Stress relief: Boxing ring installation designed by HyperSity. Image: HyperSity

Shenzhen – VOLUME and Nieuwe Instituut proudly present Stress Relief, an installation at the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\ Architecture in Shenzhen and Hong Kong (UABB) that has opened to the public on Sunday January 18^th. The curators of the 10th edition of UABB, themed City:Action!, are Zhu Tao,Shen Shaomin and Ding Ning.

Custom made punching bags by Dutch and Chinese designers

Stress Relief is an installation comprised of a boxing ring that showcases custom made punching bags designed by renowned Dutch and Chinese architects including UNS, MAD Architects, Yanfei architects, Studio Makkink & Bey, among others. The boxing ring is designed by HyperSity with support from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and features traditional Guangdong ornamentation. Visitors to the biennale are encouraged to relieve any stress or anxiety on the bags in different forms: punching, contemplating, embracing…

An open and equal stage for dialogue

Stress Relief is one of the centerpieces of this year’s edition of UABB at the Hetao Innovation Center close to the border between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Besides giving space for urban boxing and exercising it will be used as one of the main event platforms.

“At the heart of the installation is a symbolic boxing ring, stripped of confrontation and combat, dressed instead in celebratory attire. It is no longer an arena for determining winners but an open and equal stage for dialogue. The ring itself draws from the visual language of traditional Lingnan flower plaque—vibrant architectural motifs, dopamine-driven color combinations, and playful typographic symbols—reinterpreted through contemporary materials and lighting. This transforms the Western concept of a boxing space, focused on individual physical release, into an Eastern context of collective “celebration” and “blessing.” The act of punching evolves from mere physical venting into an encouraged and culturally sanctioned expression of energy within a communal setting. Thus, the ring becomes a secure container for stress relief, wrapped in cultural reassurance.”  Yang Shi, hyperSity/CAFA

Punching bags designed by (from left to right): MAD Architects, Yanfei architects, Atelier Liu Yuyang, PILLS architects, Studio Makkink & Bey, HanHe Studio, UNS, hyperSity, CAFA Experimental Studio. Image: VOLUME

Expanding the boundaries of VOLUME magazine

Following its award winning and critically acclaimed Bursting Bubbles contribution at the Venice Architectural Biennale this installation aims at further expanding VOLUME’s presentation forms – expanding the boundaries of the magazine, while seeking to find interaction that resonate with existing and new audiences.

“For close to 100 years it has been VOLUME’s ambition to articulate and address shared concerns in the design profession. Over the years I have seen more architects in China struggle to deal with the challenging professional conditions, too often at great personal expense. The installation tries to give a platform to share this burden and use the creative potential of renewal and rejuvenation.”  Stephan Petermann,  Editor-in-Chief VOLUME

“Dutch and Chinese architects share a history of exchange, curiosity, and shared learning. Since 2013, Nieuwe Instituut, the Netherlands’ national museum for architecture, design, and digital culture, has been actively engaged with UABB. The Stress Relief installation and its public programme opens space for dialogue—slowing down, reflecting, and caring for the conditions under which architecture takes shape—while reaffirming our commitment to long-term collaboration.”
Francien van Westrenen, Head of Agency, Nieuwe Instituut

Public program to connect Dutch and Chinese architects

As part of the UABB’s closing finissage VOLUME and Nieuwe Instituut will host a public program and workshop in Shenzhen around the theme of slowing down and speeding up that will connect Dutch and Chinese architectural expertise at the Stress Relief installation on Thursday March 12^th 2026. In addition the next magazine issue of VOLUME, launching in the Summer, will be zooming out on the role of stress and devoting itself to stress management.

Stress Relief is supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Beijing and Consulate General of the Netherlands in Guangzhou, emphasizing the importance of continued cultural exchange between China and the Netherlands.

UABB is open until March 15^th 2026. After this Stress Relief will be available to travel, or will be dismantled and recycled.