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Vivien Chan
PhD Candidate, COTCA,
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Biography
I am a PhD candidate for the ERC-funded project 'Cultures of Occupation in Twentieth-century Asia' (COTCA) Project, supervised by Jeremy Taylor. My research focuses on consumption cultures and spaces in New Town's public housing estates in Hong Kong, 1950s - 1980s. Previously I studied Illustration & Animation at Kingston University (2012 - 2015), before studying a Masters in History of Design at the Victoria & Albert Museum/Royal College of Art (2015 - 2017).
Teaching Summary
Prior to the PhD, I taught Design Studies for 2nd Year Furniture and Product Design students at Nottingham Trent University from September 2017 - April 2018. I also supervised twelve 3rd Year… read more
Research Summary
My current PhD thesis 'Cultures and Spaces of Consumption in New Towns public housing estates in Hong Kong, 1950s - 1980s' focuses on the changing spaces and behaviours of consumption in the growing… read more
Prior to the PhD, I taught Design Studies for 2nd Year Furniture and Product Design students at Nottingham Trent University from September 2017 - April 2018. I also supervised twelve 3rd Year students in their final year dissertations. I presented a lecture on Modernity and Modernism, drawing from Modernist manifestos and a variety of works from Modernist greats, but also pointing out narratives of the everyday in Modernism, such as the role of women, the creation of Industrial and Experience Design, and global narratives of Modernism. I also presented on 'Making Your Creative Archive' challenging final year students to consider how to document and present their work in imaginative ways.
Current Research
My current PhD thesis 'Cultures and Spaces of Consumption in New Towns public housing estates in Hong Kong, 1950s - 1980s' focuses on the changing spaces and behaviours of consumption in the growing satellite and New Towns. Using design as a lens, this research analyses the space of the housing estate as a site for everyday routines, exchange and construction of self, using hawkers, markets and the commercial complex as structures to negotiate modernity. This research questions the narrative of progress and modernity in Hong Kong, looking instead to how space has been constructed, changed, and appropriated by residents and shopkeepers.
Past Research
'Assembling the dai pai dong: Living and Occupying the Street in Hong Kong, 1950s - present', unpublished MA dissertation, History of Design V&A/RCA