metropolis – Metropolitan Culture”, “Money and Happiness” and “Intellectuals and the Role of Science in China and Europe”.

In 2014 Stiftung Mercator will cooperate with Lens magazine in organizing a new round of Mercator Salons on the concepts of “Future” and “Home”, which are held in summer and autumn 2014 respectively.

For more information about Mercator Salon, please visit: www.mercatorsalon.de/en

About the Stiftung Mercator

Stiftung Mercator is one of the largest private foundations in Germany. It pursues clearly defined objectives in its thematic clusters of integration, climate change and arts education and achieves these objectives with a combination of socio-political advocacy and practical work. Stiftung Mercator implements its own projects and supports external projects in its centres for science and humanities, education and international affairs.

Currently, Stiftung Mercator is funding several projects in China: school and youth exchanges, multiplier encounters and fellowship programmes for young managers in the areas of civil society, politics, academia and business. We are working to create a better and more nuanced understanding of Chinese and European reality in the respective other region through long-term partnership and cooperation.

Please see www.stiftung-mercator.de/en for more information.

About Lens

Lens is a communication platform devoted to discovering the creativeness and beauty, to exploring of the values in life, and to conveying the warmth of humanity. It provides a variety of products including magazines, cultural projects, content customization, omnimedia communication, books, etc. Lens magazine is a photography and lifestyle magazine, which investigates into the deeper nature of reality and humanity and explores topics in social, cultural, public welfare, travel, fashion, business, tech and other fields.

http://www.lensmagazine.com.cn/en/about-lens