“UNSEEN MACAO” | Department of Architecture and Design Master Show 2025
“UNSEEN MACAO” | Department of Architecture and Design Master Show 2025
24
Jun
The Department of Architecture and Design of USJ/FAH proudly presents the Master Show 2024 – “UNSEEN MACAO” – held from 24 June to 31 July at the Kent Wong Gallery – Basement.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is proud to present Unseen Macao – Architecture and Design Master Show 2025, an exhibition showcasing the work of first-year students from the Department of Architecture and Design’s Master’s programmes. Running in parallel with the City Makers bachelor graduation show, this show offers an advanced exploration of architecture and design as speculative tools for cultural, urban, and environmental transformation.
The exhibition presents a collection of research-driven projects that challenge conventional thinking and envision alternative futures for Macao and its interconnected regions. Through experimental forms, critical design approaches, and forward-thinking urban strategies, students explore the unseen layers of the city—its overlooked potentials, hidden narratives, and untapped spaces.
From bold architectural proposals and reimagined public spaces to sustainable systems and immersive design experiences, each project reflects a deep engagement with the complexity of place and the urgency of change. These works move beyond problem-solving to provoke dialogue, inspire curiosity, and invite new interpretations of Macao’s identity and trajectory.
Unseen Macao affirms the role of the Master’s studio as a site of inquiry and innovation—where emerging professionals test ideas that reach beyond immediate practice to engage with the long-term future. These students position themselves not just as architects and designers, but as critical thinkers and cultural agents, imagining a city that is more adaptive, inclusive, and imaginative than what meets the eye.
Unseen Macao invites the public to engage with the next generation of architects and designers—emerging professionals who act as cultural agents, imagining a more adaptive, inclusive, and forward-thinking city.
Exhibition of the Master of Architecture:
Unseen Hengqing: Prototyping the Future of GBA
As a central feature of the Unseen Macao Master Show 2025, Unseen Hengqin showcases innovative design research from the Master of Architecture programme at USJ. Focusing on Hengqin—a territory co-administered by Macao and mainland China—students explore its role as a testing ground for new models of urban development in the context of the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The exhibition presents a series of speculative architectural prototypes that reimagine Hengqin as a site for innovation, cultural exchange, and sustainable growth. Projects range from research hubs and educational campuses to cultural venues, high-tech industries, and mixed-use neighbourhoods. Unified by a spirit of experimentation, these proposals challenge conventional architectural thinking and envision Hengqin as a model for inclusive, adaptive, and ecologically responsive urbanism. Together, they position Hengqin not just as a development zone, but as a platform for future-making at the intersection of regional ambition and local identity.
Exhibition of the Master of Design:
Unseen Interactions
Part of the Unseen Macao Master Show 2025, Unseen Interactions presents the work of Year One students from the Master of Design (Specialisation in Interaction Design) at USJ. This exhibition explores how thoughtful digital design can reveal the hidden dimensions of everyday life through interactive experiences, interfaces, and user-centred solutions. The featured projects span from early-stage concept models to interactive prototypes, investigating how people engage with digital systems, environments, and services. Through a multidisciplinary and human-centred lens, students rethink how invisible interactions—those subtle but powerful moments of user engagement—can be made meaningful, intuitive, and impactful. Unseen Interactions aligns with the broader exhibition’s spirit of discovery, positioning interaction design as a critical tool for understanding and shaping our evolving relationship with technology and urban life in Macao and beyond.
Exhibition Opening Ceremony:
Opening Reception: 24 June (Tuesday), at 6:30 pm
Location: Kent Wong Gallery – Basement, USJ Ilha Verde Campus
Opening Times
From 24 June – 31 July 2025
Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m to 7.00 p.m
Saturday 10.00 to 2.00 p.m
Closed on Sunday and Public Holidays
*This even is free to attend and open to members of the public.
