Design Studio 2012-2013
Confronted with the global challenges brought about by climate change, mass migrations and decreasing energy re- sources, policy makers, scholars and designers are studying Hong Kong as one potential model for a more sustainable future. The attraction of the Hong Kong model is based on its highly compact urban areas, their efficient connection by public transport networks and the conservation of large land resources as country parks. A central question which policy makers, planners and designers face when they consider this model is, how under the condition of extreme density a positive living quality can be achieved. This question is crucial as it is linked with costly and controversial long term deci- sions such as the change of established land use plans, building and public space guidelines, as well as the layouts for New Development Areas. The views on Hong Kong as a model are strongly divided and reflect the contrasting experi- ences of the city as well as conflicting values. The 2011 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked the Chinese Special Administrative Region on place 70, far behind Vienna (1), Zurich (2), and its main Asian competitor Singapore (25). The outcome could be different with “spatial adjustments” as proposed by architect Filippo Lovato from the Economist Intelligence Unit. In his “Spatially Adjusted Livability Survey” of 2012, Hong Kong reached the first place, after including aspects such as the “lack of sprawl” and social connectivity. The survey argues that living in a green environment might be more pleasant but is potentially more problematic than in a high dense city regarding the higher land and energy consumption and less social connectivity. Similarly, economists Edward Glaeser in 2011 presented Hong Kong as one of the examples for the Triumph of the [high dense] City. In addition to these views from outside, there are the experi- ences of people living and working every day in Hong Kong. In recent years, they became increasingly concerned about the condition of the city and demand better heritage protection, public spaces, lower property prizes, less pollution, and especially more political participation. The MSc in Urban Design Programme will address their important arguments by exploring the condition of Hong Kong’s public spaces “on site”.
Studio I – Public Space Design & Mass Transit In High Dense Districts: SAI YING PUN
Hong Kong’s unique culture is deeply linked to its extreme density and intensity. This culture developed first along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. The first studio of this academic year explores the district Sai Ying Pun, one of Hong Kong’s oldest districts and example of its local culture. The studio will learn from the particular character of the district and its public spaces and then develop strategies for their regeneration. Since the early 1990s, the Land Devel- opment Corporation, followed 2001 by the URA, made attempts to upgrade older districts. These attempts were often based on the replacement of existing fabric. With the demolition of the older buildings also traditional businesses and low income residents were replaced. After growing critique, documented in the 2008 Urban Strategy Review, HKSAR Government made first steps towards a new regeneration strategy which includes more community participation and should lead to individual district plans. The studio will develop strategies based on observations of the people living and working in the district and aims to respond to capture their needs and aspirations.
Sai Ying Pun was picked also as the study area of the studio, as it currently faces strong forces of transformation due to the ongoing construction of the West Island Line and a public escalator system. Hong Kong’s role as sustainable urban model is closely linked to its highly efficient metro system (MTR) which boosts its vitality and helps to reduce vehicular traffic and carbon emission. Major investments are made to construct the new metro lines which offer the rare opportu- nity to fundamentally upgrade old districts, reorganize their traffic system and improve their public spaces. At the same time the construction of the new infrastructure increases development pressure and affects the spatial routine, social life and identity of the district. The redesign of the public spaces in context of the construction of the new MTR stations should respond to the needs and aspirations of the community and increase the livability in this dense district.
Experiences from the Sai Ying Pun studio and student work is published in article “Negotiating and Designing Public Space. Experiences with a new M.Sc. in Urban Design Program in Hong Kong” inIN_BO. Ricerche e progetti per il territorio, la città e l’architettura, Vol. 4, n. 1 (2013) – THE PUBLIC SPACE OF EDUCATION.
Studio II – Reviewing Hong Kong New Town Design: HUNG SHUI KIU
While the urban design studio for the urban transformation of Sai Ying Pun deals with the regeneration of an historical site on Hong Kong Island, the Hung Shui Kiu urban design studio deals with new development on a large site within the North West New Territories that has been selected as a New Development Area.
The objective of the Hung Shui Kiu studio project will be to produce, in parallel with the work currently being developed for the proposed new town by various public and private bodies, a set of radical proposals for the future, and to evaluate these projects not only in terms of their potential sustainability but also in terms of broader intentions that could make of Hung Shui Kiu an “ideal city” on a par with Hong Kong: in terms of aesthetics, distinctive identity, sense of place, diversity and enjoyment.
The students will be asked to first make strategic urban design proposals addressing the whole site of the NDA and secondly to make detailed urban design proposals for different sectors within this overall strategy for the new town. So far, Hong Kong’s new towns have been far too bland: Hung Shui Kiu must be not only sustainable but also memora- ble: it must aim to be an ideal city.