Retrofitting Public Spaces by Catherine Chao

University College London

Faculty of the Built Environment

Bartlett School of Planning

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Naturenessâ&#x20AC;? in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong Wing Sze Catherine Chao MSc Urban Design and City Planning

Being a Major Project in MSc Urban Design and City Planning submitted to the faculty of The Built Environment as part of the requirements for the award of the MSc Urban Design and City Planning at University College London, I declare that this project is entirely my own work and that ideas, data and images, as well as direct quotations, drawn from elsewhere are identified and referenced. Wing Sze Catherine Chao 31 August 2018 Word count: 10893

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all those who have provided me the guidance and support to complete this report. A special gratitude I give to my supervisor, Judith Lösing, whose contribution in stimulating suggestions, and helped me to coordinate my project. Furthermore I would like to acknowledge with much appreciation the crucial role of Dr Filipa Wunderlich, whose have invested her time and effort in guiding all students and supervisors and coordinating this module. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to other supervisors who have provided invaluable insights in my project presentations. Last but not least, I must express my very profound gratitude to my parents, my sister and to my friends for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of researching and writing this report. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them. Thank you.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Facts and figures of playgrounds in Hong Kong and the UK p.10 Figure 2. "Fast-food standardized" playground equipment p.11 Figure 3. Playground designed with concrete-dominated settings p.11 Figure 4. The only playground in Hong Kong with sandpit in Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens p.11 Figure 5. Examples of Hong Kong public spaces in 3 categories p.13 Figure 6. Conceptual representation of using nature play as co-solution p.14 Figure 7. Summary of identified issues and proposed co-solution p.16 Figure 8. Overarching characteristics of play p.24 Figure 9. Examples of nature play and its characteristics p.26 Figure 10. Importance and benefits of nature play on children p.27 Figure 11. Kwun Tong Promenade p.32 Figure 12. Kwun Tong Promenade layout and primary settings p.33 Figure 13. Arlitt Nature PlayScape p.36 Figure 14. Arlitt Nature PlaySpace layout and primary setting p.37 Figure 15. Teardrop Park p.40 Figure 16. Teardrop Park layout and primary setting p.41 Figure 17. Jacob Ballas Children's Garden p.44 Figure 18. Jacob Ballas Children's Garden layout and primary setting p.45 Figure 19. An overview of the 3 + 6 Framework p.56 Figure 20. Map of Hong Kong and location of Mongkok p.64 Figure 21. Aerial view of Mongkok, Hong Kong p.64 Figure 22. Literal translation of the word "Mongkok" p.64 Figure 23. Mongkok layout and points of interest p.65 Figure 24. Mongkok playgrounds and POS p.66 Figure 25. Locations of Mongkok playgrounds and POS p.66 Figure 26. 2 sites of intervention p.67 Figure 27. The MK Greenlink vision for playgrounds and POS in Mong Kok p.68 Figure 28. 3D visualisation of Mongkok Road Playground and its surrounding buildings p.69 Figure 29. Mongkok Road Playground layout p.69 Figure 30. Ferry Street Sitting-out Area layout p.74 Figure 31. Mongkok Road Leisure Park p.78 Figure 32. Mongkok Road Leisure Park design proposal layout p.79 Figure 33. Strategic plan for Ferry Street Leisure Garden p.84 Figure 34. Conceptual flowchart of development process of Ferry Street Garden p.85

ABSTRACT

The issues of underuse, insufficient, and inadequate quality of outdoor public playgrounds and public open spaces in Hong Kong suggest that more efficient use of public spaces is needed in general. This can be done through better use by intended users, and to widen the user group by being more inclusive and flexible in the design. Hence this research proposed to develop a conceptual and design toolkit that can focus on introducing multi-use in public spaces using concepts and elements of nature play. It is hoped that the flexibility of nature play allows a design of a place not only children can enjoy and feel interested in playing, but simultaneously be a general POS that everyone can use. In addition, the non-uniformed natural settings of nature play and purposefully designed nature-dominant POS would mean that conflicts may arise in terms of aesthetic, social, and recreational values, as well as issues of natural features maintenance. In order to ensure long-term viability, the use of natural features and elements have to be inclusive, flexible, and balanced between allowing free play for children and maintaining a high-quality space for the wider user group. This is the main challenge that has been addressed using an integrative approach on 2 sites of intervention: Mongkok Road Playground, and Ferry Street Sitting-out Area in Hong Kong.

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

CONTENT

01 INTRODUCTION

05 OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

1.1 Research Issues p.10 1.2 Justification and Contribution to Practice p.14 1.3 Research Question and Objectives p.17

06 CONCEPTUAL AND DESIGN TOOLKIT 02 METHODOLOGY 03 LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1 Definition of "Play" p.24 3.2 Nature Play p.25 3.3 Importance and Benefits of Nature Play p.27 3.4 Public Open Space, Nature Elements, and People p.28 3.5 Limitations and Conflits of Nature Play and Public Open Space p.29

04 CASE STUDY REVIEW

6.1 Key Principles p.56 6.2 Tools p.57

07 DESIGN PROPOSAL 7.1 Site Introduction and Justification p.64 7.2 Vision p.68 7.3 Site Analysis p.69 7.4 Final Design p.78

08 EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION

4.1 Kwun Tong Promenade, Hong Kong p.32 4.2 Artlitt Nature PlayScape, Ohio, USA p.36 4.3 Teardrop Park, New York, USA p.40 4.4 Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, Singapore p.44

01 INTRODUCTION

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

1.1

Research Issues

Issue 1 – Outdoor public playgrounds The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is the main government agency that manages outdoor public playgrounds in Hong Kong. POS in Hong Kong are mainly found in public open space, outdoor areas in private residential developments, and in public housing estates. As at end-April 2017, there are a total of 635 LCSD-managed playgrounds spread across Hong Kong (Legislative Council, 2017). Over the years, LCSD and the government have received different criticisms from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the media, and the public on the provision of playgrounds, mainly – (i) uneven distribution of playgrounds and low average area of playgrounds per child (Cheung, 2018; Legislative Council, 2017); (ii) insufficient

1 playground for every 987 children

1 playground for every 694 children

0.27m2 of playground per children

5.42m2 of playground per children

provision of playgrounds and play equipment (The Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, 2016); (iii) homogeneous and repeated design of playgrounds (Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children, 2017; Chiu, 2016; Radio Television Hong Kong, 2015; Yau, 2015); and (iv) restrictions in activities allowed in playgrounds (Mak, 2017). As suggested by an empirical study carried out by UNICEF Hong Kong and Playright Children’s Play Association (2015), these critiques are the main reasons that leads to underuse of playground, and that even when there were children, they choose to play with the facilities in their own creative ways to liven things up. This shows that Hong Kong playgrounds lacked diversity and are not exciting and fun enough to attract children, let alone meeting the needs of children play.

99% of the playgrounds has slides of 2m or less

Referred to as ‘playgrounds’ in this report, unless otherwise stated.

only 11% of the playgrounds has free-standing climbing frame

Figure 1. Facts and figures of playgrounds in Hong Kong and the UK

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

01 INTRODUCTION

Siu et al. (2017) characterises playgrounds in Hong Kong for being “’fast-food’ standardized” (p.171) (Figure 2). Their design focuses on having less safety issues, less complaints, easier management and maintenance rather than on engaging children in play. In addition, they have also been noted for their lack of natural elements (Figure 3), such as grass, rocks, sandpits, and water that provide more exciting ways of play for children. For instance, the playground in Hong Kong Park is the only LCSD-managed is the only playground with sandpit (Siu et al., 2017) (Figure 4). There are a wide range of literature on the impacts of children’s disconnection with nature. Hence it is important to cease opportunities to create environment and spaces that allow children to have greater contact with nature in their daily life. Some studies have examined how protective parents and the ‘all work and no play’ traditional Chinese wisdom have contributed to the underuse of playgrounds in Hong Kong (Chiu 2018; Lam, 2018; Ng, 2017). However these factors are not the major focus of this research. Figure 2. "Fast-food standardized" playground equipment

Figure 3. Playground designed with concretedominated settings

Figure 4. The only playground in Hong Kong with sandpit in Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens 11

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

01 INTRODUCTION

Issue 2 – Government-owned neighbourhood public open spaces (POS) Public spaces in Hong Kong can be characterised into 3 groups: POS, privately-owned public

to ameliorate negative environmental impacts (e.g. heat island effect and air pollution) (Ng and

space; and urban re-/development project public spaces (owned and managed through public-

Moon, 2017; Xue et al., 2017; Coorey and Lau, 2005).

private partnership). Among them, the quantity and quality of POS is the most substandard (Figure 5).

Whilst it could be challenging to directly address Hong Kong political control issues on playgrounds and POS land resource, the goals of this research is to explore potential ways to

POS is scarce in Hong Kong, only about 2% of the city is designated as ‘open space’ and many

increase the quality and quantity of playgrounds and POS.

are not for recreational use (Tang, 2017, p.81). Hong Kong residents currently get an average of 2.7-2.8m2 of open space per person, behind other Asian cities such as Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo with 5.8m2 to 7.6m2 (Civic Exchange, 2017, p.1). Noted by multiple literature, this is due to two main reasons – (i) high population density together with valuable land resource prioritizing development of residential, commercial and retail uses (Xue et al., 2017; Taylor et al., 2011); (ii) the presence of grey areas in planning control on POS turn them as “land reserves by the planning institution to accommodate economic functions, rather than the conventional understanding of using open space for recreation” (Cheung and Tang, 2016, no page; Law, 2002). Jim and Chan (2016) have noted 25 main issues regarding institutional and spatial limitations of POS, some of them being lack of “natureness”. It is said that most street-level POS are extensively covered by manicured landscape, hard paving and installations with limited green cover. Plantable areas are often sealed with concrete or asphalt, and the hard-paved emergency vehicle access roads take up sizeable potential sites for greening. Also, some POS are designed with “hostile design measures” such as small barriers on benches to deliberately make people uncomfortable (Ng and Moon, 2017). Hong Kong’s restrictive POS with concrete-based spatial arrangement and facilities impose impacts including: (i) discouraging people’s intentions for active visit, and to perform social and physical activities; (ii) deterioration of mental and physical well-being of individual and community as a whole; and (iii) loss of urban green conservation

Privately-owned public spaces

Urban re-/development project public spaces

01 INTRODUCTION

POS

Compare to POS, it is apparent that privately-owned public spaces and urban re-/development project public spaces are generally greener, and more diverse in design and in the types of activities it affords. However these are where commercialisation and privatisation of space take place, despite being publicly accessible, visitors are "monitored and evaluated in terms of class, race and gender for commercial purposes" (South China Morning Post, 2014, no page) 1. Kerry Hotel, Kowloon City (Wpcpey, 2017) 2. Cyberport, Telegraph Bay (The Arcade, no date) 3. Citywalk Shopping Centre, Tsuen Wan (TheHKShopper, 2012) 4. Tamar Park, Admiralty (Wpcpey, 2013) 5. Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Tsim Sha Tsui East (Duran, 2017) 6. West Kowloon Cultural District, Tsim Sha Tsui (Chu, 2017) 7. Tai Wong Street East Sitting-Out Area, Wan Chai 8. Finnie Street Sitting-out Area, Quarry Bay (Lam, 2017) 9. Tak Cheong Street Garden, Mong Kok (Wu, 2016) Figure 5. Examples of Hong Kong public spaces in 3 categories

1.2

01 INTRODUCTION

Justification and Contribution to Practice

Nature play as "co-solution" The issues of underuse, insufficient, and inadequate quality of playgrounds and POS in Hong Kong suggest that more efficient use of public spaces is needed in general. This can be done through better use by intended users, and to widen the user group by being more inclusive and flexible in the design. There are currently no open-space planning policies and standards, urban design guidance, or urban-greening governance that simultaneously and directly address both identified issues in Hong Kong. Hence this research proposes to develop a conceptual and design toolkit that supports multi-use public spaces using concepts and elements of nature play. It is hoped that the flexibility and greening of nature play allows a design of a place not only children are interested in playing, but simultaneously be a general POS that everyone can enjoy.

Figure 6. Conceptual representation of using nature play as co-solution

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

01 INTRODUCTION

While nature play environments contain natural elements as sources of play, which increase children’s direct exposure to nature and its associated cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual benefits (Mustapa et al., 2015), the less deliberately human-managed natural settings also provide better opportunities for play that offers qualities of openness, diversity, and creativity. Children’s opportunities to share and change play are less being held back which allows them to become immersed and encouraged in play (Gundersen et al., 2016). This means that nature play is a probable response to children’s deficit in direct contact of nature, as well as insufficient, unattractiv e, and homogenous playground facilities and equipment in Hong Kong. Another line of thought on natural setting of nature play is that it can ameliorate the issues of lack of “natureness” and its associated impacts in POS. The lack of POS is compounded by poor design and quality, it is suggested that urban ecology and landscape ecology principles-based POS planning, design and management could be a suitable response to this issue (Jim and Chan, 2016). Not only does the settings of nature play provides opportunities for greening in tight urban fabric, it has also been widely proven that the spatial arrangement of green space distribution perceives high values for social interaction. Preference for natural elements over artificial has been found to have linkage between meaning of place and activities (Ghavampour, 2014). This means that nature play is also a probable response to the inadequacy in the quantity and quality of POS in Hong Kong. However, the non-uniformed natural settings of nature play and purposefully designed naturedominant POS would mean that conflicts may arise in terms of aesthetic, social, and recreational values, as well as issues of natural features maintenance. In order to ensure long-term viability, the use of natural features and elements have to be inclusive, flexible, and balanced between allowing free play for children and maintaining a high-quality space for the wider user group. These are the main challenges that have been addressed when developing an integrative approach based on nature play.

01 INTRODUCTION

Issues Insufficient Dull Restrictive Lack nature element Underuse Fast food standardised

Flexibility

Inclusiveness

LCSD-managed playground Co-solution

Greening in tight urban fabric

Nature Play Principles Hong Kong Issues Insufficient Lack maintenance Lack nature element Hostile design Low quality Lack appropriate facilities

Urban re-/development project public spaces Privately-owned public spaces

Openness Diversity Creativity

Expose to nature

POS

Figure 7. Summary of identified issues and proposed co-solution

01 INTRODUCTION

1.3

Research Question and Objectives

Using the nature play approach, how can a space be created and used as a playspace and a public open space simultaneously without conflict while being attractive for a wider audience?

To examine the

To understand the needs

To explore ways in

To create a conceptual

opportunities and

and perceived desires of

creating interesting and

and design toolkit that

limitations of nature play

different user types found

dynamic playspace for

supports multi-use public

in Hong Kong

in open spaces in Hong

children, as well as to

spaces with the principles

Kong, and to recognise

advocate better use and

and elements of nature

the functional and spatial

high quality POS for

play while keeping the

requirements to house

different users through

aesthetic, social, and

them

nature settings in Hong

recreational values of

Kong

both playspaces and POS in Hong Kong

02 METHODOLOGY

The research is conducted using a 4-stage methodology

Research

Identify issues to be explored, and establishes original and coherent research questions, objectives and design expectations that makes significant contribution to practice. Reviews and analyses relevant literature, case studies, and observational studies critically to gain better understanding of the theories, practice-based debates, and context.

Develop

Summarise key insights derived from the Research stage, and constructs a conceptual and design toolkit that contains best practices to answer the research questions, and fulfill the objectives and design expectations.

Application

Identify a site to test out the conceptual and design toolkit. Performs site analysis to explore proposition for change. Establishes vision, objectives, and initial conceptual proposal. Propose detail planning and design interventions.

Review

Evaluate the possible limitations of the proposal, and lays out future plans for improvement

03 LITERATURE REVIEW

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

3.1

LITERATURE REVIEW

Definition of “Play”

What is play? To start with exploring what play is, definitions from dictionaries and those adopted by different

Accompanied by positive affect

organisations could be used as references, including those from Oxford Dictionaries, Cambridge Dictionary, Play Therapy United Kingdom, Play England, and Play Scotland. One of the more

Freedom of choice

inclusive and flexible definition is from Play England (no date, no page) where play is described

Non-literal Gender-neutral

as “what children and young people do when they follow their own ideas and interests, in their own way, and for their own reasons”. Similarly, but with no age-specific context, the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council and Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Creative

(2015) adopts the definition of play as a “freely chosen and self-directed mental or physical

Flexible and adaptive

activity that is undertaken for enjoyment and that is separate in some way from ‘real’ life” (p.34). Sicart (2014) describe play conceptually by examining attributes of play and saying play is at the

Spontaneous

same time contextual, carnivalesque, appropriative, disruptive, autotelic, creative and personal.

No universal definition

Donoff and Bridgeman (2017) and Woolley and Lowe (2013) have also reviewed a number of definitions of play from multiple literatures, and have concluded that the term play is genderneutral, non-age specific, and has no universal definition, it can hold different meanings which

Intrinsically motivated

Non-age specific

covers a multitude of activities and behaviours (Figure 8).

P L AY Figure 8. Overarching characteristics of play (Tink et al., 2018)

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

3.2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Nature Play

What is nature play? According to Louv (2005) nature play is the freedom and independence to creatively and

Despite its growing popularity in the global north, it is evident that nature play has not been

spontaneously play in outdoor natural settings. Nature play environments prioritises natural

regarded as important in Hong Kong and superstructures are still dominating the playgrounds.

elements (e.g. sand, water, grass, soil) over fixed, coloured plastic and metal play equipment

This can be further supported by the lack of nature play related academic and professional

known as “superstructures” (Woolley and Lowe, 2013, p.55; Tink et al., 2018; Brussoni et al.,

research in Hong Kong or Asian context.

2017) (Figure 9.) The concept of nature play is not new, it has been actively practised in the global north by replacing traditional superstructure playground in the past decade, and there is a growing body of literature that provide evidence on the importance and effects of nature play (Wang et al., 2018; Brussoni et al., 2017; Gundersen et al., 2016; Browning et al., 2013; Marj et al., 2013; Woolley and Lowe, 2013). One of the more famous advocates is Louv (2005), where he pushes the nature play agenda as a remedy to the physical, emotional, and cognitive effects of today’s children disconnection from the natural environment, also known as “nature deficit disorder”. These effects have also been widely explored by various researchers and some commonly identified effects includes obesity, Attention Deficit Disorder, depression, and disengagement and detachment from nature or even society (Tink et al., 2018; Mustapa et al., 2015).

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

• Messy play

• Constricted space to explore body coordination

• Unstructured play

• Social interactions

• Natural elements simulating different sense

LITERATURE REVIEW

• Bring their own toys

• Close contact with nature • Taking risks

Figure 9. Examples of nature play and its characteristics (Carpe Diem, no date; Denmark Farm, no date; Landcurrent Nature Play, no date; Little Kiwis Nature Play, no date; Psms29, no date; Red Tricycle, no date)

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

3.3

LITERATURE REVIEW

Importance and Benefits of Nature Play

Why nature play? Qualities that nature settings offer includes openness, complexity, diversity, alteration,

exploration, creativity, anonymity, wildness, and longer duration of play (Brussoni, et al., 2017; Gundersen et al., 2016). Nature play provide more opportunities for play than superstructure playgrounds because its settings does not hold instructions for actions, children can shape

Health and physical conditions Skills learning

and change how they play based on their background, ability, experience and personality. They can also be stimulated by the embodied nature contact that is full of a diverse topography and texture (Gundersen et al., 2016). Ongoing and repeated exposure to nature benefits (i) children’s skills learning, including motor skills, cognitive skills, social skills, affective and emotional skills, and sensory capabilities; (ii) health and physical conditions; (iii) social encounters; and (iv) affinity for nature (Brussoni et al., 2017; Gundersen et al., 2016; Mustapa et al., 2015; Lammy, 2007). Researches suggest that children acquire knowledge and skills through playing and

Affinity for nature Social encounters

gaming is easier and more effective than traditional education methods (Amouzegar et al., 2010). While some suggest that contact with nature is not only desirable but also an important human need (Woolley and Lowe, 2013), a majority of existing literature on nature play have research

Figure 10. Importance and benefits of nature play on children

focus only on younger children. It seems that there is a lacking research on the effects of nature play on older children, teenagers, and adults perhaps due to how “play” can be defined and experienced differently for different age groups (as discussed in Section 3.1). Their encounters with nature are more commonly explored through how they “experience”, “interact with” and “simulate by” nature rather than to “play” in a natural setting (Figure 10).

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

3.4

LITERATURE REVIEW

Public Open Space, Natural Elements, and People

The roles of nature in public open spaces People have various perspectives on what POS is and what it means, it is often difficult to reach a consensus on the definition of POS and what it should be consist of to create a space suitable for all. Context of the definition of public space from built environment disciplines mainly rest on the physical dimension (i.e. spaces and settings) and the social dimension (i.e. social interactions, activities and events) of public space (Carmona et al., 2010). It is crucial not only to understand the physical dimension of POS, but also acknowledging the presence of people and the vitality that come with it (Gehl, 2011). Natural elements are widely considered to be important in creating POS. Carmonat et al. (2010) presents trees and soft landscaping in a city-scale perspective as having a key role in urban carbon sink and achieving sustainability. He also believes that greening in urban area has an aesthetic role in providing people with a sense of enclosure and continuity to otherwise disparate environments. Shaftoe (2008) demonstrates the relationship of POS aesthetics with people psychological needs, including sense of mystery, intrigue and appropriate scale, through the sensual stimulation of natural elements. Meanwhile, Whyte (2001) examines the design of POS and people’s behaviour and usage at local scale in small urban spaces. He suggests that the microclimate that sun, wind, trees and water create can contribute to part of the configuration for better social and physical quality of the POS. Indeed, natural elements have a long-standing link with affording people meaning and interaction in POS. It is shown in the Ghavampour (2014) study of the contribution of natural design elements to the sustained use of POS that, in relation to aesthetics, social activities, and meaning of spaces, people not only prefer nature over artificial, but they also prefer subspaces where nature has been integrated as a meaningful design element.

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

3.5

LITERATURE REVIEW

Limitations and Conflicts of Nature Play and Public Open Space

Challenges in maintenance, aesthetics, and cultural differences While natural features and integrated landscaping are proven to be beneficial to the growth

Another barrier of creating a “nature-dominant” space especially in Hong Kong relates to the

of children and the quality of small urban spaces, the aspiration of bringing nature play

culture and Hong Kongers attitude towards natural elements. Firstly, it is common to find

environments and POS together are not without its challenges. Natural features and settings

Hong Kong parents not wanting their children to play or interact with natural elements such

require high level of maintenance and costs, it is essential to identify and ameliorate the

as water, sand and mud because they associate these features as dirty, messy and insanitary.

limitations and issues in the beginning of the planning and design process of spaces to ensure

Secondly, due to Hong Kong’s subtropical climate, places with plants and trees are most likely

long-term viability of the space. For instance, stagnant puddles can be easily dispersed by

to be spotted with humidity-prone insects such as mosquitoes. It is common to find Hong

evaporation, but constantly flowing water is wasteful and expensive; sand can migrate out of the

Kong people avoid places with a lot of natural features especially during the hot and humid

area, and must be drained properly; choice of plants and vegetations must have regard to local

summer. Heavy reliance on pest control is required to keep the space suitable and comfortable

climate, they can be vulnerable nature feature and are prone to damage and vandalism (Davis et

for people to use. There are currently limited literatures that study Hong Kongers perspective

al., 2009); soil impacts and worn areas of grass are commonly caused by foot traffic, exposing

on nature play or natural elements in POS, the stated issues above are derived from knowledge,

soil and removing organic litter can also affect the habitat of living creatures such as birds and

experiences and observations as a Hong Kong citizen. However, this could shine a light on

insects (Browning et al., 2013). These challenges have to be taken into consideration while

how “nature” is defined differently across cultures, and what natural settings would be widely

creating a robust space as playgrounds and POS without overbudgeting.

acceptable and locally applicable.

Challenges in keeping a decent quality for natural features and landscaping have also give rise to issues of aesthetics. Creating outdoor natural settings for spontaneously play means that loose items, unstructured recreational elements, and bare grounds and landscapes are favoured for free play. It is said that “play spaces do not have to be neat and tidy. Long grass and sandy areas will provide immense play value, whilst worn areas of grass around seating areas just prove that a park is well used” (Davis et al., 2009, p.10). Whilst this is true and is part of the principle of nature play, the messiness and disorderly physical play manipulation of the space could conflict with the aesthetics of POS where neat, easy to maintain, and controlled environment is preferable. The conflict here is how could nature play, a concept that supports the idea of non-uniform, non-standardised play environment, be integrated into spaces that also need to have aesthetic, social and recreational values, and are easy to manage and maintain.

04 CASE STUDY REVIEW

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

4.1

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Kwun Tong Promenade, Hong Kong

Kwun Tong Promenade is an example of a large LCSD-managed public space that is part of government’s district-wide redevelopment project. The formerly Kwun Tong Public Cargo Working Area, home to waste paper recycling businesses, has been transformed into a 24/7 public space that opens to everyone. Extending 1km in length and sitting beneath and adjacent to an elevated bypass expressway, the waterfront promenade overlooks the view of Victoria Habour and Hong Kong’s skyline.

Figure 11. Kwun Tong Promenade Unlike most other waterfront promenade in Hong Kong, the design of Kwun Tong Promenade incorporates as much “natureness” as possible by using natural colour palette for the entire space; linear wood decking for

LOCATION

Kwun Tong, Hong Kong

the waterfront boardwalk; wood as the main material for benches; multiuse lawn as “green carpet”; and glass panel railing for a clear view and closer connection to the natural water feature that is the habour itself.

CONTEXT

Dense urban

SITE TYPE

Urban redevelopment project public space

I have made visits to Kwun Tong Promenade to get a better understanding of its settings, layout, and people

2010

who visit and use the space. Below shows the spatial and user analysis of Kwun Tong Promenade.

OPENED SIZE

42,000m2

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Waterfront boardwalk

The 1km long waterfront boardwalk is covered by linear wood decking. It provides visitors with close-up views of the nearby cruise terminal and Victoria Harbour. It is also a popular spot for phototaking and jogging. Patches of lawn areas are in-lined with the boardwalk that provides opportunities for various activities, such as having picnic, performances, and fun and games

Elderly fitness corner

Equipped with 5 fitness equipment that are typically found in most LCSD-managed parks, playgrounds, and sitting-out area.

1 Multipurpose plaza

2 Shelter area

Viewing gallery

It is the landmark of the promenade where it is designed to shaped as recycled paper bundles to commemorate the former cargo working area. The tower is lit up in night time to provide interesting nightscape.

Children’s playground

Located underneath the elevated bypass is the children’s playground, equipped with plastic / metal play facilities. Although it is a relatively large space, there are only 5 main sets of play facilities and are sparsely place, which could make the space look empty even with the presence of children and families

4 Performance area

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Multipurpose plaza

There are several multipurpose plazas in the promenade, but the one located underneath the elevated bypass is the largest in size. It mainly serves as venue for government or NGO-organised events. At other times it is an open space with free access for all

5 Performance area

Figure 12. Kwun Tong Promenade layout and primary settings

The layout of the promenade has made good use of the shaded area

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Entrances and pathways

by placing the children playspace and its largest multipurpose plaza beneath the bypass at the north-eastern end of the promenade. The bypass provides a sheltered enclosure for safer children play, and a less weather-dependent venue for organised events. This would explain why the north-eastern end of the promenade has more concentration of people and activities. In addition, people tend to spend more time on

Primary path

Secondary path

the boardwalk and the adjacent lawn area during daytime, especially families and groups of friends, where they sit, relax, take photos, and have picnic. While nighttime exhibits significantly less activities, there

Vegetation

are still some visitors, mostly couples and amateur photographers, who came for the waterfront night view. Most visitors that I have spoken to exhibit positive feelings toward

Tree cover

Kwun Tong Promenade for being very spacious, nicely designed, clean,

Lawn

and green. A visitor described it as "a calming place to escape the busy urban life". However some visitors have pointed out several drawbacks

Distribution and variety of activities

of the space:

Since it is not in a convenient location, we only visit once in a while. We drive here every time but finding a parking space can sometimes be difficult. Though we enjoy the promenade very much, it is nice and spacious.

Mr. C, family of 4

This is our first visit to the promenade, we came for the photo exhibition held in the multipurpose plaza. But it is quite difficult to get here by public transport so I do not think we will visit again any time soon, unless there are any interesting events.

Sparse & monotonous

Concentrated & diverse

Nightscape and people

Ms. L, family of 2

Areas with street lights and decorative lightings

Concentration of visitors

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Uniqueness and achievements

It has also been pointed out by visitors that I have spoken to during site visit that the promenade

Kwun Tong Promenade has a “closer to nature” characteristic which makes it stand out from

is located further away from the Kwun Tong city centre and major public transport. Access to

other promenades in Hong Kong. In addition, the historical context of the area has also been

the promenade can be inconvenient for visitors without private vehicles. Also there are only 2

delicately commemorated through an art installation of mechanical crane and cargo containers,

food kiosks within the promenade, visitors complained about how they have to walk at least 10

and a tower landmark/viewing gallery. Another aesthetic touch in design is the animated mist,

minutes to get to the closest café / restaurant for food.

active lighting and sound effects that are equipped at the more shaded areas of the promenade. Since the opening of the promenade it has become a popular POS for people of all ages, inviting a wide range of physical activities and social interactions during both daytime and nighttime. It is said that “the designer has succeeded in promoting the go-green concept while bringing in a touch of uniqueness to this brand-new landmark in Kwun Tong” (Kwun Tong District Council, no date, no page).

Critiques and challenges

Key insights

It has been argued that the shaded area beneath the elevated bypass may not be the best

• Natural materials and colour palettes for the design and layout of the space provide better,

location for public exhibitions, art and cultural events, street performances, and playspace (Standnews, 2017). During days with high air pressure and low concentration of wind, air

and more organic blending between the waterfront and the built environment • The openness of lawn area and adaptive multipurpose spaces encourage more varied

pollutants created by the heavy traffic on the bypass trap underneath in the shaded area,

activities throughout different times of the day and week. However, too sparsely placed

creating high heat and bad air quality.

facilities can make the space look empty and disorderly • Multiple entrances provide flexible choices of routes and higher permeability, however with

Lack of maintenance is identified as another main issue (On.cc, 2017). Wood deckings on the

large sites like Kwun Tong Promenade, it is best to be accompanied with clear pathways and

boardwalk are seen to have gaps, cracks and are warped. It is thought to be caused by the salty

appropriate wayfinding instruments to ensure visitors will not be disoriented

moisture in the air seeping into the wood. In addition, foot traffic has caused areas of grass thinning, exposing patches of bare soil. Though responds from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department indicated that they have been and would countinue to perform regular inspection and restoration as soon as any defects have been reported (On.cc, 2017)

4.2

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Arlitt Nature PlayScape, Ohio, USA

This former underused campus space is transformed into a specifically designed nature outdoor classroom for pre-schoolers. The nature playspace serves 2 purposes: i) to offer children diverse opportunities for exploration, play, learning, and positive social interaction through experiencing and appreciating natural world; and ii) to provide a research venue and co-learning lab for local educators to furthering their professional studies in early childhood (Moore, 2014).

Figure 13. Arlitt Nature PlayScape (Cincinnati Design Awards, no date) The playspace is open 24/7, but it opens to public only when it is not in use by pre-schoolers. It is a semipublic, bounded space with layout and elements designed primarily for children play rather than as a

LOCATION

University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

CONTEXT

Urban

SITE TYPE

University campus

OPENED SIZE

conventional POS for all. While this demonstrates mono-use in playspace for a narrow user group, which contradicts with the concept intended to bring forward in this research, the playspace contains a wide range of natural features and play elements that are worthy of acknowledgement as it is specifically designed to provide as much nature contact as possible.

2012 1214m2

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

2 3

Main entrance

Provides an open view into the playspace; attracts children to engage and explore

Loose parts play area

Area surrounded by logs and plantings; create sense of enclosure whilst children playing with loose stumps, stones, and sticks

5 (Cincinnati Design Awards, no date)

(University of Cincinnati, no date)

Tree house

Children see an overview of the playspace from the elevated walkway and the tree house; the tunnel allow exploration under the tree house

Secondary entrance

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Child-activated stream

Water pump with a tap and rotary knob

7 6

Open multi-use lawn

Large free space for various activities

(Cincinnati Design Awards, no date)

Water feature

Composed of stones and soil designed to mimic natural stream that simulates children’s senses

(Fuller, no date)

Perimeter fence

Provide a safe and secure environment for children to explore freely

Figure 14. Arlitt Nature PlaySpace layout and primary setting

(Arlitt's Playscape, 2012)

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Uniqueness and achievements

Key insights

The award winning Arlitt Nature PlayScape “demonstrates how an underused campus

• The Arlitt Nature PlayScape consists of many conventional features and elements of nature

green space can be transformed into an aesthetically pleasing, academically relevant,

play. Like many other nature playspace, they struggle with seeking funding for long-term

programmatically interactive landscape” (Moore, 2014, p.163). It provides a balanced platform

upkeep. This may suggest that certain common main compositions like soil, water and

to engage children in nature play and simultaneously allow researchers and educators to

vegetations require high costs of maintenance. More sustainable and materials that require

investigate the impact of nature play on child development. A study shows that this outdoor

low maintenance can be explored

classroom fosters children’s skills learning and reduces behavioural issues (Cincinnati Design Awards, no date). Critiques and challenges While the PlayScape initiative has received support and funding from internal and external organisations for its construction costs, it faces major challenge in seeking funding for continual upkeep. In terms of design, the playspace is enclosed by campus buildings in the background and fences around the entrances. This limits its openness to the public and could incorrectly perceive as a private space instead of a public space afterhours.

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

4.3

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Teardrop Park, New York, USA

Sitting between 4 high-rise residential buildings in lower Manhattan, Teardrop Park is a public park for people of all ages. Its design intents are not only to offer children easier access and more experiences to natural environment, but also to form a nature refuge in a dense urban area by using strong natural materials, robust landscaping and topography, and complex irregular spaces that create strong sense of character and shape new atmosphere for the area (Moore, 2014; Landezine, 2009). Environmental sustainability is on the top of the park’s design strategy and is developed in accordance to the city’s green guidelines. Its green initiatives have been reflected in different aspects of its development. For instance, organic non-toxic fabricated soils are used to avoid pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides; storm water and treated grey water are collected for irrigation needs; local stones and native plants are used for landscape construction (Venon, 2016; American Society of Landscape Architects, no date).

LOCATION

Battery Park City, New York, USA

CONTEXT

Dense urban

SITE TYPE

Public residential park

OPENED SIZE

Figure 15. Teardrop Park (Landezine, 2009)

2004 7082m2

Ice-Water Wall

The most distinctive stone feature created with stacked bluestone slabs that is native to New York state. It lines with the primary path of the park for a defining edge

River Terrace entrance

An opening towards the riverside Rockefeller Park

North End entrance

An opening towards the main avenue of the residential area

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Water play

Area surrounded by rocks; create sense of enclosure whilst children playing with puddles and fountains that jet water from the ground

(Wheredoitakethekids, no date)

(Blogspot, no date)

9 5

Toddler sand lot

A sand pit surrounded by wood decking. A child-activated water pump allow is present to allow more stimulating sand play experience

4 6

1 7

(Webb, 2012)

(Shastine, 2008)

Reading circle

Area surrounded by rocks; create sense of enclosure whilst children playing with puddles and fountains that jet water from the ground

(Mercil, no date)

Slide hill and sand cove

The elevated vegetation, rocks, and sandy ground that surround the space create a unique, rugged terrain that favours play for older children.

Overlook platform

10 3

A platform for people to get a view of the water play space from above

Open multi-use lawn

Large free space for various activities

Marsh

A fully vegetated area with native trees, shrubs, and herbs for free exploration

Figure 16. Teardrop Park layout and primary setting

(Valkenburgh, 2006)

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

CASE STUDY REVIEW

The layout of the park has taken into account of the “microclimatic asymmetry” of the site (Dunlap, 2004), where the Ice-Water Wall is designed to divide it into 2 parts: the northern

Northern half

half gets longer hours of sunlight, featuring a south-facing elevated lawn; the southern half is in wind-protected area and has more shade, making it a more favourable location for nature playspace. While designed primarily as a landscape for children, such spatial

Pathway

structure appeals to multiple age groups (American Society of Landscape Architects, no date), and invites diverse uses other than play, such as picnic, sitting and strolling, lawn games, and creative art projects (Venon, 2016; Battery Park City Parks, no date). Venon (2016) described the use of stones as the main element to recreate natural landscape “a new form and interpretation of nature into the city” (no page). Since stones are recognisable to a lot of urban spaces in New York, its use in Teardrop Park forms a connection with the nearby high-rise buildings, long established POS in the city such as Central Park, and the wider regional landscape (Dunlap, 2004).

Southern half

Vegetation

Tree cover

Water feature

Stone and rock

Primary path

Secondary path

Topography

Lawn

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Uniqueness and achievements

Key insights

Teardrop Park is not just a nature playspace designed for children, it can also be a POS that

• Skillfully taking microclimate as one of the design considerations can create shifting patterns

offers a naturalistic retreat from the city for different age range to perform various activities. Its

of types of activity and user groups that are best suited under the right environment

layout, features and elements respond to the local microclimate and has taken a step forward

condition

to place sustainability as the regulating principle in the design, development and maintenance regimes.

• Sustainability as they key to ensure appropriate upkeep of the space in a long run

The 3-dimensional landscape creates “intricately choreographed views and dramatic changes

• Stone as main composition element for the nature playspace / POS has several advantages:

in scale” (Moore, 2014, p.133). The topographic variation defines the park into different zones,

(i) dynamic environment can be shaped with 3-dimensional landscaping; (ii) stone can be a

each with its own function and character, and establishes strong sense of space. For instance,

natural material that looks similar to and blend in with the surrounding building environment,

the elevated lawn feels open to all, while the playspace is sheltered, providing safer ground for

creating interlacing urban-nature connection; (iii) compare to “hostile design features”

children.

such as metal fences and railings, stone as barriers and edges can create softer and more organic differentiation in space without losing a sense of space

Critiques and challenges According to Project for Public Spaces (no date), Teardrop Park is criticised for being isolated from public due to being enclosed by high-rise buildings. It is in a high-end residential area with limited direct public transport access. Along with the presence of security guards, a misconception that the park function as a private park for nearby residents is projected. In addition, while the park’s meandering design and rocky landscape are the notable features that define the character of the space, such design is being criticised for making the place unfriendly to navigate and discouraging pedestrian access.

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

4.4

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, Singapore

Located in the city centre within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden has playspaces and attractions designed for children up to 14 years old. With the theme “Life on Earth Depends on Plants”, it aims to expose children to nature, educate them on the importance of ecosystem and natural heritage, and instill love for nature in children through nature play and experiential learning (National Parks, no date; Singapore Botanic Gardens, no date).

Figure 17. Jacob Ballas Children's Garden (Lynnlly, 2014; Tickikids, no date; Travelnotes, no date) Opening 11 hours a day for 6 days every week, the garden is dedicated entirely for children’s enjoyment and nature discovery, hence adults are permitted entry only if accompanying a child to ensure a safe environment

LOCATION

Singapore Botanic Gardens

CONTEXT

Dense urban

SITE TYPE

Public park

OPENED SIZE

for children. Adult visitors without children is permitted only when accompanied by staff.

2007 (extension completed in 2017) 40,000m2

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Entrance

The main entrance for people travelling by car/taxi. People can also travel by bus and train and take a 5-minutes walk to the entrance

Visitor centre

It is the first venue that visitors come across upon arrival. It is equipped with toilets, a cafe, and maps that visitors can pick up for free

CASE STUDY REVIEW

Water play

A flat enclosure surrounded with vegetation. A popular space among children where they can play with fountains and water guns

Car park

Allow free parking for private vehicles and coaches (Saini, 2010)

10 5 8

Playground

Equipped with a range of typical playground equipment and adventure play equipment to accommodate for playing needs of older children

(Le, 2012)

Suspension bridge

An attractive piece of adventure setup that can help develop balance and coordination skills. It also adds distinctiveness to the flat pathway

7 6 5 4 9

(Rafael, 2018)

8 3 1 2

Figure 18. Jacob Ballas Children's Garden layout and primary setting

Maze

A series of maze created with hedges to provide a fun challenge to visitors and help develop problem solving skills in children. It also adds to the aesthetic value of the garden

Sensory garden

Allow visitors to enjoy a wide variety of sensory experiences. It is designed to be accessible and enjoyable for all.

(Jane, 2011)

Tree house

A 2-level high tree house equipped with 2 slides for more dynamic play, the tree house is one of the most beloved features in the garden

The “Living” Classroms

4 classrooms that provide indoor spaces for interactive activities and organised events. They are open for rental by education institutes to conduct nature education in a garden setting

(Regenthotel, no date)

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Uniqueness and achievements

Key insight

The Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is the largest of its kind and the first garden dedicated to

• Combining nature play and adventure play features (e.g. zipline, nest swings, suspension

children in Asia (Singapore Botanic Gardens, no date). Its proximity to the city centre means that

CASE STUDY REVIEW

bridge) can create more thrilling and “risky” play for older children

it is easily accessible by bus, Mass Rapid Transit, and car. Since it is located in a botanic garden, it provides a complete nature-learning and safe environment where children can fully immerse themselves in nature play.

• Appropriate age restrictions can be a simple but effective way to ensure safety of children, but too much rules could restrict and discourage opportunities for a diverse physical activities and social interaction in a “free-play” environment

A family-friendly “Kitchen Classroom” is fitted out as part of the initiatives to introduce weekly/ monthly interactive activities and events. It allows children to learn about greens incorporated in food they eat and to understand the full food process chain. Critiques and challenges

• Organised programmes and events can cater for more extensive and hands-on interactive play, accompanied by opportunities for family and friends bonding • Spatial distribution of facilities and features could determine where activities and users

The children’s garden has a lot of rules and regulations to ensure the safety of children and that

concentrate. A more evenly spread spatial arrangement could ensure all areas of the space

the environment is kept in the best condition. For instance, tents, tables, chairs, glass objects,

are lively and well-used

bicycles, scooters, skateboards and other related items are not allowed to be brought into the garden. Despite being a nature-experience environment, it is not a pet-friendly garden. According to some local residents that I speaked with, visitors spend the least time in the areas farther down the garden apart from where the tree house is located. Instead, most activities are concentrated in play areas near the visitor centre (e.g. water play, playground, and maze). They described the less popular area as "quiet", "deserted", and "not much to do". This is perhaps because it is where most flowers, trees, and other plants are located in a garden setting with limited facilities and play equipments. If visitors were to view plants, they would prefer to go to the more diverse and well-maintained floral gardens right next to Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.

05 OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

The life of public spaces in Hong Kong Whilst there are large amount of literature, researches and case studies on nature play and public spaces, most of them are written in European and North American context, and are studied based on the ideals and paradigms of western culture. They may not necessarily represent circumstances accurately in Asian or Hong Kong context since there are a lot of determinants (e.g. climatic conditions, beliefs, and practices) that can

Sitting Sitting is one of the most common activities in public spaces. Spaces with shelter, benches with backrests, and are overlooking views and street scenery are more desirable among users, they tend to stay longer as they relax, chat, hang out with friends, or check their phone.

influence how people behave, what they need and what they do in public spaces. The observational study conducted in Hong Kong allows me to take a more delicate and closer look into local public life. Identifying people's perceived desires and the activities that they perform allows comparisons to be made to see the conflicts and alliances between different users and uses.

Lying down Spatial and functional requirements

Construction workers and elderlies can be found resting or taking naps in quiet, sheltered, secluded spaces such as under the trees and park pavilions. In the weekends when the foreign domestic workers are on day-off, they will also gather and relax in semi-outdoor spaces such as footbridges.

Shelter

Surface to lean on

Private secluded space

Space to relax

Nature

Fresh air

Space for loud noise

Space for moderate noise

Open Open Space to populated unpopulated see space space

Quiet space

Space safe from traffic

Toilet

OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Playing

Reading

Play is not restricted to a children's activity, but rather an activity that can be seen

It is common to find adults and elderlies reading newspapers in public spaces. It

across all ages. Common play activities are children playing with playground equipment,

is usually a single-person activity and does not involve a lot of specific spatial and

elderlies playing chess, teenagers and young adults playing ball games, and families

functional requirements. Quiet, private secluded spaces are desirable for readers to

enjoying the beach.

concentrate.

Having picnic

Hawking

Having picnic in large public parks is an activity that has been gaining popularity in recent

Hawkers in Hong Kong are vendors of street food and inexpensive goods. They push

years in Hong Kong. People are making an effort to take a break from the busy urban

itinerant carts and trolleys of goods and sell them on roadsides and parks. Although

lifestyle and spend more time in nature. Quiet soft spaces in which they can eat and relax

most hawkers operate illegally, hawking is still an important for the lower class to make a

are desirable.

living in Hong Kong.

OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Photo taking

Temporary events and exhibitions

Families, photography enthusiasts, groups of friends, and selfie-takers like to take

Pedestrianised streets, stairways, and large open spaces such as parks and sports

photos in scenic locations and places of nature. It is a good opportunity for social

ground are flexible, adaptive spaces that can cater for temporary organised programmes

interactions and bonding. Posting these photos onto social media would also help

and exhibitions. They attract various uses and activities at different times and by different

increase publicity of the places.

people so that the spaces stay bustling.

Street performing The culture of street performing in Hong Kong is not as prevalent as the ones in European cities. Nonetheless performers that do singing, musical performance, and magic etc. can be spotted in busy, pedestrianised streets in places like Mongkok where they can get as much attention and tips as possible.

OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Unintended uses and poor design

Family using fitness station as play equipment

Children playing and using the edge of stairs as a slide

Person sitting on suitcase may suggest insufficient seating in the space

Seniors brought their own chairs despite benches being provided

People using umbrella for shade while sitting under the not-so-effective shaded booth

Person sitting on fence may suggest insufficient seating in the space

Adults taking over children playspace for taking naps and chatting

People using benches to hang-dry their clothes

Foreign domestic workers taking over part of the street (temporary pedestrian area) for picnic in the weekends

Monotonous design of playground

06 CONCEPTUAL AND DESIGN TOOLKIT

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

6.1

CONCEPTUAL AND DESIGN TOOLKIT

Key Principles

The 3 + 6 Framework In light of the insights from the literature review, case study review, and observational review, Figure 15 gives an overview of the conceptual and design toolkit to facilitate the reconstruction of both neighbourhood POS and playgrounds in Hong Kong. 3 interrelating key principles –

People-driven

People-driven, Nature Encounter, and Reconciliation – provide a clear direction on how the 6

Meeting the real need of the people that use the space and creating a sense of community to make people feel welcome

tools are developed and what they should achieve. This framework is applied to a site for testing and evaluation.

Using “nature closer to home” as an overarching theme to create natural features and elements that have meanings and purposes

Encouraging multi-use by people of all ages, gender, and ability through high flexibility and adaptive to change to enable long term vitality of the space

Nature Encounter

Reconciliation Tools

Communitycentric

Inclusive to all ages

Diverse activities

Natural materials

Distinctive design

Multi-managed system

Figure 19. An overview of the 3 + 6 Framework

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

6.2

CONCEPTUAL AND DESIGN TOOLKIT

Tools

Overview

Communitycentric

Inclusive to all ages

Diverse activities

Natural materials

Distinctive design

Multi-managed system

Create pockets of “nature-dominant” small public open spaces that are dedicated to the local community / neighbourhood, and bringing them closer to nature

Settings, layout and facilities that welcome the use of space and play for people of all ages

Allow users to have the flexibility to create their own settings that foster a variety of informal, social, and play interactions at different times of the day

Use sustainable natural materials that are easy to maintain, and suitable for local climate (i.e. hot, humid)

Establish a strong theme that stands out from others while maintaining original local character

Institute a management approach that allows both the wider public and the government to make planning and design decisions together through active partnerships, participation, and communication

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Create loose and adaptive spaces for affordance of free play, and to accommodate multiple activities such as various leisure activities, performances, and community organised events

Select sites that have close proximity to residential areas and community centres, preferably within 10 minutes walking distance, for easy everyday access

Communitycentric

Establish comprehensive understanding of the needs of the neighbourhood by talking to the people and collecting responses through surveys and focus groups

CONCEPTUAL AND DESIGN TOOLKIT

Diverse activities

Designate fixed primary and secondary pathway whilst allowing flexible, unrouted trails for free exploration and higher permeability

Actively invite public participation throughout the planning and design process

Make the space accessible by opening up and connecting well with surrounding land uses and transport options; avoid sites that are closed off by high-rise buildings

Inclusive to all ages

Combine nature play features and adventure play equipment to facilitate the needs of more “risky ” play for older children and adults

Contain a range of facilities and public furniture to accommodate changing needs of all people, these include but not limited to seating, shelter, and signage

Creative use of lighting not only for nighttime visibility, security and safety but also to produce nightscape for alternative urban experience

Natural materials

Integrate various plants and soft landscaping to both edge and core of the space to create the natural subspaces and microclimate needed for sensual stimulation and meeting social and psychological needs as highlighted in literature

Natural materials from recycled or sustainable sources must be dominating the spatial arrangement and composition of the space as highlighted in literature

CONCEPTUAL AND DESIGN TOOLKIT

Water Earth

Stone

Sand Wood

Grass

The use of artificial hard materials (i.e. concrete, asphalt, brickwork, and bituminous mixture) must be kept to a minimal

Material palette: Primary materials rock, stone, bamboo, wood, grass Secondary materials earth and sand, water

Public spaces can be operated in either of the 2 management approach: (i) government-owned, government-managed system; or (ii) government-owned, neighbourhood-managed system

Commemorate and acknowledge the local history in the form of public arts, installations, and playable equipment to strengthen sense of belonging and place attachment

Distinctive design

Create distinguishable landmarks with readily identifiable physical objects and playable equipment to provide external orientation cues, and to establish unique, memorable identity

CONCEPTUAL AND DESIGN TOOLKIT

Multi-managed system

Government-owned, government managed Suitable for larger sites that are in district core and serve for the general public

Government-owned, neighbourhood managed

Suitable for smaller sites that are in primarily residential zones, or near a concentration of residential buildings, schools, and local shops. The community can take part in the planning, decision making, and designing process of the space, hence creating a space that is tailored to the needs of the neighbourhood

07 DESIGN PROPOSAL

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

7.1

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Site Introduction and Justification

Overview of Mongkok, Hong Kong Mongkok lies within the Yau Tsim Mong District on the western part of Kowloon Peninsular in Hong Kong. Sitting in the centre of 4 primarily residential neighbourhoods (Prince Edward, Ho Man Tin, Yau Ma Tei, and Tai Kok Tsui), Mongkok serves as one of the most important and

Mongkok

busiest activity nodes in Kowloon that supports a mixture of retail, leisure, and residential uses.

Figure 20. Map of Hong Kong and location of Mongkok

Kowloon Peninsular in Hong Kong

Yau Ma Tei Districtin Kowloon Peninsular

The area is characterised by a mixture of old multi-story buildings and new skyscrapers, with shops, restaurants and entertainment at street level, and residential units above. While Mongkok is famous for

MONGKOK

its neon signs, street markets, shopping centres, and authentic local street food through both tourists and Hong Kongers eyes, the area is also commonly associated with intensely high population density of an average 130,000 people per square kilometre.

“Busy” / “Prosperous” / “Crowded”

“Corner”

Figure 21 (left). Aerial view of Mongkok, Hong Kong Figure 22 (right). Literal translation of the word "Mongkok"

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Wet markets

Traditional markets where locals buy their groceries. The whole street is lined with stalls that sell a diversity of fresh food

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Ladies’ Market

Stretches over a kilometre with 100 stalls that sell clothing, accessories, and souvenirs. It is also a popular tourist spot in Mongkok

1 (Hungryonion, no date)

Old / mid-rise residential buildings

(Absolutviajes, no date) d

ok Roa

Mongk

Multi-story buildings with shops at street level and residential above, these buildings take up small plots and create a tight urban fabric 3

Nathan

(Kodapup, 2009; Irvine & Dietrich, 2015)

Street

Road

Argyle

Shopping centre

A popular shopping centre with 15 levels of retail space. The complex was the result of a joint urban renewal project between private developer and the government (Nye, no date; Timestravel, no date)

Nathan Road

The main and busiest thoroughfare in Kowloon. The Mongkok section of Nathan Road is largely for commercial and retail uses

Neon signs

Glowing colourful signs that has defined Hong Kong’s streetscape and nightscape since the last century. It is regarded as a local visual culture 7

School

Shopping centre

Wet market

Mass Transit Railway

(Hkbus, no date)

Figure 23. Mongkok layout and points of interest

(Rita, 2015)

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Why Mongkok? Despite the noise, crowds, and light pollution from the busy shopping streets and markets in

Mongkok, according to the latest Hong Kong Census (Census and Statistics Department, 2011), more than 67,000 people still choose to live in the cramped living space of the old, mid-rise residential buildings, perhaps due to convenience in transport and its proximity to the Central Business District in south Kowloon. Whilst Mongkok’s population may not be reducing anytime soon, it is still possible to make Mongkok a more desirable place to live in by increasing and improving the playgrounds and POS in the neighbourhood so that the people can have greener, more open and diverse designated spaces to escape the hustle and bustle of Mongkok life. The Yau Tsim Mong District is one of the districts in Hong Kong with the most open spaces.

ok Roa

Mongk

In Mongkok, there are 16 playgrounds and POS that are located at most 15 minutes walking distance apart from each other. However almost all of them suffer from issues of homogenous playground, lack of natureness, and other relating issues that are stated in the beginning of Nathan

the report. The playgrounds and POS in Mongkok are appropriate sites for the testing of the Argyle

Street

Road

proposed conceptual and design toolkit.

Garden / sitting-out area Playground

Figure 24. Mongkok playgrounds and POS

Figure 25. Locations of Mongkok playgrounds and POS

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

DESIGN PROPOSAL

2 sites of intervention To formulate specific design proposals to test out the conceptual and design toolkit, 2 of the 16 playgrounds and POS have been chosen to

Site A: Mongkok Road Playground

be the sites of intervention to examine different design possibilities and management styles – Site A: Mongkok Road Playground, and Site B: Ferry Street Sitting-out Area.

ok Roa

Mongk

Nathan

Street

Road

Argyle

Site B: Ferry Street Sitting-out Area 1

Figure 26. 2 sites of intervention

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

7.2

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Vision

The MK Greenlink Mongkok is one of the most important and high profiles mixed-use area in Hong Kong. It has a long and significant history and is located strategically on the convergence of the central business district and multiple distinct areas. It is anticipated that Mongkok will continue to be the core of Kowloon and attract people and businesses to put down roots in this already dense area. To ensure a more sustainable development of Mongkok and better quality of like for the people living in it, the MK Greenlink scheme is proposed. The MK Greenlink is an area-wide initiative in retrofitting and revamping current POS and playgrounds in Mongkok to become greener, livelier, and . The ultimate goal of the scheme is to form an intimate linkage between the 16 POS and playgrounds. Among them, 4 of the larger sites will be the public space pillars, known as “leisure parks”, and the rest will be smaller focal points that bonds them together, known as “leisure gardens”. It is hoped that the MK Greenlink will be part of Mongkok’s unique characteristics alongside with its markets, traditional residential buildings, and neon signs.

Figure 27. The MK Greenlink vision for playgrounds and POS in Mong Kok

Site Analysis Site A: Mongkok Road Playground Site A is located in the core of Mongkok. It is bounded by 2 residential / industrial buildings

to the North, Shanghai Street to the East, Mongkok Road to the South, and Canton Road to the West. It is a relatively large site with greater opportunities hence a proposal with detailed

10m

Tai Kok Tsui Telephone Exchange

designing is created on the basis that the space would be government-owned, governmentmanaged.

eet

n Roa

hai Str

Canto

Hang Tung Building

Shang

7.3

DESIGN PROPOSAL

5 4

6-storey building 16-storey building

Canton Road 1106 Substation

1-storey building

3-storey building

6 1

Figure 28. 3D visualisation of Mongkok Road Playground and its surrounding buildings

Mongkok Road Refuse Collection Point & Public Toilet

kok Ro

Mong

Figure 29. Mongkok Road Playground layout

Rules and regulations

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Entrances

Like all other POS in Hong KOng, the Mongkok Road Playground is subject to rules and

There are 4 points of entry to the site, locating at the periphery of all 3 street-facing

regulations set by the LCSD. They include: no cycling, no dogs, no smoking, no hawking,

sides of the site. Bollards and gates can be found at all entrances for safety and security

and no loud noises. This poses restrictions on who can use the space and limited the

reasons. According to own observations, the east and west entrances are the most used

activities that people could perform.

points of access in and out of the site.

Entrances directly facing the busy streets of Mongkok Road and Shanghai Street that are subject to heavy traffic and noise

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Oval plaza

The oval plaza is the main activity node for the south-western side of the site. It is equipped with elderly fitness equipment, a pebble walk trail and 5 sheltered benches. The placement of the facilities shows no clear pattern or arrangement with purposes, exhibiting a feeling that they were randomly and sparsely placed within the plaza, making it look empty and unstructured. According to the locals, the elderly fitness corner is rarely seen to be in use, and are sometimes being used as hangers and airers for laundry items. Whilst there are vegetated edges surrounding the plaza, the majority of the space is covered with concrete tiles.

"Concrete-dominated" setting with large unoccupied space

Misusage of fitness equipment for hanging personal items

Pebble walk trail that has been closed off from public use

Obscure pathways behind vegetated edges that do not have clear purposes and destinations. Locals that I have spoken to was not aware of their presence until I have mentioned them

The connecting passage

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Arbours

Locating in the centre of the site is a short passage the joins the oval plaza and the east

The arbours located in the east side of the site are the most populated and used facilities

side of the site. It is the only pathway that connects and allows access of both sides. The

in the site. They provide sheltered areas to sit and gather. According to the foreign

arbours across the passage created a sheltered area but can be dark at times due to lack

domestic workers, the arbours are quiet and cosy spots to hang out with friends on their

of sunlight and lighting.

day-offs.

It is observed that most people that come into the site does not stay or use any of its facilities. People enter the site and use this passage as a shortcut from Shanghai Street to Canton Road (east to west). According to the locals, they think the site provides a safer walking route than to walk along the pavement next to the busy roads around the site. The site becomes merely a "thoroughfare" rather than a "destination".

Children's playground

Mongkok Road Refuse Collection Point and Public Toilet

Despite being called the Mongkok Road Playground, the playspace is only around 36m

The refuse collection point and public toilet is the largest building structure in the site.

in size (0.75% of the total area of the site). It has the "fast-food standardized" playground

There is no direct access to the facility from within the site, entrances are located along

equipment that can typically be found in most LCSD-managed POS. During observation,

Mongkok Road. However the street-facing entrances have not stopped the stench from

there were no children playing in the playspace. According to a local resident, most

getting into the site. This would be an issue if people were to stay in the site for a long

children think that the playspace is "too small and boring", and families would rather go to

period of time.

DESIGN PROPOSAL

another bigger playground a few blocks further down the road.

Playspace that lacks "natureness" and exhibits dull and ordinary ways of play

Play equipment assemblage: a slide, monkey bars, and 2 sets of stairs

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Site B: Ferry Street Sitting-out Area Site B: Ferry Street Sitting-out Area located on the periphery of Mongkok. It is half enclosed by

residential buildings at 3 sides with Ferry Street to the West. Its compact size and proximity to the predominately residential area is appropriate for a government-owned, neighbourhood-managed

50m

space, hence a proposal with strategic management plans is devised.

Soy Stre

eet

tion Str

a Reclaim

eet

tr Ferry S t

s Street

Dunda

ai Stree

Shangh

Ferry Street Sitting-out Area

t d Stree

Portlan

n Kam Fo t

g Stree

Figure 30. Ferry Street Sitting-out Area layout

Land use

Residential/retail and food & drink establishment

Transport and access

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Residential

50m

Commercial Hotel POS / playground

lk wa es t u in m

Bus stop Mass Transit Railway et

reet

ation St

lk wa te u in

Reclaim

Soy Stre

reet

Ferry St ai Street

Shangh

s Street

Dunda

d Street

Portlan

et ng Stre

Kam Fo

The area is engaged with predominantly a mixed-use buildings, with retail / food and

The area is well-connected to the rest of Kowloon and Hong Kong by bus and MTR

drink establishments at ground level, and residential above.

stations, all within 3 minutes of walking distance

Pedestrian flow

Vehicular flow

DESIGN PROPOSAL

50m

Soy Stre

reet

ation St

Reclaim

reet

ation St

Reclaim reet

Ferry St

reet

Ferry St

s Street

Dunda

ai Street

Shangh

ai Street

Shangh

s Street

Dunda

d Street

Portlan

ng Stre Kam Fo

d Street

Portlan

ng Stre Kam Fo

Heavier pedestrian movement is recorded along Portland Street and Shanghai Street,

Soy Street and Dundas Street are the 2 main motor corridors, where most vehicular

where most branded shops and chain stores are located. Pedestrian movement is

movements are located. Narrower streets can be found in the centre of the area, it is

distinctively lower further west of the area where most residential buildings are located.

also where less vehicular movements are recorded

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

7.4

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Final Design The MK Greenlink - Mongkok Road Leisure Park (Site A)

Mongkok Road Leisure Park is transformed from a monotonous playground into a “nature-based” multiuse public space that attracts a diverse uses and users.

Figure 31. Mongkok Road Leisure Park

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Sloped terrain and sculptured landforms

Public Toilet

An elaborated series of slightly sloped, grassy terrain and land mounds add a contemporary look and interesting topography to a flat site. Simple mounds provide opportunities for climbing up and rolling down, other types of mounds include:

DESIGN PROPOSAL

10m

Mounds with platform at the top Create a “destination” and provide opportunities for sitting Shang

Mounds with timber steps Create pathways that leads to other mounds

hai Str eet

Crests Create uniquely defined space and provide opportunities to lay down by cutting out a “bite” of the mounds

Canto

n Roa

(Nomow, 2012; Outdoorplaybook, no date)

2 10

Hammocks

Provides an alternative, fun way of sitting / lying, alone or with companions. The gentle swaying movement appeals to both children and adults. It creates a small space to retract from stress / play

kok Ro

Mong (Connox, no date; Visitphilly, no date)

Figure 32. Mongkok Road Leisure Park design proposal layout

Loose parts play area

4 play areas are equipped with playable loose elements and structures that are appeal to toddlers and pre-schoolers. Including loose stumps, stones, and sticks; nest swings and wobble step bridges; log slice towers and the boulder mountains with ropes. These nature play elements provide opportunities for risky play and exploration in a safe environment. The areas are covered with softwood chippings and are surrounded by stones and pebbles, creating a sense of enclosure whilst playing.

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Shallow pond and garden bridge

The side next to the wooden fortress has open access to encourage more nature contact and children play stimuation; the other side has stones and soil edges designed to mimic natural ponds and increase aesthetic value

(Koiwatergarden, no date; Roshaa, no date; Weezies, no date)

(Johnson, 2014; Fawns, no date)

7 4

Wooden fortress and game space

A raised platform above a sandy pit with wooden huts, suspension bridge, lookout area, and a slide. It is accessible by stairs and ramp. Spaces under the platform are equipped with series of tunnels and swings to add complexity to the composition of the space. The fortress and game space appeal to school-aged children.

Bamboo pavilion

Provides sheltered adaptive space and seatings to accommodate various leisure activities, performances, and community organised events. It can be lit up at night for better visability and nightscape. The use of bamboo to create structures, such as traditional bamboo theatres and bamboo scaffolding, is what made construction special in Hong Kong. The bamboo pavilion is an installation that echos these architectural feat and celebrates such delicate craftsmenship. Bamboo is weather resistant and provides strong support when structured in grid-like pattern.

(Blueforest, 2015; Timeout, no date) (Archdaily, 2016; Lo, 2018)

Open multi-use lawn

Provides large free space for various activities

Outdoor kiosks

Kiosks that house cafes, small handicraft shops provide food, drinks, and places to sit for visitors, and opportune location for local business start-ups. Vendor fees can be used to subsidize the expenditure of operating the leisure park.

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Fish-shaped island

It is the centrepiece of the leisure park. The leisure park is located opposite to a well-known wet market - Canton Road Wet Market - that has been in business since the 1920s selling fresh food such as fish, red meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables. The island is designed to recognise the local history and culture of Mongkok, and to strengthen the sense of attachment within the area.

(Midtownlunch, 2011; Pomorski, 2014)

(R&j, no date)

Information and notice boards

Strengthen common values and civic culture by placing local information boards and notice boards with latest district news and stories.

(Arrowalpha, no date; Arthousedenver, no date; Studiobinocular, no date)

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Pathways

Soft edges

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Hard landscaping

Fulfilled tools

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

Shelter and protection

Activity nodes

Adaptive spaces

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Topography

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

DESIGN PROPOSAL

The MK Greenlink - Ferry Street Leisure Garden (Site B) Under the government-owned, neighbourhood-managed system, Ferry Street Leisure Garden is transformed from an underused, “concrete-based” POS into a multiuse green garden that is tailormade for the community to meet their needs and requirements. Charitable non-profit organisations

It works by working in partnerships and supporting statutory bodies, the community, and

Yau Tsim Mong District Council

organisations in the area. By uniting local residents, businesses, schools, the district council, charitable non-profit organisations, professional associations, and visitors, it is hoped that Ferry et

Street Leisure Garden can promote community spirit and sense of shared responsibility to secure

Soy Stre

a Reclaim

the interests of different users and stakeholders

eet

tion Str

Local businesses

eet

tr Ferry S

Visitors & tourists

Community and collaboration partners

Retail shops

d Stree

Laboratory for Art and Architecture

Portlan

Hong Kong Institute of Planners

t g Stree

Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design

Professional associations

Food and drink establishments

n Kam Fo

Professional associations

Dunda

s Street

Schools

ai Stree

Shangh

Charitable non-profit organisations

Local residents

Figure 33. Strategic plan for Ferry Street Leisure Garden

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Figure 34 shows a conceptual flowchart of how a government-owned, neighbourhood-managed public spaces like Ferry Street Leisure Garden could be achieved. The MK Greenlink Association formed by both members of government bodies and general public is responsible for overseeing all 16 playgrounds and POS in Mongkok. Under the association, the Ferry Street Leisure Garden Partnership formed by local residents, businesses, schools, the district council, and professional associations is set up to manage and develop the space together. With the continual public consultations, participations, and decision making, a design scheme and project plan that meets the needs of the neighbourhood could be devised. Funding could be seek from variety of external sources such as charitable non-profit organisations and the district council to take the scheme forward.

Other partnerships in Mongkok

The MK Greenlink Association

Continuous process

Ferry Street Leisure Garden Partnership

Public consultations

Secure funding Design schemes & project plans

Ferry Street Leisure Garden

Management & maintenance

Figure 34. Conceptual flowchart of development process of Ferry Street Garden

Ferry Street Leisure Garden would be ideal venue for community-based events where local residents can easily visit or take part without having to travel a long way

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Mid-autumn festival celebration

A yearly celebration social event could be held in the leisure garden, inviting neighbouring residents to join in the evening lantern viewing and playing, and to have picnics

(Kless, 2015)

Chinese New Year celebration

Local schools and academies could be invited to celebrate Chinese New Year with various performances and entertainments.

Weekly open air theatre / cinema

The 1km long waterfront boardwalk is covered by linear wood decking. It provides visitors with close-up views of the nearby cruise terminal and Victoria Harbour.

(Liondancecostume, 2016) (Popsci, no date; Salmon, no date)

Ferry Street Leisure Garden

08 EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION

What is learnt from the research and the application of the toolkit on Mongkok Road Playground and Ferry Street Sitting-out area is that it could be challenging for every public space to fulfill all the tools simultaneously. Priorities have to be made according to the physical environment of a particular site, needs of the community, and interests of local businesses. In the case of Mongkok, the MK Greenlink would be more practical if each of the 16 spaces could specialises in 1 – 3 tools, and together they could form a network of nature-based multiuse spaces that could fully achieve the goals of the 3 + 6 framework. In light of the research and analysis performed it is apparent that playgrounds and POS not only in Mongkok but all parts of Hong Kong are in need of attention. It is hoped that this report could shine light on the possibilities of taking the concepts and elements of nature play into Hong Kong’s public spaces.

Mongkok Road Leisure Park Inclusive to all ages

Ferry Street Leisure Garden Communitycentric

Multi-managed system

Distinctive design

Diverse activities

Natural materials

Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

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Retrofitting Public Spaces Nature Play as a Response to Homogeneous Outdoor Public Playgrounds and Lack of “Natureness” in Government-owned Neighbourhood Public Open Space in Hong Kong

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