profile

Melody Hoi-lam YIU

Melody is an urban researcher-designer focusing on public architecture design and cultural development, currently a Research Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). 

Following a decade-long career in architecture and urban design practice, she integrates professional expertise with insight into the arts and cultural sectors to pursue research on urban and cultural development, as well as engage in artistic collaborations and spatial design projects. Her recently published monograph, “Cultural Architecture and Late-colonial Space” (Routledge, 2025), presents the first comprehensive study of Town Halls and Cultural Centres in Hong Kong built in the late 20th century. Her current research continues to examine municipal cultural buildings as an architectural and institutional typology, with a focus on cultural infrastructure and spatial agency in the cultural development of Asian cities.

姚凱琳

從事設計及研究工作，專注公共建築和文化發展。現為香港中文大學建築學院研究助理教授。

早年於跨國企業任職時曾主理大型規劃及城市設計項目，於2018年回港定居後，結合專業經驗和對文化藝術的關注，轉型研究城市建築及文化發展議題，同時進行各類跨界別空間設計及藝術創作項目。近期出版的專著《文化建築與後殖民空間》（Routledge，2025）深入探討香港文化中心和新市鎮大會堂的設計建設與城市發展的關係，目前研究探討公共空間作為文化基礎建設及亞洲城市文化建築發展等相關議題。

MelodyHLYiu@cuhk.edu.hk | melodyyiu@icloud.com

Research | Design | Teaching

---

RESEARCH AREA

• Late 20th century Public Architecture
• Urban and Cultural Development
• Cultural Infrastructure
• Participatory Arts and Cultural Practices
• Urban Design and Public Space

PUBLICATIONS (selected)

• Melody Hoi-lam YIU (2025), Cultural Architecture and Late-Colonial Space: Constructing Cultural Centres in Hong Kong. Research in Architecture Series, Routledge.
• Melody H Yiu, Ashley Lee Wong, Sui Fong Yim (2025), “Ecologies of Participation: a practice-based research collaboration across architecture, arts, and technology”, Asia Pacific Artistic Research Network 2025 Conference Proceedings.
• Melody Hoi-lam YIU (2024), “No room for culture? A brief review of cultural and urban planning in Hong Kong since the late 20th century”. In Ian Morley and Hendrik Tieben (eds.), International Planning History Society Proceedings, 20th IPHS Conference, TU Delft Open. DOI: 10.7480/iphs.2024.1.7636
• Melody Hoi-lam YIU (2022), “Cultural Centers in Hong Kong: Welfare Provision or Economic Instrument?” Architecture and Culture. DOI: 10.1080/20507828.2021.2020040

RESEARCH PROJECTS (selected)

• “Practice-as-Research: Producing Knowledge through Participatory Creative Practice.” 2024 – 2026. Research Institute for Humanities. Faculty of Arts, CUHK. [co-PI: YIM Sui Fong (FAA) and Ashley Lee WONG (CRS)]
• “GroundMusic / Startup Space for Aspiring Musicians: Connecting Culture and Urban Space.” 2024 – 2025. Knowledge Transfer Project Fund. Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer Service. CUHK.
• “Market Life: Understanding Domesticity in Public Space.” 2024. Design Trust Seed Grant. [Partner with Dr Veera Fung Sze-Wai as Atelier In]

Education

• PhD in Architecture | School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
• Executive MSc in Cities | London School of Economics, London, UK.