How do we rediscover the originality of something so familiar?

This talk takes that question as its point of departure, exploring the architectural originality of The Peninsula Hong Kong when it was first completed in 1928 and revealing a rarely told story of its cultural legacies. Moving beyond the familiar image of “The Pen” as a luxury hotel, it situates the building within the broader cultural networks of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Japan, and beyond.

From its reinterpretation of the Italian Renaissance palazzo typology to the commissioning of the British decorators and local artists, from the mythic imagery of its public spaces to the jazzy ambience of the legendary Rose Room, The Peninsula emerges as a meeting ground where international aesthetics and local sensibilities converged. Through these intertwined narratives, the talk illuminates how an architectural landmark on the Kowloon Peninsula became a living archive of global modernity, myth, and memory in Hong Kong.

The Speaker

Martin Fung is an architect, curator, and columnist whose work bridges design, research, and cultural advocacy.

A Cambridge Commonwealth Scholar, he is also a recipient of the Asian Cultural Council Award and the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Fellowship in Cultural Leadership. He has taught at both The University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In 2017, he founded Hong Kong Class, a cultural initiative dedicated to exploring and promoting the aesthetics of everyday life in Hong Kong through writing, cultural programming, and public engagement.

More about HK Class:

https://www.instagram.com/hkclass

PROGRAMME

Speaker: Mr. Martin Fung, architect, curator and columnist

Time: ​7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

(Reception starts at 6:30 pm)

Admission:     $110 for members, $150 for guests /non-members

Registration: Please email <membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk> and provide your membership number, if applicable, at the time of registration. Please kindly complete your registration by advance payment via Stripe's payment links below (using your Credit Card):

Members ($110):

https://buy.stripe.com/3cIfZi08YbsAd9h6NX5EY2M

Non-member / Guest ($150):

https://buy.stripe.com/3cI00k3la4082uDb4d5EY2N

Details about the other payment option will be sent on registration. Upon receipt of payment, your registration will be confirmed by email. Registration will be closed at 12 noon on 22 January 2026.