Prof CJ Lim

Research summary

I engage in multi-disciplinary research in urban planning, architecture and landscape, focusing on cultural, social and sustainability issues. My research of cities is developed through a new urban paradigm - the ‘Smartcity’. The work addresses what the spatial and phenomenological implications are when sustainable design is applied to a city, what new hybrid typologies of programme and landscape are birthed, and the role that we as citizens will play in the production of a relevant social space. A central component of the Smartcity is urban agriculture and the establishment of an ecological symbiosis between nature and built form. New-built or retrofitted, the Smartcity promotes the significance of local food culture, global food security and food as energy. On a different scale, my architectural research is in the physical potential and the intellectual relationships between the ‘drawing’, the ‘assembly’ and architecture as ‘built cultural assemblage’. My most celebrated piece of research architecture as ‘built cultural assemblage’ is ‘Virtually Venice’, a project commissioned by the British Council UK for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2004 and exhibited in the British Pavilion; the research investigated differences and similarities of East-West cultures and identities. Other key research projects include 'London in two-and-a-half dimensions', ‘Multi-Cultural’, ‘How Green is your Garden?’ and ‘Sins’.

The resulting research outputs have been internationally published in books, periodicals and newspapers, won numerous international awards, and are part of the permanent architectural collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum London, Fonds Regional d’Art Contemporain du Centre [FRAC] France, and RIBA British Architectural Library London. Solo and group international exhibitions have been in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Lisbon, Melbourne, Beijing, and also at ARCHILAB and FRAC Orleans France; in London at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Academy of Arts, Dulwich Picture Gallery and Barbican Arts Centre’s ‘Future Cities’, Venice Architecture Biennale 04: British Pavilion, Mackintosh Museum Glasgow, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Storefront Gallery New York, Academie de France Rome, Canadian Institute of Architecture Montreal, Nara World Architecture Triennale, UIA 2011 Tokyo Convention, National Gallery Museum Athens, and Museo Nazionale Rome. 

I have authored eight books based on my urban planning and architecture design research - ‘Short Stories: London in two-and-a-half dimensions’ (Routledge UK + USA, 2011), ‘Smartcities + Eco-warriors’ (Routledge UK + USA, 2010), ‘Virtually Venice’ (The British Council UK, 2006), ‘NeoArchitecture: Studio 8 Architects’ (Images Publishing Australia, 2005), ‘Museums [work in process]’ (Glasgow School of Art Press, 2004), ‘How Green is Your Garden?’ (Wiley Academy UK + USA, 2003), ‘Sins + Other Spatial Relatives’ (Ind-E 8 Publishing London, 2001), and ‘441/10…we’ll reconfigure your space when you’re ready’ (Ind-E 8 Publishing London, 1996). The four books I edited ‘Devices’ (Architectural Press Elsevier UK + USA, 2005) and ‘Realms of Impossibility: Air, Ground + Water’ 3 volumes (Wiley Academy UK + USA, 2002) were critical enquiries into the potential of innovative architecture, utopian ideals and unorthodox methodologies of spatial explorations.

Teaching summary

Since 1993, my main teaching contribution has been at Postgraduate MArch Diploma level. The current discourse of my teaching is ‘Sustainable Cities: Planning, Constructing, and Inhabiting’, with previous themes being ‘Architecture as Spatial Devices’ and ‘Architecture as Cultural Assemblage’. Over the years, I have continuously created innovative teaching/learning materials to assure freshness in the discourse of my teachings and provided leading-edge education at international levels. From 1993-2011, the RIBA President’s International Medals for Education were awarded to my students as follows:  7 Silver Medal (postgraduate) winners, 3 Silver Medal runner-ups, 2 Bronze Medal (undergraduate) winners, and 3 Bronze Medal runner-ups, 2 Skidmore Owings Merrill Travelling Fellowships and 9 Serjeant Awards for Excellence in Drawing. On a personal level, I have been awarded 4 Royal Institute of British Architects International Teaching Awards for contribution to architectural education; the highest number ever awarded to a single individual.

I am a regular international Visiting Critic and RIBA External Examiner; Visiting Professor at RMIT Melbourne (2012), Aarhus School of Architecture, Denmark (2002, 2009, 2012-), Seoul National University South Korea (2012), Mackintosh School of Architecture Glasgow (2001-2011), Technological University, Lund Sweden (2001, 2003, 2005-2010), University of Girona, Spain (2008), Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (2006), The Oslo School of Architecture + Design, Norway (2005), Chiba Institute of Technology Japan (2004), Waseda University, Tokyo Japan (2002), Stadelschule, Frankfurt Germany (1997, 2000), and Curtin University, Perth Australia (1996). I have presented over 100 international lectures and conference papers, including in Australia, Austria, China, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK and the USA.

Publications

Show more publications