“Redefining Hong Kong’s Waterfront” aims to explore opportunities and propose an aspirational vision for Hong Kong’s Waterfront. Historically the development and reclamation of the harbour has separated the built environment from the natural one. With every period of reclamation, pedestrian access and flow to the waterfront has been greatly restricted. This vision, by 10 DESIGN, attempts to redefine the waterfront by re-establishing urban connections, creating an attraction for residents and tourists alike, and testing innovative strategies to mitigate implications of future climate change. The goal is to transform Victoria Harbour into a lively waterfront destination for public enjoyment and reintroduce agriculture in the urban setting through modern applications. “Redefining Hong Kong’s Waterfront” seeks to stimulate active discussions on how to establish a more ecological way of living.
Redefining Hong Kong's Waterfront" is a visionary concept for Hong Kong that had developed from 10 DESIGN’s exhibition "Reclamation" at the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Biennale in 2013/2014. "Reclamation" led to several meetings with the Hong Kong Planning Department, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, key stakeholders of the Hong Kong 2030+ Implementation Plan, and multiple other government and private organisations regarding the implications of urban and vertical farming in Hong Kong. In response to an invitation to the Wise City Symposium, organised by the French Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Hong Kong Government, on integrated waterfront design in Hong Kong, 10 DESIGN developed this concept further to address other masterplanning, resilience, and urban issues along Hong Kong Central Harbourfront.
Sean Quinn, Head of Sustainable Design with 10 DESIGN, says “’Redefining Hong Kong’s Waterfront’ is an iconic vision on how to establish a more ecological way of living through sustainability, innovation, and creativity.”
Ted Givens, Design Partner with 10 DESIGN, adds “This is truly a responsible urban design that addresses the exciting opportunities to bring back a vibrant Central Harbourfront to the residents and tourists of Hong Kong.” VISION 10 DESIGN’s vision for the Central Harbourfront presents the opportunity to create an iconic waterfront that combines the needs of a vibrant city and flourishing tourism industry while addressing the diverse challenges of the 21st century. The vision for the waterfront invites residents and tourists alike with a variety of destinations, pathways, and opportunities to relax, play, work, shop, learn, and grow. Bicycle paths, eateries, a museum and cultural centre, fish ponds and vertical farm centre, as well as parks, farmers’ market, hotel, retail, and even a beach are just some of the facilities included. 10 DESIGN’s proposed ecological drivers can shape this vision: 1 DEVELOP AN ECOLOGICAL VISION for Central Victoria Harbourfront that redefines the city’s relationship with its natural and urban connections and heritage.
2 DESIGN INTERACTIVE RESILIENCY to protect against the implications of future climate change through a biomimetic design process.
3 EXPLORE NEW URBAN FORMS through design for a Vertical Farm Centre, cultural moments, pavilions, and installations that create a dynamic urban waterfront. Central Harbourfront can serve as an icon for environmentalism to Hong Kong’s residents, its visitors, and the world on how to establish a more ecological way of living.
ESTABLISH VISION HONG KONG NOW AND THEN Reclamation traditionally means to return land to an improved state. Throughout its history, Hong Kong has practiced its own version of reclamation to increase the supply of “usable” land for urban growth. These activities expanded flat terrain to create one of the densest and tallest cities on the planet. While such development has aided in Hong Kong’s economic and architectural prosperity, it has separated the built environment from the natural one. As twenty-five years of reclamation activities near completion in Central, a looming question remains regarding the future of Victoria Harbour. “TO CREATE A HARBOUR FOR THE PEOPLE AND A HARBOUR OF LIFE” (HKG Town Planning Board’s Vision Statement for Victoria Harbour (1999))
10 DESIGN’S first step in this masterplan is to establish a vision that connects the heritage of the harbour with contemporary urban links and natural spaces. International Finance Centre (IFC) and International Commerce Centre (ICC) serve as the gateway to Victoria Harbour. IFC creates an entrance to the financial district, while ICC leads into the West Kowloon Cultural District. A third tower would anchor a second gateway to Hong Kong Island. Set in Wan Chai, 10 DESIGN’s proposed Vertical Farm Centre (VFC) may provide the city with new explorations in ecological design and living. While every period of reclamation extends the coastline, the former edges typically become freeways, restricting pedestrian access and flow to the waterfront. Urban connections need to be re-established through multiple means: pedestrian pathways, buses, trams, and ferries; and the introduction of active means of transit: running and biking through continuous trails along Hong Kong’s 73 kilometres of waterfront. The hills of Hong Kong Island form a natural backdrop to the dense cityscape, but they also support natural stormwater flow and management and provide habitat for diverse species of flora and fauna. The reclaimed areas of the harbour would benefit from the introduction of natural space into the urban sphere. WATERFRONT MASTERPLAN The waterfront should invite residents and tourists alike with a variety of destinations, pathways, and opportunities to relax, play, work, shop, learn, and grow. Creation of zones for commercial, social, civic, and ecology/culture provide focus to the waterfront with diverse activators woven throughout to allow for more social interactions and commercial opportunities. Building upon the efficient pathways to MTR and ferry piers, a continuous flow of bridges and trails will encourage fluid mobility through a variety of destinations. BIKING
URBAN CONNECTIONS At the west end of the harbour, 10 DESIGN proposes a cultural centre welcoming the Sheung Wan neighbourhood to the boardwalk with active means of transit. Low to mid-rise residential and commercial buildings stack on top of the existing ferry piers linked by a landscaped green park that spans over the Central – Wan Chai bypass.
SAMPAN A view corridor established from HSBC Headquarters and Statue Square to the waterfront enables a central promenade with pedestrian bridges to cross major thoroughfares. Landscaping will feature fountains and water channels which purify rainwater and building waste water along this path.
Before re-entering the harbour, these water channels create a low lying pool at harbour’s edge to allow sampans, a floating market, and an expanded farmer’s market for the sale of fresh produce.
NATURAL SPACE The current exhibition area will be transformed into a flexible arena enabling natural space, pop-up retail, and F&B between major events and installations. This enables a more interactive and socially inclusive connection year round.
ROTATING EVENTS The driving catalysts for activity at the harbourfront are major international events, such as the recent Cavalia equestrian performance, Art Central art exhibition, 2015 Vintage Car show, and 2015 AIA The Great European Carnival. Retail can pull away and position alongside the central arena during event periods.
GREEN CARPET Tamar Park will continue to execute the vision of a green-carpet and provide an area for tranquility, recreation, and civic action throughout the year.
INTERACTIVE RESILENCY PROTECT AGAINST THE IMPLICATIONS OF FUTURE CLIMATE CHANGE Interactive resilience will protect against the implications of future climate change through a new form of architecture that is dynamic: flexible in function against the threat of typhoons and flash floods. With increased intensity of storms in the region, the waterfront will need to recover quickly to enable continuous activity. 10 DESIGN’s proposed Cultural Centre explores this form by creating a semi-porous complex; three buildings under a single roof that allows natural breezes to flow through. A series of retention ponds store and purify rainwater during storm events while providing sculpture gardens and amphitheatres during regular use. By responding to both the natural forces and the flow of the city, architecture can holistically integrate active resilience and infrastructure that captures the public’s interest. Beyond the building, the landscaping across the site increases green space to absorb rainwater, low-impact design features to mitigate run-off from major roads, and riparian buffers to soften the harsh boardwalk seawalls. VERTICAL FARM CENTRE NEW URBAN TYPOLOGY The Wan Chai end of Central Harbour evolves directly from ecological services and strives to demonstrate that environmental features can also create economic benefit and social inclusion in a market driven city. 10 DESIGN’s Vertical Farm Centre (VFC) will explore a new urban typology and unique modes of ecology within a mixed-use complex: retail, commercial space, and hospitality. The proposal centres around a 420m tower that provides agricultural services and an interactive museum at its base, commercial space enclosed by a hydroponic greenhouse, and a luxury hotel with aeroponic atrium and observation deck. Agricultural production will provide benefits such as an educational tourist attraction, profitable crops, and encourage better health and wellbeing for the city. This positive loop cycle provides for the city as a whole as district energy and water systems turn waste to power and purify water for the needs of neighbouring buildings.
INTEGRATED BUILDINGS SYSTEMS OFFICE DOUBLE SKIN GREENHOUSE The perimeter of the office floors of VFC is enclosed by a double skin greenhouse. Aeroponic and hydroponic systems line this zone that also reduces external heat gain and diffuses direct daylight. Only by coupling the agricultural systems with the performance of the building can an ecological and economical solution be reached.
INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE The first twenty-four floors of the tower form a solid base that challenges the general conventions of podium malls in Hong Kong. Balconies extend every other floor with soil to cultivate larger fruit trees and create an extremely lush external component to the building.
