2021_ARCH2058_Guidebook_URBANISM JUXTAPOSITION IN CIRCULATION by ARCH2058

URBANISM:

WAN CHAI

ARCH2058 Modern Architecture ASSIGNMENT 3: GUIDEBOOK

灣仔 | Fall 2021

URBANISM: JUXTAPOSITION IN CIRCULATION Chan Kwok Hei (3035702566) Poon Lok Man (3035696896) Chin Kuang Yi (3035660897)

Circulation

Wan Chai, as one of the most crowded district in Hong Kong island, is unique for its complex circulation. From the street network to the footbridge in O’brien Road, the movement and walking pattern has been ever changing. In the following essay, we will look into the infrastructure and circulation in Wan Chai. The first part will discuss on the density on street network in Wan Chai North and South and how does it influences social capital within the whole district. The second part will focus on the emergence of footbridge and the pros and cons of its management mode. The third part will zoom out a bit and study how Wan Chai connects to other districts through transportation infrastructures.

1 BLUE HOUSE Blue House Cluster is a series of tenement houses located at Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai. It consists of Blue House, Yellow House and Orange House, which were constructed in the mid-20s to 50s. In 2006, the cluster faced the crisis of redevelopment which would destroy the original appearance of the relic and the social network of residents as they were forced to leave. To preserve the cultural heritage and the traditional lifestyle of Hong Kong people in Tong Lau, The Viva Blue House project was set up. It was a bottom-up conservation project to retain both residents and buildings. The project was supported by the revitalisation scheme of the government. With collaboration of residents, NGOs and professionals, the project was launched in 2013 and was complete in 2017.

4 stories tenement House

Residential Units at upper floor

Shops at the ground floor

Balcony

2 WAN CHAI MARKET The old Wan Chai market was constructed in 1937. It is located at Queen’s Road East, opposite to Stone Nullah Lane. Being one of the Grade III Historic building, the market’s design is greatly influenced by Streamline Moderene style. This can be observed from the round facade in the image. In 1961, the market undergone a renovation to compete with other markets. However, in the 2000s, the market was forced to be demolited. Under the agreement between Chinese estate and Urban Renewal Authority, the facade and front part of the market is preserved . Currently, the market no longer sell vegetabls and meat, but acts as a shopping center, with residential building in behind.

symmetrical structure

curved facade

rounded corners

3 FOOTBRIDGE

Authorised by the HKCEDD, O’Brien Road Footbridge is a Major infrastructure bridging North and South,spanning over Gloucester Road , O’Brien Road, Hennessy Road, and Lockhart Road. Completed in 1987, it is the sixth bridge interconnected in the wanchai walkway system. With 13 other bridges. it provides Interconnection between building complexes, with no ground connections needed. Being the most crowded pedestrian bridge in Hong Kong, it is always compared with the Central Elevated Walkway. The bridge blends itself into the Northern commercial blocks. To fit into the clear facades and unblocked skyline in the North, the footbridge adopts clean and hard edges in its design. The bridge is consisted of typical modern materials like steel and concrete, with simplistic fences giving an overall image of aesthetically neat and pleasing walkway.

connection of all entrances of the MTR (mass transit railway) entrances with the major buildings in Wanchai

4 HK ART CENTER The Hong Kong Arts Centre is a non-profit art museum and organisation dedicated to fostering the performing and visual arts. Since 1997, the organisation has been located at its headquarters along 2 Harbour Road. The 19-storey building was design by Tao Ho and features a triangular motif throughout, from its façade and layout to its structure. The internal spaces are composed of structural triangles to reduce the number of columns to maximise usable space for the centre’s performance stages, studios, galleries theatres and other cultural venues. Ho embraced the aesthetic of exposed services, an example of this are the buildings air-conditioning pipes suspended along the spiral staircases. The central atrium showcases the waffle-like triangular pieces from below as they make up an irregular polygonal shape. The project is accessible by footbridge from the centre of the district and by various public modes of transportation.

Triangular Waffle Structure Triangular Motif

Triangular Motif defining the shape of the main atrium area

Main Atrium with no columns

5 HKCEC The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is a major exhibition venue located along 1 Expo Drive, North of Wan Chai. It was a collaboration between SOM and Wong & Ouyang. It was originally built in 1988, with its more iconic and memorable design built in its second phase completing development in 1997. During its period of completion, the glazed, multiple height curtain wall was the largest of its time and were suspended from the roof and horizontal trusses. The gull-wing design of its rooftop was inspired by birds in flight. Steel trusses were used to build the main column-free roof structure, which were cutting-edge for its time. The centre was built on the reclaimed land, which was part of many reclamation projects executed by the Hong Kong Government from 1964-1982. It continues to serve its purpose as a large-scale venue for the people, it is easily accessible by footbridges and public transportation networks.

Steel truss structure for the gull-wing roof shape

Large Glazed Curtain Wall Modules suspended from the Steel truss structure

Main Hall with minimal columns

REIMAGINING URBAN PLANNING THROUGH THE LENS OF STREET NETWORK DENSITY

area while Wan Chai South represents the traditional living area. The complexity of this segment line urban area leads to controversies between people and the built environment. In this essay, l will investigate 1) The three stages of transformation in Wan Chai and 2) The impact of street network on the way of living.

Kwok Hei Chan Introduction

Since the beginning, Wan Chai has been an ever-transforming district in Hong Kong where old meets new. With the rapid economic growth in Hong Kong, Wan Chai’s urban layout has changed and evolved – the several reclamations separated the district into two segments. Divided by Gloucester Road, Wan Chai North represents the modernized urban

Fig 1 Land Use Pattern of Wan Chai (Source: Ling, M. X. (2017))

Traditional vs. New “Traditional” Grid Tracing back to 1841, Hong Kong was a British colony and Wan Chai as a small piece of land where Chinese villagers and sailors lived. Residential and small-scale commercial was the major land use. The planning scale was quite small - irregular street blocks sizes of around 2000 m2 were arranged. Trapezium and L-shaped street blocks were widely used to fit the topography. The overall environment is pedestrian friendly. The streets’ widths are up to 6 - 12m, allowing high flexibility in space utilization. “Planned” Grid The robust growth of the shipping industry and the rapidly increasing population in 1920s led to the government’s reclamation proposal. They believed the land reclamation from Queens Road East to Johnston Road

could alleviate the housing shortage. Soon after, the project further expanded – the Praya East Reclamation Scheme further provided 7.7 hectares of land between Hennessy and Gloucester Road. The land was planned to be a mixed-use residential and commercial area. Consequently, the street block sizes were planned to be larger, at around 4000 m2. The grid pattern is also more well-planned – the goal was to align rectangular street block nicely with one another. Three -to-four-stories tenement buildings were built within these street blocks. The Blue House cluster built in 1932 is one of the most representative buildings that reveals the traditional lifestyle in Tong Lau. “Scattered” Grid In 1980, the government proposed the third reclamation scheme. Springing from Gloucester Road, a huge amount of land was reclaimed for commercial and official use. With HKCEC being one of the most significant infrastructures, the area was occupied by Class-A high-

rise office buildings and residential buildings could hardly be found. Looking into the planning scheme, the overall grid network was still preserved. At the same time, block sizes were getting even more gigantic, up to 6000 m2. Nonetheless, the space between buildings was being sparser and less well-defined as its way of arrangement differed from the “traditional” and “planned” grid. Additionally, the street is 30m wide, which is specifically designed for vehicular traffic.

Fig 3 “Traditional” Grid (Source: Author)

Fig 4 “Planned” Grid (Source: Author)

Fig 2 Different reclamation stages in Wan Chai (Source: E. Dalby. Hong Kong Passenger Transport study, 1941-1966

Fig 5 “Scattered” Grid (Source: Author)

Throughout the three stages of Wan Chai, modernist urban planning was evident. The economic growth eventually led to much larger street blocks to support the construction of commercial buildings and offices. Concurrently, the demand for land led to the tendency of higher and taller building construction. From the Blue House Cluster with only few stories to Grade-A office building with heights over hundred meters, the contrast unveils the diversity between Wan Chai South and North. Furthermore, it can be clearly observed that the development of the northern Gloucester Road in 1980 is following a different spatial logic as compared to the south part. The overall urban layout demonstrates discontinuity, which weakens the overall intelligibility. Is this rational modernist scheme enhancing or deteriorating the way of living in Wan Chai?

The Way Street Network Influences Our Lives And The Community The above study showcased the discontinuity between Wan Chai North and South. With larger street blocks and wider roads, the street density on the North is much lower than on the South, meaning that there are less accessible streets for pedestrians. How does this difference in density of street network between the two areas influence our daily living and the community? Pedestrian Flow Under the principle of vehicle-pedestrian separation, the street network in Wan Chai North is designated for vehicle movement. To maintain an efficient traffic network, circulation for pedestrians was lifted to mid-air (the footbridges). The one-directional footbridges with fixed destinations limit pedestrians’ route choices. Additionally, some high-rise modern office buildings isolate themselves from the public. Great Eagle Centre is a case in point – it

adopts glass curtain wall design, and the glass façade hides everything behind. The pedestrian flow in the North lacks flexibility and people can hardly interact with the surroundings.

Fig 6 The facade and transparent windows of traditional buildings in the South is more open to pedestrians. (Source: Author)

Fig 7 The modern high rise in the North are covered by glass facade, it is difficult to know the activities inside the building. (Source: Author)

In opposition to Wan Chai North, the South has a denser and more sophisticated street network designed for both pedestrians and vehicles. Unlike the North, the pace of traffic and pedestrian flow is considerably slower. Although the road is shared by all users, motorists and vehicle drivers are willing to slow down when the roads are congested with people. Besides, the high street network density

implies greater flexibility in circulation with a rich diversity of residential, commercial, and retail spaces within the streets. Pedestrians have more freedom to choose their routes and move multi-directionally to meet their own needs. The shared space will also encourage people to slow down and observe the surrounding traditional buildings with curiosity. Gehl noted that “walking is a form of transport, but it is also a potential beginning or an occasion for many other activities.”1 The signage, outdoor restaurant seating and hawkers shape the crowded environment in Wan Chai. The special identity of Wan Chai eventually sparks pedestrians’ attention and curiosity to explore the tradition and culture in the area.

Fig 8 The street space is shared by pedestrian, vehicles and cyclists etc. (Source: Author)

Public Activities Public activities constitute a large proportion of Wan Chai’s daily living as they highlight the social and cultural expressions of residents within the community. Within Wan Chai district, activities conducted across the North and South are completely divergent. In the South, the high street network density strongly supports the daily living of residents and serves as a public space for everyone. Walking out of the MTR station, you can see foreigners undergoing street performances. Opposite to the MTR station, in local market areas like Tai Yuen Street, people are buying and selling different goods such as plants, toys, and clothes. While some are chatting, playing chess, and listening to the radio in the small parks nearby. The dynamic and colourful scenes give pedestrians a feeling – it is as though they are becoming part of a lively musical! According to Gehl , “due to the absence of an explicit control presence”2 in Wan Chai South, resi-

dents have higher freedom to use the street space according to their own needs – sometimes they even set up tables on the street to have meals. Public activities begin to emerge and bring up the lively side of Wan Chai, where residents meet and interact together.

Fig 9 People are having different public activities in Tai Yuen Street(Source: Author)

On the other hand, Wan Chai North showcases the more “serious” side of Wan Chai, where order and control are expressed. First, the low street network density results in the lack of public street space for pedestrians. In addition, the street network is connecting to Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Cen-

tre and the Golden Bauhinia Square – infrastructures where the government organise large and important events such as the Flag Raising Ceremony. Therefore, activities that may interrupt other visitors are prohibited. As a result, there are fewer social activities including busking, and street performance in the area. The highly controlled condition in the North hinders people from conducting spontaneous public activities on the street.

Fig 10 The Bauhinia Plaza is highly orderly, it is usually visited by tourist instead of the locals. (Source: Author)

Social capital and cohesion To evaluate how the street network influences the social cohesion in the Wan Chai community, “social capital is an essential parameter to consider. It affects the collective actions, social solidarity, and inclusion of an area”3, as mentioned by Putnam . A high level of social capital can promote trust and cooperation among residents to deepen their sense of belonging. Throughout the analysis, the level of street network density is found to be highly correlated with the degree of social capital. Hamilton-Baillie notes that “shared street spaces can be seen as a public outdoor room for the use of the general public, which makes an urban area liveable and vibrant.”4 Despite being a traditional and less developed area, the availability of public space within streets in Wan Chai South provides the freedom and opportunities for residents to participate in collective actions and social activities. This strengthens the bonding between neighbours and the community. Moreover, residents have 3 4

a strong sense of belonging and are willing to contribute to the community. For example, in 2007, residents in Wan Chai South proposed a bottom-up conservation project to revitalise the Blue House Cluster, which was originally planned to be demolished. Whereas in Wan Chai North, the pace of living is much faster, and the area is dominated by commercial buildings. Kwok notes that “when spaces are occupied by private developers, people have little motivation to develop social networks or a sense of community.”5 Hence, even though parks and gardens are designed for public activities, the occurrence of social events is much lower. “Mono-functional planning limits the interactions of people and generates a strong physical and social segregation”6, as mentioned by Rio . Under the huge contrast between the street network density in the two areas, the social capital in Wan Chai North is much lower than in the South, creating a disparateness between the two areas. 5 6

Conclusion All in all, the modernist urban planning scheme is proved to be essential in shaping the daily life and social cohesion within a district. In Wan Chai, urban planners successfully shaped the North into a commercial centre where mono-functional buildings are well located and efficiently managed. However, is the scheme still considered successful when the sacrifice is the discontinuity and disparity between the North and the South? Is land use the sole criteria of zoning? I believe the potential of integrated neighbourhoods should never be undermined. Humans, rather than the building should be the main consideration in the urban planning process. Only by examining the needs and desires of both citizens and society can an urban community with strong cohesion be developed.

Notes

Bibliography

1. Gehl, J. (2010) Cities for People. London: Island Press. 2. Gehl, J. (1987) Life between Buildings: Using Public Space. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. 3. Putnam, R.D. (1993) The prosperous community: Social capital and public life. The American Prospect 13: 35–42. 4. Hamilton-Baillie, B. (2008) Towards shared space. URBAN DESIGN International 13(2): 130–138. 5. Kwok, Y.C.J. (1998) The Production of Space in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, China: Crabs. 6. Rio, V.D. (2004) Urban design and the future of public space in the Brazilian city. Focus: Journal of the City and Regional Planning Department 1(1): 34–42.

1. Ling, M. X. (2017). Capturing the underlying structure of a ‘segment-line’ city: Its configurational evolution and functional implications. International Journal of High-Rise Buildings, 6(2), 139–147. 2. Gehl, J. (2010) Cities for People. London: Island Press. 3. Gehl, J. (1987) Life between Buildings: Using Public Space. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. 4. Putnam, R.D. (1993) The prosperous community: Social capital and public life. The American Prospect 13: 35–42. 5. Hamilton-Baillie, B. (2008) Towards shared space. URBAN DESIGN International 13(2): 130–138. 6. Kwok, Y.C.J. (1998) The Production of Space in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, China: Crabs. 7. Rio, V.D. (2004) Urban design and the future of public space in the Brazilian city. Focus: Journal of the City and Regional Planning Department 1(1): 34–42. 8. B. C. K. Fung. Planning for High Density Development of Hong Kong. Planning Development of Hong Kong (2001). http://ww. Pland.gov.hk/press/ speec hes/highden_dev.pdf (accessed June 20, 2005) 9. M. W. H. Chan. Urban Development and Evolution in Hong Kong: Reciprocity between Nature and Culture, Ph. D. Dissertation, The University of Hong Kong, (2008). 10. H. Y. Tsui. High Density Urban Form: A Case Study of Quarry Bay, Hong Kong. M.U.D. Dissertation, The University of Hong Kong, (1996). 11. M.X.H.Ling, Hong Kong: A Skyless Urbanism, MONU, No. 21, 2014.

12. B. Hillier. Space is the Machine, A Configurational Theory of Architecture, Cambridge University Press (1996). 13. B. Hillier. Centrality as a Process: Accounting for Attraction Inequalities in Deformed Grids, Urban Design International, Vol. 4 (3&4) (1999), pp. 107-127 14. D. Chang. Integrated Multi-level Circulation Systems in Dense Urban Areas: The Effect of Complex Spatial Designs on Multi-level Pedestrian Movement, Ph.D. Dissertation, University College London, London (2000) 15. B. Hillier, A. Penn, J. Hanson, T. Grajewski, and J. Xu. Natural Movement: or, Configuration and Attraction in Urban Pedestrian Movement. University College London

O’Brien Footbridge - A Spatial Divider of Wanchai North and South Lok Man Poon

In 1980, the government proposed a reclamation starting from the Gloucester road. The land is constructed with high rise office buildings and roads for vehicles. As the second layer of circulation, footbridges were necessary. To cater for the influx of population and urban activities above the ground, the government has implemented many top-to-down modernist infrastructures for future development use. City blocks are then rationalised and neatly programmed to fit a controlled timetable - mainly divided into two sectors: North and South.

Today, the urban fabric of Wanchai exhibits a clear demarcation line (Gloucester Road) 1 between the two. Planned a century ago, finished in 1987, the O’Brien Footbridge envisioned integrating Wanchai into a bigger pedestrian stream. Circulation in Wanchai North is condensed into a sophisticated elevated walkway system, lifting pedestrians to a whole new walking dimension. How the O’Brien Footbridge is managed, the spatial experience it gives and the impact on Wanchai communities nearby, are the major foci of this essay, and will be evaluated as follows.

1 “Gloucester Road, Hong Kong.” Wikipedia. June 22, 2021. Accessed December 22, 2021. https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloucester_Road,_Hong_Kong.

Wan Chai Elevated Walkway System

HKCEC New Wing

Wanchai Promenade

towards central elevated walkway

Wanchai Pier / Golden Bauhinia Square

Old Wing Convention Avenue / Fenwick Pier St

Fleming Rd / Harbour Rd

Convention Plaza (Expo Drive Central Road) Carpark

Grand Hyatt

Great Eagle Centre Harbour Centre Car Park

Renaissance Hotel

Wanchai Swimming Pool

Harbour Rd Sports Centre Harbour Rd

HK Arts Centre

Tonnochy Rd / Wanchai Sports Ground

Harbour Rd (Garden)

Fenwick St / HKAPA

Causeway Centre

Shui On Centre

Central Plaza Immigration Tower

Fleming Rd Garden

Sun Hung Kei Centre

St Regis Hotel China Resources Building Gloucester Rd

Gloucester Rd

Jaffe Rd

Gloucester Rd / Fleming Rd

Tonnochy Rd / Wanchai Sports Ground Allied Kajima Building

Lockhart Rd Lockhart Rd Exit A1 Hennessy Rd

Thomson Rd / Johnston Rd

151 Hennessy Rd Exit A2

Wanchai MTR Station

Lee Tung St

Novotel Hong Kong Century

Stewart Rd

AXA Centre

Ground Plan, building types and land and building utilisation of Wan Chai North and South Source: Siu - Huang (2015)

On-Site Management

using it. (Burgess, 1994; Maantay, 2002)2.

The activities are fated to be polarized at the very beginning. Wanchai has been split into several sectors for better management, and they are linked by the same footbridge. As such, activities in North Wanchai were formulated as independent units. For instance, tourists are zoned in Golden Bauhinia Square, while mega-events like HKTDC Book Fair is situated in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where long queues are well arranged along the elevated walkway. The apparent application of crowd management tools (e.g. metal fences) in public spaces give a clear message that the government is obliged and able to facilitate these spaces and events.

There was an experiment conducted in 20153 on types of users of the footbridge. At the footbridge and its nearby vicinity, pedestrians are mainly white collars at work, as these areas function as one of the cores of economic activity. On the contrary, Wan Chai South is composed of types of buildings (residential, commercial, storage and service), shops and market stores, restaurants and recreational venues. With various on-street activities (street performances and hawking) Wan Chai South settles a wide spectrum of people, including both neighbourhood residents and visitors outside the district. In comparison, the bridge is mainly built for Wan Chai North, which has a low level of pedestrian diversity. They concluded that the elderly in Wan Chai South are more likely

At first glance, all people are encouraged to access the footbridge. However, the rational zoning approach and overemphasis on management (spatial and real-time circulation) have deterred certain undesirable users from

2 Burgess, P. (1994) Planning for the Private Interest: Land Use Controls and Residential Patterns in Columbus, Ohio, 1900– 1970. Columbus, FL: Ohio State University Press.} Maantay, J. (2002) Zoning law, health, and environmental justice: What’s the connection? Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics 30(4): 572–593. 3 Siu, Kin Wai Michael, and Yi Hua Huang. “Everyday Life under Modernist Planning: A Study of an Ever-transforming Urban Area in Hong Kong.” URBAN DESIGN International 20, no. 4 (2015): 293-309. doi:10.1057/udi.2015.16.

to stay rather than set foot on the new and clean recreational venues in the North. The explanation is that the elevated walkway is not convenient or accessible for them. Long ramps, stairs and lifts are physical and psychological barriers when entering the north, and further decrease its pedestrian diversity. Wanchai North, like any other western modernised city, consists of free-standing sky scrappers, which are meant to be monofunctional with clean shapes and simplistic exteriors. Glass curtain wall is a prevalent scene in the North, making spaces visually engaging and neat with exclusive views of the skyline. Indi-

Source: Siu - Huang (2015)

vidual buildings are compiled by the walkway system. Wanchai South, however, consists of a packed urban framework with multi-purpose spaces with different scales ranging from retail shopfronts to restaurants with residences. Many households around the footbridge do erect advertisement signboards on external walls to help promote businesses, which signboards themselves are commonly as high as the buildings themselves. Signboards above heads have always been known as a feature of this urban jungle for a long time. The external spaces surrounding the footbridge are communal. Yet the sizes, numbers and positions of these signboards are often out of control, creating visual barriers and chaos in the street, imposing risks to users on the ground. Therefore, management adheres much to the people circulation. In Wanchai North, road networks are designed for safe, effective automobile traffic movements. Lanes are straightforward and wide. At-garde pedestrian crossings are vastly replaced by foot-

bridges. The government envisions lifting pedestrians from vehicles as a way to provide a safe environment for the passerby, but also ensure a rapid competent traffic network. Therefore, the footbridge network in Wanchai has been well developed - from Wanchai Ferry Pier to Southorn Garden (MTR Station) and from Fenwick Street to Tonnochy Road, pedestrians can pass through these streams without touching the ground. With the fixed landings, walking routes and directions of pedestrians have already been carefully calculated and formulated. At rush hours, the pedestrian on the footbridge move as clusters and everyone should stay at the same pace and direction. Indeed, the infrastructure is imposing a degree of synchronicity among its users. On the ground, Southern Wanchai has relatively stagnant traffic and human movement as roads are multi-directional and are shared by all - at the same ground level, same time. People and vehicles are less re-

stricted. In addition, the mixed-use area in the South offers more choices for people to go for their needs, decreasing their reliance on long-distance, unidirectional travel. Unlike the North, the public and private spaces in the traditional living area are hard to demarcate a line between (Jacobs, 1961; Mandanipour, 2003)4, implying that management is more difficult. The district tends to take a more liberal, adaptative approach. Experiencing the parallels Segregating land use not only affect how they are used but also differentiates user experiences nearby. This part delves into how the modernist planning ideology has influenced the experience on and outside of footbridge, eventually polarizing the North and South urban spaces. 4 Jacobs, J. (1961) The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Vintage Boo

Mandanipour, A. (2003) Public and Private Spaces of the City. London: Routledge.

Walking on the ground, pedestrians in Wanchai South are likely to move slowly and spend more time socialising, creating a more dynamic streetscape. Your footpace does affect the on-street activity and urban space life: walking slowly on the street, you are more likely to get in touch with their surroundings, initiating a lively community. Comparatively, if elevated walkways are merely to cater to traffic movement, you might find them unattractive and uninviting. O’Brien Footbridge plays a vital role in Hong Kong Island traffic, and have to cater to both pedestrian and vehic-

ular traffic with a “lifeless, efficient” quality. The nature of communal spaces has much influence on peoples’ behaviours. Proposed by Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, the automobile is prioritised as a major approach. To them, effective connections between separate spaces across the city were the only future. Fast unidirectional transportation is therefore necessary. As Wanchai grew as a more indirect, high-rise complex, crossing roads were no longer a feasible choice. Streets and footbridges were then specialised for cars and people respectively. For the modernists, busking, small trading or even just walking could be deemed as obstacles to speedy and continuous pedestrians streams at peak hours. They have prioritised traffic over community spaces. The planning of segregation has overlooked the psychological quantity of pedestrian walkways (Sauter and Huettenmoser, 2008)5.

Source: Siu - Huang (2015)

5 Sauter, D. and Huettenmoser, M. (2008) Liveable streetsand social inclusion. URBAN DESIGN International 13(2): 67–79.

In fact, in urban design especially for walkways, urbanists should have realised that the “perceived distance” is as important as the physical distance”. By Gogelet al’s definition (1963)6, physical distance is the “ distance from eye to an object “, while perceived distance is “ the observer’s perception of the distance of the object. Including the footbridge, street spaces in Wanchai North are adequate and monitored, when we match them with Wanchai South. Yet, the bridges cape consists of motorised traffic, closed walls and unidirectional roadsigns. These “hard edges” give users a false impression of a “long, tedious walk”, driving them to walk faster, creating a hustling atmosphere.

6 Gogel, W.C., Wist, E.R. and Harker, G.S. (1963) A test of theinvariance of the ratio of perceived size to perceived distance. The American Journal of Psychology 76(4): 537–553.

A Secluded Community Speaking of modernity, the 8th step of canonization proposed by Gropius has already failed. Community activity and office activity are completely cut off by the footbridge and Gloucester Road. The community in Wanchai South was built by residents and expanded over decades without official plans or blueprints. For instance, the open-air bazaars brought Tai Yuen Street, Cross Street with informal street trading in the 1920s. People just improvised and utilised them for assembling and interacting with others. A community was steadily formed by nearby neighbourhoods and shop owners. Community activities and civic engagement require much sense of belonging, common goals, and perhaps a close physical network. However, zoning and the presence of O’Brien Footbridge divide the city into separate functional zones just for easier regulation. The

bridge separates the residential area from shopping, school and work, declining the sense of community. Sharing a similar thought with Gropius, Alexander et al (1977)7 stated that the separation of living and workplace ‘reinforces the idea that work is a toil, while the only family is living.” Across the footbridge, great distances between two zones make people spend much time travelling, reducing their involvement in an urban community. Urban areas are then reconfigured as sparse pieces, leaving people on urban islands linked by footbridges, tunnels and bypasses. With only certain types of people included, the social encounters shrink creating obvious physical and social segregation. (Rio, 2004).

7 Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S. and Silverstein, M. (1977) A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New York: Oxford University Press

Conclusion To conclude, the implementation of the footbridge and its modernist planning has failed to develop urban communities and pleasurable spatial experiences. Rationalised zoning has created a spatially and socially segregated city, moving a great portion of human circulation above the ground. Spending much time commuting to commute, the opportunity for people to interact, forming a community was greatly reduced. In this way, modernist planning neglects practical situations and many emotional factors. The top-to-down urban plan formulated by experts are excluding many desires and spatial needs of the users. From our reflection on modernist plans, it is fair to say that the notion of modernist planning should have adhered to the urban context.

Notes

Bibliography

1. “Gloucester Road, Hong Kong.” Wikipedia. June 22, 2021. Accessed December 22, 2021. https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloucester_Road,_Hong_Kong. 2. Burgess, P. (1994) Planning for the Private Interest: Land UseControls and Residential Patterns in Columbus, Ohio, 1900–1970. Columbus, FL: Ohio State University Press.} 3. Siu, Kin Wai Michael, and Yi Hua Huang. “Everyday Life under Modernist Planning: A Study of an Ever-transforming Urban Area in Hong Kong.” URBAN DESIGN International 20, no. 4 (2015): 293-309. doi:10.1057/udi.2015.16. 4. Jacobs, J. (1961) The Death and Life of Great American Cities. NewYork: Vintage Books. 5. Mandanipour, A. (2003) Public and Private Spaces of the City.London: Routledge. 6. Sauter, D. and Huettenmoser, M. (2008) Liveable streetsand social inclusion. URBAN DESIGN International 13(2):67–79. 7. Gogel, W.C., Wist, E.R. and Harker, G.S. (1963) A test of theinvariance of the ratio of perceived size to perceived distance.The American Journal of Psychology 76(4): 537–553. 8. Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S. and Silverstein, M. (1977) A PatternLanguage: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New York: OxfordUniversity Press.

Growing East and Growing West: The Transportation Infrastructure of Wan Chai

Kuang Yi, Chin

To pretext this work, the previous text centralised its direction around the circulation networks layered upon the cityscape of Wan Chai, in a way, this next text is an increase in scale, not looking at the interconnectedness of the district, but the interconnectedness of it and Hong Kong itself. Connections Highways, bridges, roads, and tunnels all represent the arteries of the city machine, every path with its purpose to better the lives of society. At different scales, these connections establish how one traverses through or around the urban neighbourhoods with the ever-growing interconnecting networks of infrastructure surrounding Wan Chai and beyond. To be clear, the zone that is known colloquially as Wan Chai does not include the entire district of Wan Chai but around its central MTR subway system. Its borders have been

naturalised by the community and are at the Canal Road Flyover towards the East, and past the Police Headquarters along Hennessy Road to the West. The North and South boundaries are the Wan Chai Promenade and Kennedy Road at the foot of Morrison Hill respectively. Public transportation is a key player in Wan Chai and Hong Kong’s relative success in traffic efficiency. According to a study penned by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Hong Kong was ranked the highest at 70.8% for the global public transport rankings in 2018.1 But with an ever-growing population and limited real estate to build upon, how has this region of Hong Kong been able to thrive? Urban Planning Urban Planning aims to focus upon the development, maintenance, and design of every aspect of life in a region using the built environment. Wan Chai is a district that has evolved in every generation. The history of the development of 1 Knupfer, Stefan M., Vadim Pokotilo, and Jonathan Woetzel. “Elements Of success: Urban Transportation Systems of 24 Global Cities.” McKinsey Center for Future Mobility, June 2018.

Hong Kong has always been closely tied with what was once a small cove slowly growing through reclamation from its original coastline at the foot of Morrison Hill to Gloucester Road in 1945 and the current coastline by the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The reclamation went through several stages from the late 19th Century to the late 20th Century. Wan Chai is part of the high-traffic business districts, starting from Central and ending at the more commercial and entertainment district of Causeway Bay. These high-traffic areas are a constant strain on the efficiency of the city and require more than the relatively limited capacity road network, especially to sustain the rush-hour traffic.

2 2

“Map of Wan Chai in 1963 (Chinese Version).” Gwulo: Old Hong Kong, https://

As new technologies and architectural languages were developed and discovered throughout the 20th Century onwards, Wan Chai’s urban planning of roads and streets changed. The two distinct identities that were discovered upon in the last two texts are delineated by the second reclaimed coastline of Wan Chai at Gloucester Road. With the implementation of large urban block sizes, wider street widths and a clearer linear grid, the advantages of reclaiming land started to appear. The implementation of transportation infrastructure became a more natural fit with these newer modernist street networks that focused on vehicular traffic.3 Transportation Infrastructure The Hong Kong government has implemented several transportation strategies outlined in their Third Comprehensive Transport Study completed in 1999, including plans to further prioritise railway development, railway accessibility and strategic highway construction.4 Although, the government did emphasise the importance of continuous analysis of economic, land limitations and gwulo.com/atom/14811. 3 “The Modernist No.30, Infrastructure.” The Landscape and Architecture of Post-War British Infrastructure. May 16, 2020. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://postwarinfrastructure. org/2020/05/16/the-modernist-no-30-infrastructure/. 4 “Public Transport Strategy Study.” Transport and Housing Bureau, June 2017.

population growth. These strategies need to overcome the unique challenges that the city brings. There are more than sixteen bus stops around Wan Chai, which are along roads that are parallel to the coastline, including but not limited to, Hennessy Road, Johnston Road, O’Brien Road and Gloucester Road. The Hong Kong Tramways has been operating the tramline since 1904. Running between Kennedy Town and Shau Kei Wan, the network has 120 stations across the northern coastline of the island.5 The Wan Chai tram stations enter the district from Canal Road West and travel along Fleming Road, O’Brien Road, Luard Road, up until Fenwick Street before it joins up to Arsenal Street before heading Westbound. Not only is this low-cost mode of public transport reliable, but also holds a cultural significance to Hong Kong. The tramline denotes where the coastline of Hong Kong used to have been.

5 “Interactive Map.” Hong Kong Tramways. Accessed December 22, 2021. https:// hktramways.com/en/interactive-map.

The Challenges of the Urban Cityscape Throughout history, the practice of bridgebuilding has served the purpose of traversing natural landscape obstacles, such as rivers or canyons. The technology was not only limited to the movement of people, but services such as aqueduct networks. The past two hundred years have seen building construction technologies improve, especially during the industrial revolution. But ever since the advent of steel construction and concrete structures in the Twentieth Century, the load capacities of bridge structures have improved immensely, increasing its traffic limitations.6 The landscape too has changed, not only is bridge technology improved to span long and higher distances or harsher environmental conditions but exists in the urban cityscape appearing with a new set of challenges. Space limitations and environmental concerns are key factors that should be considered when designing around the urban cityscape. With the constant strain of the lack of space in cities, subway systems have been built in cities throughout history to deal with this problem. Tunnel construction is used to 6 Shabanowitz, Timothy B. “THE PROGRESSIVE SYNTHESIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING IN MODERN BRIDGE DESIGN.” Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering, March 12, 2006.

create subway networks and or pedestrian subways, although the latter is less common around Hong Kong. Depending on the type of ground type the region has, there are several methods of tunnelling beneath a city. Wan Chai MTR Station The Wan Chai MTR Station opened with the island line in 1985, the station was tunnelled and built below the Southern Playground, along Hennessy Road.7 The island line is one of the eleven lines in the Mass Transit System that serves seventeen stations. The MTR system is known to be one of the most efficient forms of public transport and plays a key role in connecting Hong Kong Island across Victoria Harbour to Kowloon. More than 1.78 million trips were made by passengers in 2020 alone.8 There are three main exits and entrances for the station around the vicinity of Hennessy Road and eight exit and entrance points. Notably, exit A5 emerges into the footbridge over O’Brien Road, which connects old Wan Chai to the business district. Buildings such as the Immigration Tower, Hong Kong Art Centre 7 “Railway Operations - Island Line.” MTR > Island Line. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/corporate/operations/route_island_url.html. 8 “Patronage Updates.” MTR > Patronage Updates. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/corporate/investor/patronage.php.

and Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre all reside there. Central-Wan Chai Bypass and the Island Eastern Corridor Link The Central-Wan Chai Bypass is a trunk road that opened to the public in 2019 and is part of the Central Reclamation Phase III and stretches the distance from Sheung Wan to Fortress Hill along the coastal line of Hong Kong Island. The 4.5km highway has a 3.7km long tunnel constructed which was executed using a mined tunnelling method to prevent any damage upon the Cross Harbour Tunnel, construction and modelling and control plan prototyping workflow was used during its planning and construction stages.910 The bypass was built along Lung Wo Road, and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Atrium Link Extension. More than 15 million vehicles with a daily average of 42 thousand vehicles travelled through the Central-Wan Chai Bypass in 2020.11 9 “Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link.” AECOM. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://aecom.com/projects/central-wan-chai-bypass/. 10 Rogers, Geoffrey, and John Patient. “The Central-Wanchai Bypass.” Civic Exchange, February 2004. www.civic-exchange.org. 11 “Section 4Road Tunnels and Control Areas.” Road Tunnels and Control Areas - Traffic Statistics - Central-Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel | Annual Transport Digest 2021. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.td.gov.hk/mini_site/atd/2021/en/section4_20.html.

Gloucester Road Completed in 1929, Gloucester Road is a major highway in the district of Wan Chai, in the east, it connects to Victoria Park and the west to Harcourt Road.13 The Central-Wan Chai Bypass was built to divert traffic from Gloucester Road and the several other main roads that run through the contemporary region of the Wan Chai district. 12

Towards the east, the bypass connects to the Island Eastern Corridor expressway which perimeters the north-eastern shore of Victoria Harbour and ends in Chai Wan. The corridor was completed in its current state in 2003 and serves as a key traffic diversion lane on the eastern side of Hong Kong Island. Towards the west, the bypass resurfaces along Man Po Street adjacent to Two IFC and the row of Central Ferry Piers. It merges with the Connaught Road Central Flyover into the Rumsey Street Flyover past Sheung Wan, ending and giving access to the Kennedy Town Area. 12 “Central-Wan Chai Bypass.” Ejinsight, Ejinsight, 19 Feb. 2019, https://www.ejinsight. com/eji/article/id/2061929/20190219-central-wan-chai-bypass-to-fully-open-from-feb-24.

Canal Road Flyover The Canal Road Flyover follows the perimeter of Wan Chai along its eastern boundary. It was constructed in the 1970s to serve the Cross Harbour Tunnel in the north. The flyover connects to the Aberdeen Tunnel by way of the Wong Nai Chung Gap in Happy Valley, which ultimately connects to Wong Chuk Hang on the Southside of the Island.14

13 Yanne, Andrew, and Gillis Heller. Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press, HKU, 2009. 14 LCQ4: Traffic Congestion along the Link Roads to the Aberdeen Tunnel. June 10, 2009. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200906/10/P200906100184. htm.

Conclusion The district of Wan Chai has had a rich history of development and reclamation. It has thrived as a district with two distinct identities, commercial and residential, and the old and new. The development of its transportation infrastructure has come from necessity and purpose. Not only has this development increased the traffic flow in and out of the district but has been advantageous to the commercial viability of the area. Wan Chai continues to evolve and adapt to the rapid changes that it comes across in an urban cityscape. By making more connections, traffic and economic efficiency increase.

Notes 1.

2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.

Knupfer, Stefan M., Vadim Pokotilo, and Jonathan Woetzel. “Elements Of success: Urban Transportation Systems of 24 Global Cities.” McKinsey Center for Future Mobility, June 2018. “Map of Wan Chai in 1963 (Chinese Version).” Gwulo: Old Hong Kong, https://gwulo.com/atom/14811. “The Modernist No.30, Infrastructure.” The Landscape and Architecture of Post-War British Infrastructure. May 16, 2020. Accessed December 22, 2021. https:// postwarinfrastructure.org/2020/05/16/the-modernist-no-30-infrastructure/. “Public Transport Strategy Study.” Transport and Housing Bureau, June 2017. “Interactive Map.” Hong Kong Tramways. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://hktramways.com/en/interactive-map. Shabanowitz, Timothy B. “THE PROGRESSIVE SYNTHESIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING IN MODERN BRIDGE DESIGN.” Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering, March 12, 2006. “Railway Operations - Island Line.” MTR > Island Line. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.mtr.com.hk/ en/corporate/operations/route_island_url.html. “Patronage Updates.” MTR > Patronage Updates. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.mtr.com.hk/ en/corporate/investor/patronage.php. “Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link.” AECOM. Accessed December 22, 2021. https:// aecom.com/projects/central-wan-chai-bypass/.

10. Rogers, Geoffrey, and John Patient. “The Central-Wanchai Bypass.” Civic Exchange, February 2004. www.civic-exchange.org. 11. “Section 4Road Tunnels and Control Areas.” Road Tunnels and Control Areas - Traffic Statistics - Central-Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel | Annual Transport Digest 2021. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.td.gov.hk/ mini_site/atd/2021/en/section4_20.html. 12. “Central-Wan Chai Bypass.” Ejinsight, Ejinsight, 19 Feb. 2019, https://www.ejinsight.com/eji/article/ id/2061929/20190219-central-wan-chai-bypass-to-fullyopen-from-feb-24. 13. Yanne, Andrew, and Gillis Heller. Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press, HKU, 2009. 14. LCQ4: Traffic Congestion along the Link Roads to the Aberdeen Tunnel. June 10, 2009. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200906/10/ P200906100184.htm.

The Modern Architecture Guidebook Hong Kong’s built environment represents a unique site of inquiry in the global history of the Modern Movement. The Modern Architecture guidebook series draw from an inter-disciplinary toolkit of knowledge, references, and field studies to understand the processes at work in the built environment. Each walking tour in the series begins with one of the 98 MTR stations in Hong Kong as the meeting point. First opened in 1979, this modernist infrastructure has produced a city rationalized around transportoriented development. Organized around key themes (industrialization, colonization, environment, internationalization, migration, decolonization, counterculture, and globalization), the guidebooks present a critical yet open perspective towards the implications of large-scale modernist schemes on the environment and community.