The Main Building has been home to the Faculty of Arts for the past century. It has been the icon of the Faculty, as well as the University itself. In two years’ time, the Faculty will move from the oldest to the newest building of the campus. As the last of the Faculty series, we will have a dialogue with Professor Kam Louie, Dean of Arts. Looking both backward and forward, Professor Louie will share with us how the new Building at Centennial Campus would bring the Faculty to new heights.

Q: The Faculty of Arts is one of the founding faculties of the University and is housed in the Main Building for nearly a century. What are the spatial constraints of the Building during the faculty’s rapid expansion in the past decades?

A: The Faculty has developed rapidly in the past few decades and is one of the largest faculties in the University, with more than 2,000 students and about 200 academic staff. Now we have four Schools (Chinese, English, Humanities, Modern Languages and Cultures) and one Centre (Centre for Applied English Studies) and many are already scattered at different locations such as KK Leung Building, Pao Siu Loong Building and Hung Hing Ying Building. Our Faculty is also the most international one in HKU, with over 65% of staff coming from outside Hong Kong and Mainland China.

The Main Building itself is an iconic building that attracts large numbers of photographers all year round and Lok Yew Hall is also very popular for all sorts of cultural community events. But, unfortunately despite this uniqueness as a cultural site, it lacks common gathering spaces for Faculty staff members to discuss projects or hold meetings. The situation will greatly improve at the new Arts Building.

Q: Are there any differences in spatial needs among the four Schools and one Centre of the Faculty?

A: Yes, for example, schools that teach languages need a State-of-the-Arts Building for the next centenary number of laboratories, and the School of English needs a drama studio for performances and training. Some schools or departments require special rooms for storing resources, like archival materials for History, as well as films and multimedia materials for Comparative Literature and Music. Similarly, Music has numerous specialized items of equipment that require particular conditions that are currently not being met in Hung Hing Ying.

Q: The Faculty will be relocated to the Centennial Campus in 2012, what will be the major benefits in terms of teaching, learning and research?

A: Generally speaking, the fact that the whole Faculty will be under the same roof would encourage more interdisciplinary research. More interaction between members of Schools
and Departments is expected and this should facilitate collaborations in teaching and innovations in course design. Resources will be stored in specially designed facilities
and can be accessed more easily. In fact, I expect more collaboration between Faculties in future. One example is the joint BA/LLB degree that will be launched in 2011, around the same time when both Arts and Law will move into their new buildings in the Centennial Campus.

Q: A lot of community outreach programmes have been organised in recent years. How would they benefit the Faculty and the community?

A: The University is a place for knowledge exchange, and this is why we carry out community outreach programmes such as the Concert Series and the University Artists Scheme. The latter, for example, has enriched campus life through workshops, screenings, exhibitions and performances. The new Building would facilitate more community programmes. For Fine Arts and Comparative Literature, we will have adequate space for public exhibition. The 1000-seat Lecture Centre in the new campus will facilitate musical and drama performances that all Hong Kong’s residents will enjoy as well.

Q: Many members of the Faculty have special feelings towards the Main Building. The new campus offers state-of-the-art facilities but may not be able to replicate the humanistic atmosphere of the Main Building. What are the views of Faculty members and
students on the relocation?

A: Some staff and students were sad to hear about the move two to three years ago. The Main Building holds many happy memories for previous and current Arts Faculty staff and students. Others will be sad to leave KK Leung, Pao Siu Loong and Hung Hing Ying. But no institution stands still and we are now focusing on the benefits that the new purposebuilt building brings. Once we are relocated with the whole of the faculty drawn together in one location I am confident that a new sense of belonging will develop among colleagues and in their connection to their new working environment.