Prof. HO, Puay Peng (何培斌)
Emeritus Professor
MA(Hons), Dip Arch(Edin), PhD(London)
RIBA, HKIA, HonHKIUD, HonFSIA
Introduction
Puay-peng Ho holds the UNESCO Chair on Architectural Heritage Conservation and Management in Asia and is currently Professor of Architecture and Head of Department of Architecture, School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore. He received architecture education from the University of Edinburgh, and practiced professionally in Edinburgh and Singapore. Subsequently, Puay-peng Ho obtained PhD degree in art and architecture history at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
Prior to joining NUS, Ho was Professor of Architecture and Honorary Professor of Fine Arts at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. During the 25 years at the University, he served as Dean of Students at New Asia College between 2000-2004, University Dean of Students between 2005-2008, Chair of Department of Architecture between 2007-2010 and Founding Director of School of Architecture between 2010-13.
The main research and publication focus of Puay-peng Ho is in the areas of Buddhist art and architecture, Chinese architectural history, vernacular architecture and history of modern architecture in China and Hong Kong. Sustaining his research is the quest to understand religious culture and its architectural forms. While his main focus is Buddhist architecture and ritual of medieval China, his research has been located at the intersection of art, architecture and the wider societal context. In other domains of research, Puay-peng is interested in everyday urbanism and architecture, particularly from the perspective of ordinary people.
Between 2003-2016, Puay-peng Ho was Director of Centre for Architectural Heritage Research of CUHK and directed more than 100 conservation and heritage projects in Hong Kong as conservation consultant. Some of the award winning projects include PMQ, the Green Hub and the New Campus for Chicago University in Hong Kong. He was Chairman of Lord Wilson Heritage Trust, and a member of Town Planning Board and Antiquities Advisory Board in Hong Kong. For the contribution to the profession and society, he was appointed as Justice of the Peace by the government. Currently, Professor Ho is appointed as an advisor to Museum of History in Hong Kong, Heritage and Identity Partnership in Singapore, a Patron of International Dunhuang Project, British Library and a member of Senior Advisory Board, Global Heritage Fund he is an editorial board member of several international academic journals.