Borio Lab
Architecture Research
Laboratory
Borio Lab gathers the artistic practice of Géraldine Borio and operates as an independent research laboratory in the field of architecture and urban landscape.
Reflection on liminal space in architecture and the city is at the core of Borio Lab's projects. Thanks to an ambiguous status, these so-called residual areas provide multiple ways of interpreting the physical and metaphorical limits that define the solid and void.
This exploration has informed our attitude and contributed to questions about an architecture that only tries to fill in every space it encounters. Instead of reinforcing boundaries, we tackle the notion of constraints and limits and imagine strategies for recreating relationships between the architecture and its context.
The Lab
Borio Lab's project-based collaborations involve teams of professional experts and University students.
Forging our expertise through in-depth investigations within the heart of Asian cities, our research and architectural work have evolved across multiple scales.
Along the way, the shift from in-situ observation and intervention to the making of architecture has created opportunities to explore the notion of thresholds, buffer zones, and in-between spaces.
Diary
2023
LFTV IN KYOTO
Kyoto Uni, Kyoto
LECTURE
2023
ARCHITECTURE OF GLOBAL INTIMACY
Kindai Uni, Osaka
LECTURE
2023
DRAWING THE URBAN
Mendrisio, Switzerland
SYMPOSIUM
2023
SEOUL RESEARCH RECIEVED GRF GRANT
Seoul, Korea
LECTURE
2023
DOMANSA
Seoul, Korea
LECTURE
2022
ONSEN - A SPATIAL RITUAL
HKU, Hong Kong
PUBLICATION
2021
UNDER A MAGNIFYING GLASS
HKU, Hong Kong
PUBLICATION
2021
INHABITABLE TERRITORIES - NAGASAKI
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2021
NAGASAKI URBAN MOUNTAINS
HKU, Hong Kong
RESEARCH
2021
INTER-ISLAND FESTIVAL
Peng Chau, Hong Kong
EXHIBITION
2020
INHABITABLE TERRITORIES - SEOUL 2
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2020
MASTER THESIS SUPERVISION
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2019
PRACTICE RESEARCH 6
RMIT, Hong Kong
SYMPOSIUM
2019
INHABITABLE TERRITORIES - DUBAI
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2019
MASTER STUDIO - LANTAU
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2019
SEOUL BIENNALE - INVERTED HK
Seoul, Korea
EXHIBITION
2019
INVERTED HONG KONG
Seoul, Korea
PUBLICATION
2019
SEOUL BIENNALE - MOUNTAINS
Seoul, Korea
EXHIBITION
2019
INHABITABLE TERRITORIES - SEOUL
HKU, Seoul - HK
TEACHING
2019
BACHELOR STUDIO - YEAR 1
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2019
MADE BY PEOPLE: MICRO DESIGN
UQ, Brisbane
CONFERENCE
2019
MAPPING CREATIVITY
ZHdK, Zurich
WORKSHOP
2019
MASTER THESIS SUPERVISION
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2019
PRACTICE RESEARCH 5
RMIT, Vietnam
SYMPOSIUM
2019
OBSERVING THE LIMINAL
SEA, Mumbai
LECTURE
2018
INHABITABLE TERRITORIES - ZERMATT
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2018
ART SPACE ONE
Seoul, Korea
EXHIBITION
2018
BACHELOR STUDIO - YEAR 2
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2018
VOIDS, GAPS & LEFT-OVERS
Keio U, Tokyo
LECTURE
2018
WUT TUNG SAT - INSIDE-OUT
WTS, Hong Kong
EXHIBITION
2018
PENG CHAU INSIDE-OUT
Peng Chau, Hong Kong
PUBLICATION
2018
MASTER THESIS SUPERVISION
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2018
PRACTICE RESEARCH 4
RMIT, Vietnam
SYMPOSIUM
2017
BACK STREETS POINT OF VIEW
St-Joseph U, Macao
LECTURE
2017
CHI-YAN SCHOOL
Peng Chau, Hong Kong
DESIGN
2017
PRACTICE RESEARCH 3
RMIT, Vietnam
SYMPOSIUM
2017
THE ALTAS OF SLOPES
Poly U, Hong Kong
PUBLICATION
2017
SLOPES IN HONG KONG
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2017
MULTIPLES READING
Korea U, Seoul
LECTURE
2017
RESIDUAL SPACES
Hongik U, Seoul
LECTURE
2017
BACHELOR THESIS SUPERVISION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2017
PRACTICE RESEARCH 2
RMIT, Vietnam
SYMPOSIUM
2017
BACHELOR STUDIO - INTIMACY
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2017
MICRO-DESIGN IN HONG KONG
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2017
CONSTRUCTION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2017
PARALLEL NETWORKS
Shibaura, Tokyo
LECTURE
2017
SLOPES IN HONG KONG
NUS, UOS, HKU
LECTURE
2017
HONG KONG IN-BETWEEN(S)
ZHdK, Hong Kong
SYMPOSIUM
2016
BONZAI LIVING
Tokyo, Japan
DESIGN
2016
PRACTICE RESEARCH 1
RMIT, Vietnam
SYMPOSIUM
2016
VITRA DESIGN MUSEUM
WeilamRhein, Germany
EXHIBITION
2016
INDUSTRIAL LOFT
Hong Kong
DESIGN
2016
ROTTERDAM ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE
Rotterdam, Nederland
EXHIBITION
2016
SLOPES
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2016
LOOKING FOR THE IN-BETWEENS
RMIT, Vietnam
LECTURE
2016
BACHELOR THESIS SUPERVISION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2016
MICRO-DESIGN IN HONG KONG
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2016
CONSTRUCTION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2016
BACHELOR STUDIO
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2016 - 2017
SLOPES IN HONG KONG
Poly U, Hong Kong
RESEARCH
2015
THE PEOPLE OF DUCKLING HILL
Poly U, Hong Kong
EXHIBITION
2015
IUAES CONGRESS THAMMASAT
Bangkok, Thailand
CONFERENCE
2015
INTENSE-SENSE-CITY
ZHdK, Hong Kong
WORKSHOP
2015
TALBAI KHOVD
Ulaanbataar, Mongolia
COMPETITION
2015
BACHELOR THESIS SUPERVISION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2015
BACHELOR STUDIO
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2015
MICRO-DESIGN IN HONG KONG
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2015
CONSTRUCTION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2015
UMBRELLA MOVEMENT MAPPING
ZHdK, Hong Kong
EXHIBITION
2015
POTLUCK
Vancouver, Canada
COMPETITION
2015
CURATING HONG KONG
ZHdK, Hong Kong
WORKSHOP
2014
UMBRELLA MOVEMENT MAPPING
Hong Kong
RESEARCH
2014
UNDER ONE ROOF
Tokyo, Japan
COMPETITION
2014
BACHELOR THESIS SUPERVISION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2014
BACHELOR STUDIO
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2014
MICRO-DESIGN IN HONG KONG
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2014
CONSTRUCTION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2014
DUCKLING HILL
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2014
PAVILION CONSTRUCTION
Poly U, Hong Kong
WORKSHOP
2014
SEVENTY EIGHT PERCENT
Hong Kong
DESIGN
2014
1/8 GROW CAMPAIGN
Hong Kong
EXHIBITION
2013
SWISS CROSS PAVILION
Hong Kong
DESIGN
2013
EDGE PUBLIC SPACES HK
ZHdK, Zurich
LECTURE
2013
PARALLEL LAB OFFICE
North Point, Hong Kong
DESIGN
2013
ART IN PUBLIC SPACE
Ying Wa, Hong Kong
LECTURE
2013
EDGE PUBLIC SPACES HK
ZHdK, Zurich
LECTURE
2013
BACHELOR THESIS SUPERVISION
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2013
BACHELOR STUDIO
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2013
MICRO-DESIGN IN HONG KONG
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2013
ST-ETIENNE BIENNALE
St-Etienne, France
EXHIBITION
2013
LOOKING FOR STAG
St-Etienne, France
SYMPOSIUM
2013
HANOI EDGE PUBLIC SPACES
Hanoi, Vietnam
WORKSHOP
2013
ARCHITECTURE IN PUBLIC SPACES
Hanoi, Vietnam
LECTURE
2012
DICKWELLA HOUSE
Dickwella, Sri Lanka
DESIGN
2012
BACHELOR STUDIO
Poly U, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2012
BEIJING DESIGN WEEK
Beijing, China
EXHIBITION
2012
STAG-IN BEIJING
Beijing, China
DESIGN
2012 - 2016
DUCKLING HILL
TKO, Hong Kong
RESEARCH
2012
LIVING AS FORM
New York, USA
EXHIBITION
2012
TIN HAU FLAT
Tin Hau, Hong Kong
DESIGN
2012
EDGE PUBLIC SPACES HK
Ewha U, Seoul
LECTURE
2012
SEOUL EDGE PUBLIC SPACES
Seoul, Korea
WORKSHOP
2012
M+ MUSEUM INFO HUB
WKCD, Hong Kong
DESIGN
2012
ASIA ART ARCHIVE
Art Fair, Hong Kong
LECTURE
2012
PETCHA KUCHA NIGHT
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
LECTURE
2012
HK-SZ ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE
TST, Hong Kong
EXHIBITION
2012
BAB AL BAHRAIN
Manama, Bahrain
COMPETITION
2012
VOLTAGE
Chai Wan, Hong Kong
EXHIBITION
2012
BACHELOR STUDIO
CUHK, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2011
THIRD STREET FLAT
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
DESIGN
2011
KENT MANSION
Tin Hau, Hong Kong
DESIGN
2011
UP SIDE DOWN BANGKOK
Chulalongkorn, Bangkok
LECTURE
2011
PHU PIMAN HOUSE
Phu Piman, Thailand
DESIGN
2011
IFC SHOP
Central, Hong Kong
DESIGN
2011
BACHELOR STUDIO
CUHK, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2010
UP SIDE DOWN BANGKOK
CUHK, Hong Kong
LECTURE
2010
MASTER STUDIO
HKU, Hong Kong
TEACHING
2009
HK INTERSTICE
Hong Kong
MOVIE
2007
INTERVENTION STRATEGY
EPFL, Switzerland
DESIGN
2006
BANGKOK EXPRESSWAY
EPFL, Switzerland
RESEARCH
Géraldine Borio
Dr Géraldine Borio is the founder of Borio Lab and an Assistant Professor at The University of Hong Kong, Department of Architecture. Dr Borio is a Swiss-registered architect who holds a PhD in architecture from RMIT, Australia, as well as a master’s degree in architecture from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL).
Invested widely in knowledge transmission through teaching, research and publication, Dr Borio has conducted numerous workshops and lectures worldwide. Amongst other publications, she is the author of the books "Looking for the Voids" (Park Books, 2023) and co-author of “Hong Kong In-Between” (MCCM Creations & Park Books, 2015).
Prior to that, she co-founded Parallel Lab (2010-2015) and has been working with various firms in Tokyo, Beijing and Hong Kong. Her research and her architectural work have been exhibited at Vitra Museum; Rotterdam Architecture Biennale; M+ Museum, Hong Kong; the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism; Zurich University of the Arts; Saint-Etienne Design Biennale; Beijing Design Week; Hong Kong School of Design; and the ICI Curatorial Hub, New York.