Architects realise their dreams thanks to ultra rich in Hong Kong and China who serve as patrons
People such as Hong Kong property heir Adrian Cheng provide architects with financial backing so they can turn great ideas into reality – often non-commercial ones but which patrons believe will benefit their city
The Rockefeller Centre, Palais Bourbon, Burj Khalifa. Built centuries apart in different parts of the world, these architectural icons all have one thing in common: each is named after a patron with deep pockets.
As long as architects have been designing buildings, they have needed someone to fund them. The pharaohs supported ancient Egyptian architects, European aristocrats funded Renaissance palaces, and industrialists such as Andrew Carnegie often bankrolled 20th-century skyscrapers. On top of cash, these patrons have historically provided political clout, helping shepherd buildings to completion.
Louvre Abu Dhabi’s architect on what inspired its revolutionary design
Today, buildings are more likely to bear the name of a company than an individual. But behind the scenes, patrons are still supporting architects around the world.
In Hong Kong, New World Development heir Adrian Cheng Chi-kong recently founded the non-profit organisation Culture For Tomorrow to give up-and-coming architects funding and support to realise their more experimental ideas.
“I get to meet and work with a lot of designers and architects thanks to my line of work, many of them young, aspiring and very driven,” Cheng says. “But increasingly we’re noticing that a lot of great concepts by young architects often go untested.”
