Recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship for Undergraduate Students in 1996/97
尤德爵士紀念基金本科生獎學金1996/97年度得獎者
Many think of architects as designers that produce sketches. For one of the award recipients of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarships for Undergraduate Students 1996/97, Ms Florence Chan, the pursuit of architecture is a journey that encompasses passion for design, hunger for knowledge and a belief in team work.
At young age, Ms. Chan’s favorite pass time activity was building models of all kinds. Her first encounter with architecture was through reading floor plans from apartment sales brochure whereby she was fascinated by how three dimensional space being represented on two dimensional drawings. Against this background, Ms. Chan opted to pursue architectural study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) after HKCEE. The four-year education at CUHK proved to be a life-changing experience for Ms. Chan. Not only did the program equipped Ms. Chan with the technical know-how to be an architect. More importantly, she learned the importance of critical thinking, and the importance to listen and respond to criticism. After graduated from CUHK with First Class Honour, Ms. Chan decided to get out of her comfort zone, and further her study abroad at Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), where she completed her Master in Architecture. Those who were invited to give lectures at the GSD are all outstanding architects and scholars. The opportunity to be joining those lecture as students was an eye-opening experience for Ms. Chan.
Upon graduation, Ms. Chan joined Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, the firm that designed IFC Hong Kong. After studying and working in the US for almost a decade, Ms. Chan decided to return to Hong Kong in 2007. Since then, she has been working at the New York-based architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox and Associates PC (KPF) and she is now a Director overseeing the firm’s projects in Hong Kong and mainland China.
One of Ms. Chan’s favorite and memorable project is Hysan Place – a project which sets new standard for sustainable building in Hong Kong. Ms. Chan vividly recalled her encounter with Mr. Peter Lee, the late Chairman of Hysan Development. “Mr. Lee’s determination to build the most sustainable building in town was the most admirable. Without him pushing the limit of the design team, the Hysan Place today would have been very different. He showed me what a great leader can do to make an impact.” Unfortunately, the Chairman passed away before the completion of the project. Now, when Ms. Chan passed by Hysan Place, she would think of the Chairman and be reminded the importance to lead by example.
At present, Ms. Chan is leading a team of architects on the design and construction of the new Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) Campus project which is scheduled to open in Fall 2022. The opportunity to design an entire campus from scratch is a once-in-a-life time experience. As a professional for almost 20 years, Ms. Chan still finds herself learning daily in this challenging project. “The opportunity to design buildings that provide a good and sustainable learning environment for our future generation is a very meaningful act. It makes all the late night hard work worthwhile” said Ms. Chan.
Outside work, Ms. Chan is currently serving as the Vice-President (President-elect 2022) of the American Institute of Architects Hong Kong Chapter. Under her leadership, the Chapter has launched programs to provide career guidance to students who are interested in pursuing a career in architecture. A strong believer in the power of education, Ms. Chan taught architectural design at her alma mater CUHK. Ms. Chan is currently serving as a mentor in the Mentorship Programme of the Sir Edward Youde Scholars Association. “I was very fortunate to have benefited from different great mentors at different moments of my career, and I understand the importance of having such supports. Now that I am a mentor myself, I realize the role of a mentor is not only a one way sharing. I learned from my mentees, too!” Through sharing, we can all become a better person.
大眾對建築師認識一般都限於設計及畫圖，但對於尤德爵士紀念基金獎學金96/97年得獎者陳麗姍女士來說，要把建築作為終身職業，它包含了對設計的熱情，對知識的追求，以及對團隊合作的信念。
陳女士小時的嗜好包括拼砌各種模型，她首次接觸建築設計，可算是看到售樓書中的平面圖，當時她對於二維平面圖能將複雜的三維空間表達感到好奇，在反復自學的過程中她學會了建築的抽象表達方法。
隨著少年時期的啓思，陳女士在中學會考後，順理成章的選擇了入讀香港中文大學的建築系。四年的建築教育改變了陳女士的一生，中大除了為她提供良好的建築知識基礎外，更讓她了解批判思考、聆聽和回應批評的重要性。陳女士以一級榮譽的成績取得本科學位後，她離開熟悉的學習環境，遠赴美國哈佛大學設計學院深造，並獲得建築學碩士學位。能夠到哈佛講學的都是在建築界有一定影響力的建築師或學者，能夠以學生身份參與每一場精采的演講令陳女士眼界大開。
哈佛大學畢業後，陳女士加入了美國Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects （PCPA），PCPA最為大家熟悉的作品應該是香港國際金融中心。留美10年，陳女士於2007年回流香港工作，於美國 KPF 建築事務所香港辦事處工作，現時擔任項目總監，負責公司在香港和中國大陸的項目。
回首過往建築生涯，陳女士最喜愛及自豪的作品可算是銅鑼灣希慎廣場。這項目極具意義，它為香港往後的可持續建築制定了新的標準。陳女士仍懷念著當時希慎主席利定昌先生對可持續建築那種熱切的追求，決心要把項目建設為當時香港最環保的建築。如果當時沒有利主席對項目帶領及推動，現今希慎廣場必定截然不同,他令陳女士明白領導能力的重要。不幸地，主席在項目落成前突然離世，亦使陳女士每次經過銅鑼灣時都會想起主席及其以身作則的處事手法。
目前，陳女士正帶領團隊專注於香港科技大學（廣州）校園的設計及建造。該校園計劃在2022年九月開學。能把整個校園由零開始策劃建造是建築師生涯難得的機會，雖然有超過20年的工作資歷，陳女士每天都在這個具有挑戰性的項目中學習。想到可以為學生提供一個良好及可持續的學習環境，使她感到每天長時間辛勞工作都是值得的。
工作以外，陳女士也熱心參與建築師學會事務，她為現任美國建築師學會香港分會副主席（2022主席）。在她領導下，分會正為有志投身建築界的學生提供職業輔導。一直堅信教育的必要，她亦回到母校中大擔任客席教授，把自己的專業知識及工作經驗分享予學妹學弟。
現時陳女士參與尤德學者協會的Mentorship Programme中擔任mentor。她很感恩能夠在職業生涯裡不同時刻受益於不同的mentor，作為過來人，她很理解互相扶持的必要。從mentee成為mentor，陳女士領會到mentor的角色不只是單向的分享，而是雙向的學習。透過互相交流分享，大家都有機會改善及進步，同步向前。