About
ESKYIU is an interdisciplinary design studio that explores how architecture intersects with transformative cultural landscapes, mediascapes, products, print and experimental fabrication systems. Founded in New York by Eric Schuldenfrei and Marisa Yiu in 2005, they established the Hong Kong office in 2007. Their practice operates in an open collaborative environment working closely with various disciplines in a rigorous and sensitive manner.
ESKYIU seeks to design a possible future that responds to everyday needs while also referencing the past by creating a design and research practice actively integrating culture, community and technology. The interest lies in examining the ways in which the built environment and constructs of labor shape social relationships by forming connections between civic engagement, social values and sustainable design. In utilizing modest approaches they seek methods that use architecture, animation, art, and technology as a means to engage the larger public. Their tools examine, propose and advocate for change in how resources are used, managed and deployed. Challenging and rethinking how architecture plays a role in the city and global networks specific to the two sites they work and research in, the projects range from filmic research of unique architectural spaces, media narratives, interactive public installations, and manufacturing models to curatorial projects dealing with cultural education, social sustainability and community participation. Such projects involve collaborative operational techniques that bring different disciplines together to experiment in creating new possibilities.
Media and changing social structures are research generators for the projects because they force one to question the role of the architect as a citizen, as a social connector, and a spatial designer that forms an active dialogue with the larger public. By exploring media that is capable of constant change such as interactive environments, real-time software, and responsive materials, the work responds to the local community by treating the neighborhood as a laboratory to examine the dynamic functions of both renewal and preservation. Researching the space of a mainland Chinese manufacturing complex provides inspiration which propels further investigation into innovation and sustainable manufacturing techniques to explore new forms of social capital and community based structures. Applying knowledge of China and relating it back to New York’s Chinatown reveals the reality of policy, historical legacy, and design aesthetics integrated into the complex network of the two dense global regions ESKYIU resides and operates within.
BIOGRAPHIES
Eric Schuldenfrei
Eric Schuldenfrei is a designer who focuses on the evolving relationship between architecture, animation, and art. Recent projects include an art installation commissioned by Agnes Gund, President Emerita of MoMA; multi-media projects for Salvatore Ferragamo ‘Walk of Style’; and computer animations for Diller + Scofidio and The Builders Association’s Obie Award winning multi-media theatre work ‘Jet Lag’. Other work includes animated sequences for the PBS American Masters ‘Henry Luce and the Making of the American Century’ and public projects for Lincoln Center together with Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Architectural projects completed in collaboration with Marisa Yiu have been featured in many international biennales: ‘Urban Pastoral’, an architectural installation created for the 2008 Venice Biennale; ‘Human Motor: Narratives from the Assembly Line’ in Ljubljana; and ‘Mediated Labour’ for the 2007 Hong Kong- Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale. A video installation ‘The Measure of All Things’, in collaboration with artist Haluk Akakce, was exhibited at Casino Luxembourg; Kunst Werke, Berlin; The Museum of Modern Art, Frankfurt; and the Centre d’art Contemporain, Geneva.
Schuldenfrei received a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge, where he is currently completing his PhD in ‘Architecture and the Moving Image’. He taught at Princeton University for six years; Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Fine Arts; and at the Architectural Association, where the work has been published in MIT Thresholds and various other international magazines. Schuldenfrei served as the Curator for Exhibition, Education, Film, and Media for the 2009 HK SZ Bi-City Biennale of Architecture\ Urbanism. Recently he has presented and lectured at the Harvard University AsiaGSD lecture series; University of Michigan; Cranbrook Academy of Art; the University of Cambridge; and at the V&A museum in London.
Marisa Yiu
Since 2000 Marisa Yiu has been researching issues of production and consumption relating to the cultural landscape of Hong Kong. Her essay ‘Image Construction: Hong Kong since 1967-8’ recently published in LOG Journal examined Hong Kong’s relationship to the Pearl River Delta and global networks. Recently Yiu served as the Chief Curator of the 2009 HK SZ Bi-City Biennale of Architecture\ Urbanism- curating over eighty exhibitions and spearheading inventive events. Her past works include community driven projects such as ‘Brandspider’ for Whitney Museum ISP exhibition; ‘Place Markers’ with placeMatters, New York; and Chinatown Design Lab. Along with her partner Eric Schuldenfrei of ESKYIU their projects include ‘Chinatown WORK 2006’ an interactive public arts project commissioned by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and The Department of Cultural Affairs in New York City; ‘SINO’ shown at the Brooklyn Museum; ‘Nutritious: an aeroponic facade’ exhibited at Architectural Association in London, and projects for various international biennales. Prior to establishing ESKYIU, Marisa has worked on international renowned buildings and urban developments at Kohn Pederson Fox Associated PC (NY), Marble.Fairbanks Architects (NY), and taught in Spain with Ben Van Berkel and Caroline Bos of UNStudio.
Yiu has lectured at the China NEXT symposium organized by Architectural Record, UNESCO forum on ‘Historic Urban Landscapes’ in Vietnam, and the AsiaGSD ‘Specific Weights of Architecture: Asian Probes’ conference at Harvard University. She has published in A/D, Log journal, DomusChina, MIT’s thresholds, Architectural Record, Metropolis and Journal for Architectural Education. Marisa has taught at the Architectural Association in London; Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; Parsons School of Design; led workshops at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum with the Center for Urban Pedagogy; and was Assistant Professor at the Department of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences from Columbia College, Columbia University (New York) and a Master of Architecture from Princeton University. Yiu is a licensed architect in the state of New York, AIA architect member, an associate member of the HKIA and board member of the Hong Kong Ambassadors of Design.
SELECTED AWARDS AND HONOURS:
2010 Architectural League Prize for Young Architects and Designers: ReSource, Winners, ESKYIU: Eric Schuldenfrei and Marisa Yiu. (The Architectural League Prize for Young Architects and Designers is an annual juried competition and series of lectures and exhibitions organized by the Architectural League and its Committee). Please see more at http://archleague.org
2009 Hong Kong Shenzhen Bi-city Biennale of Architecture/ Urbanism, appointed 2009 Curators (Open submission competition). Selected by HKIA, HKIP, HKDA. Supported and sponsored by the Home Affairs Bureau HKSAR Government [please see more at hkszbiennale.org]
2009 Open International Ideas Competition for Noise Barrier, Noise Enclosure Design, Professional Group (Category A), ESKYIU: Eric Schuldenfrei and Marisa Yiu, 3rd Prize Winner
2008 ‘40 under 40’ awards, 40 design professionals under the age of 40 in recognition of excellence in, and outstanding contribution to the field of architecture in Greater China, Perspective Awards. ESKYIU: Eric Schuldenfrei and Marisa Yiu
2008 Culture and Humanities Fund, The University of Hong Kong, Recipients: Eric Schuldenfrei and Marisa Yiu for the Venice Biennale ‘Urban Pastoral: fabricating a Vertical Landscape’
2008 HKU Seed Grant for Research, The University of Hong Kong, Award Recipient: Marisa Yiu
2008 HKU Seed Grant for Research, The University of Hong Kong, Award Recipient: Eric Schuldenfrei
2008 Run Run Shaw Research and Teaching Endowment Fund, HKU, Award Recipient, Marisa Yiu
2008 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Award Nominee, New York, USA, Eric Schuldenfrei
2008 Leung Kau Kui Research and Teaching Endowment Fund, Eric Schuldenfrei
2008 Scott Wilson Grant, London, Eric Schuldenfrei
2007 Brancusi Grant, University of Cambridge, Eric Schuldenfrei
2007 Scott Wilson Grant, London, Eric Schuldenfrei
2007 China Travel Grant, China Affairs Office, Marisa Yiu
2006 Cameron Taylor Grant, London, Eric Schuldenfrei
2006 Creative Capital recipient, Professional Development Program, organized by The LMCC and Creative Capital, New York, Marisa Yiu
2005 Manhattan Community Arts Fund, Department of Cultural Affairs, Award Recipient, ESKYIU: Eric Schuldenfrei and Marisa Yiu
2005 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Grant for Art in Public Spaces [part of the September 11th Fund], NY Award Recipient ESKYIU: Eric Schuldenfrei and MarisaYiu
2002 Rolex Arts Initiative Mentor Protégé program, Inaugural cycle, Switzerland, nominated candidate, Marisa Yiu
2001 Suzanne Kolarik Underwood Prize, Princeton University, Award Recipient: Marisa Yiu
Both have served on various architectural juries at Princeton University School of Architecture, University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture, Graduate School of Design Harvard University, Delft University [Netherlands], New York Institute of Technology, The Hong Kong University, The Chinese University of HK, Bartlett London, Parsons School of Design, Columbia College Department of Architecture, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Southern California Institute of Architecture, University of Virginia School of Architecture, Cambridge University [UK], University of Michigan and the Architectural Association, School of Architecture London.