Press Release 24 May 2017

SCAD and MTR Announce Collaboration on Major “Art in MTR” Project Preview Exhibition at MTR Central Station

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and MTR Corporation kicked off an exhibition in MTR Central Station to celebrate the transformative designs created by SCAD students to help rejuvenate MTR Station. SCAD x MTR Art in MTR Sham Shui Po Station Project exhibition will run from 24 May to 30 June 2017 in Exit J of MTR Central Station, and will showcase an inspiring exhibition of works by some of the brightest young creative minds in .

SCAD was approached by MTR with a design challenge to rejuvenate MTR Sham Shui Po station, focusing on the user experience and increasing the engagement between the station and the community. Among seven works submitted by fourteen students, MTR selected works from two proposals for inclusion in the final design for the rejuvenation project.

“SCAD x MTR Art in MTR Sham Shui Po Station Project is an exhibition that showcases the creativity and talent of the student proposals selected for realisation. All 14 students presented their own interpretations of Sham Shui Po in such a creative way. I was impressed by the high standard of work and professionalism the students demonstrated over the course of five weeks. The exhibition in Central Station serves as a preview of the extraordinary designs by the students. We are excited that we will be unveiling the results of this collaboration to the public in Sham Shui Po Station later this year and we look forward to working with SCAD students in the future,” said Mr Andrew Mead, Chief Architect (ARBUK), MTR Corporation.

Student Nicholas Wang, whose work is among two selected proposals, said of the project, “MTR stations reflect the unique local communities around them, and offer connections between different corners of the city. During the design stage, we could make use of our multicultural backgrounds and multi-disciplinary education to create compelling designs where functionality is a priority, while keeping the charm of the surrounding area in our concepts. Our designs examine how the built environment can influence human experience and behaviour, and are carefully adapted to the nature of a busy transport hub. The collaboration was significant, not only because we received insights into the realities of our profession, but also because we were able to provide a positive tangible contribution to our local community.”

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MTR Corporation has used art to enhance their stations and the life journeys of customers since 1998, utilising spaces to inspire the local and visiting public, contributing to the development of communities, enhancing quality of life, and fostering a thriving business and living environment. Through the Art in MTR programme under the Community Connect platform, the Sham Shui Po Station Project exhibition at Exit J in MTR Central Station highlights the pride SCAD and their students take in being part of the larger Hong Kong and Sham Shui Po communities, and aims to entertain while educating the audience on this collaborative project.

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About MTR Corporation MTR Corporation is regarded as one of the world’s leading railway operators for safety, reliability, customer service and cost efficiency. In its home base of Hong Kong, the Corporation operates ten commuter railway lines, a Light Rail network and a high-speed Airport Express link on which more than 5.6 million passenger trips are made on a normal week day. Another 5.6 million passenger trips are made on the rail services it operates outside Hong Kong in the Mainland of China, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Australia. In addition, the Corporation is involved in a range of railway construction projects as well as railway consultancy and contracting services around the world. Leveraging on its railway expertise, the Corporation is involved in the development of transit-related residential and commercial property projects, property management, shopping malls leasing and management, advertising media and telecommunication services.

For more information about MTR Corporation, please visit www..com.hk.

About “Community Connect” As one of the world’s leading railway operators, MTR Corporation not only connects the city of Hong Kong by providing safe, reliable and convenient railway service, but also leverages its skills, resources and networks to contribute to the development of communities, enhance quality of life, and foster a thriving, business and living environment. Through the Community Connect platform, MTR organises a variety of community engagement initiatives that reflect its commitment to the communities that it serves. The Community Connect platform comprises three main areas namely Art and Culture, Community Outreach and Green and Healthy Living.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor’s and master’s degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in 43 majors, as well as minors in more than 70 disciplines across its locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; Hong Kong; Lacoste, France; and online through SCAD eLearning.

With more than 32,000 alumni worldwide, SCAD demonstrates an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. The diverse student body, consisting of over 13,000 students, comes from across all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries. Each student is nurtured and motivated by a faculty of nearly 700 professors with extraordinary academic credentials and valuable professional experience. These professors emphasize learning through individual attention in an inspiring university environment, and the innovative SCAD curriculum is enhanced by advanced, professional-level technology, equipment and learning resources.

In 2015, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD in the top four universities in the Americas and Europe. Career preparation is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. In a survey of Spring 2016 SCAD graduates, 98 percent of respondents reported being employed, pursuing further education or both within 10 months of graduation.

The SCAD Collaborative Learning Center partners with leading global brands to offer authentic real-world collaborations and in-depth learning opportunities for SCAD students to research and solve challenging problems.

Photo Captions:

1. (From left) Mr Andrew Mead, Chief Architect (ARBUK) of MTR Corporation, Dr David Pugh, Vice President for SCAD Hong Kong, and Ms Linda So, Corporate Affairs Director of MTR Corporation, kicked off the “SCAD x MTR Art in MTR Sham Shui Po Station Project” exhibition today (24 May 2017) at MTR Central Station and took group photos with finalists.

2. The “SCAD x MTR Art in MTR Sham Shui Po Station Project” exhibition is being held near Entrance/Exit J of MTR Central Station from today (24 May 2017) to 30 June 2017.

High resolution images can be downloaded here: http://gallery.sinclairasia.com/ Password: talkofthetown