AAM President Arch. Ben Leong, President of the Board Arch. Christine Choi and Vice-President Arch. Donna Wu received, at AAM premise, the President of Cultural Affairs Bureau Mok Ian Ian, Vice President Leong Wai Man and Advisors of Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Lo Hou Chi and Wong Sai Peng. The main purpose of this meeting was to exchange views on the plan of the new Central Library. IC expected to build a platform for cooperation with the local construction industry on various development plans of the Bureau. AAM expressed the concern of the Association and some members on the overall development of the new Central Library project. AAM also emphasized the need for the government to foster a sustainable environment for local professionals to practice and flourish in order to cultivate local talents and that the local architects and their contributions would be fundamental to the development of Macao. ICM had just announced that the new Central Library will be located in the former Hotel Estoril and exposed four conceptual design plans provided by international architectural design team which invited by ICM.

AAM President Arch. Ben Leong and Vice-President of the Board Arch. Donna Wu received warmly the delegation of Huayi led by Vice-President Arch. Lin Yi. The current situation about the professional practice in different places was discussed during the meeting. It gives a reference to Macao architects how to participate into the works in GBA. Huayi Design Consulting Co., Ltd., headquartered in Shenzhen with many branches spreading in China, is registered in Hong Kong. It is a national-level high-tech enterprise holding “Class A Engineering Design Qualification” and “Urban and Rural Planning Preparation Class A Qualification”.

AAM GA President Ben Leong, BD President Christine Choi, BD Vice-Presidents Paulo Cheang and Donna Wu, board members Jimmy Wardhana and Manuel Lam received warmly the delegation of the Industrial and Commercial Association of the Northern Zone of Macao, led by the President Mr. Wong Kin Chong and President of the Board of Directors Mr. Ma Kin Cheong. Views on the urban renewal planning of the Northern District, which have a vision to build a diverse community that is livable, suitable for travel, suitable for business and pleasure, were exchanged during the meeting, with the aim to gather professional opinions from various fields and to advise the Government.

A delegation of Macao University of Science and technology Faculty of Humanities and Arts: Prof. Zhang Zhi Qing, Dean of the Faculty; Program Directors Huang Guang Hui and Zheng Jian Yi, visited AAM. AAM President Arch. Ben Leong, President of the Board Arch. Christine Choi, Vice-President Arch. Donna Wu, board members Arch. Mimi Cheung, Arch. Nuno Soares and Arch. Manuel Lam received them warmly. This meeting promoted exchanges and future cooperation between the two sides in various fields such as city planning, urban renewal, architectural design, heritage conservation in Macao.

AAM Vice-President of the Board of Directors Arch. Donna Wu, board members Arch. Francisco Ricarte and Arch. Jimmy Wardhana attended, through internet, two events (meeting / workshop) of ARCASIA Committee on Professional Practice and Committee on Young Architects. The theme of workshop on August 22 was “Re-Imagining the Future of Young Architects”.

The Macao Construction Industry Development Concern Group (the Six Associations) held a press conference at the premise of Macao Association of Building Constructors and Developers. AAM BD President Christine Choi, AEM BD President Clement Sio, AECEM BD President Lei Hei Ip, MABCD Supervisory Board President Tony Lao, MCA Chief Secretary Lo Chi Hou and APMCCM BD President Sio Tong Man represented to preside at the conference. At first the concern group explained the impact of COVID-19 to the industry that lack of personnel and materials supply due to restrictions on the boarder and therefore, suggested the authorities to give priority to local industry to participate in public works and to reduce part of the industry’s taxes and other expenses, in order to reduce the economic burden of the industry during this period. In line with the government’s launch of “Relief for Work”, the six associations and Labour Affairs Bureau jointly organized technical training courses to promote the upward mobility of local workers and cultivate talents. It was also briefed that the leaders of the six associations had a meeting on January 21, with Raimundo Arrais do Rosário, Secretary for Transport and Public Works and Chan Pou Ha, Director of Land, Public Works and Transportation Bureau.

AAM President of Board of Directors, Arch. Christine Choi attended the HKIA Annual Dinner at Hong Kong International Airport.

With the co-organizer of AAM, The Macao Museum of Arts organized the proposals calling for “The 17th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia –Exhibits from Macao, China”. In order to better promote the architecture of Macao to the international stage and to better fit the theme of the Biennale, finally, based on the opinions of the jury, Carlos Marreiros, a senior architect and famous artist in Macao, was invited to serve as the curator of the Macao Exhibition, and formed a team with four natives young professionals from the construction sector with experience in urban planning, i.e. Ho Teng Fong, Che Chi Hong, Lau Man Si and Chan Ka Tat, who were selected from the participants of the proposals calling. The theme of Macao Exhibition is “How will Macao live in the future: Living beyond the boundaries, Macao, Greater Bay Area”. The 17th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, with the theme “How Will We Live Together?”, is originally scheduled to be held in the summer of 2020. The organizer announced that the event will be postponed for one year due to the pandemic of the COVID-19.