DEA Poster

Suburban Steel

Suburban Steel – The write-up

Hong Kong Waterfront – Mission Statement

PROLOGUE – MISSION STATEMENT
Since our initial study of the brief for The Central Waterfront of Hong Kong Competition, we could not find any part of the competition’s objectives for the Central Waterfront of Hong Kong that we could allow ourselves to be detracted from. Thus, what was to be done for the waterfront would have to be the discovery of the most interesting and exciting ways to fulfill and provide for those objectives.

Even in the preliminaries of analysis of the site and its parameters, we find that the studies and proposals done by the authorities of the various fields have provided much of their recommendations of which there is very little that can be disregarded or ignored. We have therefore taken on their recommendations as our parameters and designed in tandem with them.

Nonetheless, the vision for such aspirations was not to be sought through the dark, but through constant assessment of knowledge and experience of similar waterfronts. Much has been done and much has passed.

Nonetheless, a different scenario for a waterfront was sought after; a new approach, a new plot, a new strategy, a new scenario. In that process came the most important element of our approach, which we discovered to be, a new point of view – from the point of view of the pedestrian.

The design presented accompanying this document has been developed through and from the eyes of the pedestrian, the primary users of the waterfront; through the various angles, distances and approaches. It is an approach towards phenomenology where decisions are made based on the sensual experiences.

In order to convey those experiences across, the images shown are as close to eye-level experiences as possible. What will be conveyed within this documentation is what those experience could not, namely the strategies or the plot behind the design.

Designing between dichotomies. The architectonic analogy of dichotomies around Victoria Harbour are that they are as walls, and as walls they contain spaces between that are to be further defined and refined for the benefit and enjoyment of the waterfront’s denizens and general patrons. These dichotomies of the first instance such as between land and water are taken to be the boundaries of a space or zone to be designated for use.

These spaces are looked upon as outdoor rooms that is to be further enhanced not just for public participation but also for public belonging. What it means is the avoidance of sweeping gestures too broad for all that though it may provide for vast spaces for everyone, it does not allow for anyone to feel like they belong in the vastness.

ART IN THE PARK
The first space defined between the towers of business and the harbour is to create a stretch of leisure in the form of a park; not one of mere decorative spaces, but a park to be involved with. Added into this park are elements of cultural artifacts or objects, namely of art, intended to encourage sensual enjoyment whilst in the leisure of the mind and spirit. Due to its changeable nature, it would also provide an element of time in the design as in how the look of the park would change with the changing of the exhibits over time; and it goes without saying that the exhibits would also indubitably add to the aesthetical enjoyment of the park.

Linear Gallery
A linear gallery cuts across and along the length of the waterfront park, perched at the peak of a gentle slope as a backdrop from the water’s edge, or as a stage setting looking out over Kowloon Bay, depending on ones viewing point.

Though the main gallery is a double volume wall that stretches across the park, only a portion of it is enclosed for a secured and serviced environment. Within this would also be space provided for off-the walls displays such as sculpture and other floor displays.

Boardwalk
A broad boardwalk runs alongside the whole length of it to provide a circulatory pedestrian loop around the park, as well as allowing for the enjoyment of the exhibits from the outdoors through full height glass walls. Even at night, after the gallery is closed, the exhibits could still be enjoyed along a soft lit boardwalk by keeping the exhibits lit.

The gallery would give the park a horizontal identity from the bay, distinct from the predominantly vertical skyline across Victoria Harbour.

Pavilions
Between the dichotomy of an art gallery and the water’s edge, the park would be filled with pavilions made of planar elements of various colours, textures and materials. These pavilions would continue the dichotomy between the screened and the framed as some views would be screened while others would be framed.

The pavilions are in three catergories depending on their locale within the park, The Grass Pavilions, Pebble Ledge Pavilions and Water’s Edge Pavilions.

The Grass Pavilions are dispersed along the gentle grass slope between the gallery and the water’s age and are interspersed between trees.

Pebble Ledge Pavilions are located on the roofs of pump houses along the boardwalk at the water’s edge. The roofs of these pump houses are turned into pebble gardens as part of the park’s landscape.

Water’s Edge Pavilions are perched over the water’s edge from the lip of the waterside boardwalk.

The walls of these pavilions would also define areas in the park that offer some intimate sense of scale and belonging within and around them despite being in such an expansive open space. Seating and table facilities are designed into the wall in a consistent manner with the general mode of aesthetics to provide for the usage and comfort of the park’s patrons.

And from the water’s edge, the planar elements of the pavilions would complement the geometry of the components and exhibits of the linear gallery.

The whole composition of the linear gallery and the pavilions is framed by two high walls at each end which house retail as well as waterfront eateries open only to the opposite side.

SHOP IN THE PARK
The space created directly beneath the length of the linear gallery would be designated a gallery for commercial-retail activities, and thus begins the other half of the waterfront park but on this half to cater for commercial retail activities within a park setting.

This outdoor space is essentially an open courtyard-like park surrounded by retail units beneath the linear gallery towards the harbour side and a stretch of shopping units along the P2 road on the city side. The form of the latter however has been carefully considered to assure a friendlier façade towards P2 as well as the inner garden, especially with the interspersion of green breaks along it’s length.

The segregation of the shopping facilities is a deliberate attempt to steer clear from relying on erratic commercial activities as the sole generator for waterfront activities. Nonetheless, consistent with maintaining a through axial opening with existing roads perpendicular to the site, connections are constantly made between Art In The Park and Shop In The Park through generous pedestrian thoroughfare between the two parks beneath the elevated linear gallery; especially in the connection of the PLA military berth to the PLA complex.

MARINA’S END

Ampitheatre
This is located at the marina’s end with the sole intention of making the most of the locality which would offer such interesting backdrops as the Kowloon bay and the Hong Kong Convention Centre building, as well as the marina itself. The ampitheatre has also been located as such to allow for pedestrian connection over the adjacent streets with the HK Academy of Performing Arts.

Marina
In order to not disrupt views of the marina from P2 road, retail facilities around the marina are raised with access towers along its length and terminating with an anchor unit at one end and a pedestrian ramp towards the convention centre.

Connections
These are maintained across P2 for pedestrians to and from the waterfront, including for the sites of governmental and institutional buildings yet to be given their criteria for proposals. The Tamar site connection above the sunken portion of P2 is proposed to be for a Festival Market Square rather than a festival market street elsewhere. This connection also links the new Tamar complex with a station for the proposed underground railway overrun beneath the P2.

THREE SQUARES & A WALL
Opposite to the marina’s end of both parks of art and shop, will be the terminating end of the axis that begins from Statue Square towards the piers at Kowloon Bay. The three squares borne from the inevitable course of the P1 and P2 roads are designed as open public squares that plays on the dichotomy of the raised and the sunken, with the leveled in between. The sunken takes advantage of it’s concealed nature to allow for commercial activities to still flourish on the site without disrupting the vista between Statue Square and the bay.

In order to preserve the user and commercial viability of these island squares, a habitable wall would transverse across them. Within the thickness of this wall would be the service circulation and support spaces for commercial-retail units that project out from the wall like giant lanterns; especially when lit at night. The wall would also serve as such for the commercial blocks that are parts of the square to be extruded depending on the commercial criteria yet to be outlined for their eventual proposals.

The commercial ‘lanterns’ that come off the face of the wall is dominated by a main central stretch across that unifies the three squares as circulation access; as well as a common linear food court at the lowest level, which is the immediate level after ascending from the 3 squares.

Towards the waterfront, the wall – like the linear gallery of the Art In The Park – set a stage like setting for a vista down the waterfront line. Conversely, from the marina’s end towards the buildings around the IFC, it creates a backdrop and a gateway before leaving the waterfront area; and an animated backdrop at that as it allows for the activities of its projected ‘lanterns’ be seen to those who have it in their field of view.