Urban Splendours

In town to speak at Art Stage Singapore’s Southeast Asia Forum 2018 in January, Hong Kong architect and art collector William Lim tells Hong Xinyi how his love for art has influenced his career and pursuits

- Hong Xinyi

AS FORMER BRITISH COLONIES turned Asian hubs, Singapore and Hong Kong share many affinities, and it seems that it even extends to the cities’ arts-loving architects. In Singapore, there is William S W Lim, a pioneer architect who is also known as an urban theorist and ardent patron of the arts. In Hong Kong, there is William Lim, the founder and managing director of architecture and interior design firm CL3 and an early supporter of Hong Kong contemporary art.

Singapore’s William is in his 80s, more than 20 years older than Hong Kong’s William, who has actually been hearing about the former since he was a student at Cornell University in the US. “I would go back to school from my holidays, and people would tell me, ‘I saw your project’. I think they were confusing me with him,” he recalls. “About eight years ago, he invited me to an event in Singapore, and it was really great to finally meet him. He’s very passionate about urbanism in Asia, and I find that very admirable.”