URBD7019 WEST KOWLOON RESILIENCY
URBD7019 | YEAR 2021-2022
Kilian Soudy - 19176260
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TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION Summary of the group masterplan 4 The Challenge 6 Flooding 10 How to deal with climate change? 12
WEST KOWLOON RESILIENCY Design objectives and actions A new urban transect Blue and green infratsructure Case study Connect landscape and architecture Sustainable use of resources City without ground Ground floor strategy Level one strategy Block type and public spaces
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DETAIL EXPLANATION Low-rise creative quarter Flexible ground floor Creative courtyard Integrated sustainable passive strategies Upper floors land use and layout
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Green spine section
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Mid-rise municipal Dry market Wet market Flexible upper floors
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Secondary street section
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Low-rise vertical neighbourhood Bamboo theatre The tower vertical urbanism
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CONCLUSION Reflective statement
Photo left page Fig 1. WKCD (West 8, 2019)
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SUMMARY GROUP MASTERPLAN
Climate Response ACCESS & SUSTAINABILITY
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Green & Blue Infrastructure
ENVIRONMENTAL
Access to Green/ Public Spaces
Diverse Tac�cal Urbanism
Local & Global Iden�ty
SOCIAL SOCIAL JUSTICE
CULTURE-LED URBAN REGENERATION
CHARACTER & IDENTITY
Governance
Affordability
EQUITY
ECONOMIC
ROBUSTNESS & RESILIENCE
Circular Economy
Adaptability
Fig 2. Group framework (authors, 2022) 4
Fig 3. Group masterplan (authors, 2022)
RECLAIM KOWLOON: A NEW CHAPTER FOR HONG KONG’S CULTURE Our group masterplan focused on cultural regeneration as a tool to safeguard and deliver high levels of environmental quality in the context of Hong Kong. Our framework was built around three core environmental, social and economic principles that we believe will help tackle the various challenges we identified: 1) Preserving Hong Kong’s local culture, 2) Bringing back the ecological value of the reclaimed land, 3) Design an inclusive city, 4) Create a futureproof development, 5) Enhance the quality of life of residents, and 6) Provide inter-generational and affordable living in a highdensity context. To achieve high density on our site, the proposed masterplan is divided into three skylines, each with its character and density: a lower skyline along the waterfront is reminiscing Hong Kong’s past as a fishing village and brings back the human scale to Hong Kong; a mid-rise layer integrating the project in the existing urban fabric; and high-rise buildings that form the tip of an urban mountain, respecting the heights of the neighbouring towers.
More precisely, the group masterplan has been particularly successful in incorporating Hong Kong’s local features such as the ‘Tong Lau’ house typology, multi-level connections, narrow streets with street activities and open markets to create a natural extension to the existing urban fabric. The work produced on analysing block and building typologies will serve as a base for this report, where I will develop these blocks in more detail. Furthermore, with a strong focus on environmental qualities, the masterplan proposes an integrated green and blue infrastructure into the development to ensure the local community interacts with nature as much as possible. Providing access to the waterfront, and limiting developed land along it increased the social and environmental value of the reclaimed waterfront, which creates a key ‘attraction point’ to our site.
Fig 4. Skyline strategy (authors, 2022) 5
HONG KONG’S FUTURE WILL BE “HOT, THIRSTY, SWEATY AND WET”
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CHALLENGE CLIMATE CHANGE IN HK
Hong Kong’s 2050 Climate Action Plan, published in October 2021, outlines the overall strategies the city will implement and the targets and actions it has to met to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Photo left page Fig 5. Climate change in Hong Kong (Tam, 2022) Fig 6. Climate Action Plan (HKGOV, 2022)
Hong Kong, like many other cities in the world is facing a climate emergcny. Especially due to its coastal location, Hong Kong is affecetd by the impacts of climate change such as rising temperatures and more extreme weather events. The consequences of two recent episode of super typhoons in 2017 (Hato) and 2018 (Mangkhut) are still in the mind of many Hong Kongers. Here, we will categorise the effects of Climate change in Hong Kong in four components: temperature rise, sea level rise and coastal protectionx, extreme weather events and the unsustainable use of resources.
TEMPERATURE RISE
temperature of 33°C or above) are expected to increase significantly in the 21st century while the annual number of cold days will continue to drop. The phenomenom is intensfied by an other consequence of urbanisation. Like many other cities in the world with high development densities, Hong Kong suffers from the ‘urban heat island’ effect, where the temperatures are intensified at the dense urban areas because air ventilation is poor and heat is trapped by buildings. Solutions: play with massing, height profile, street orientation, breezeways / green masterplans / new sustainable building design guidelines.
Following the IPCC’s high global greenhouse gases concentration scenario, Hong Kong’s temperature is expected to rise by 1.5-3°C in the mid-21st century (2051-2060) and 3-6°C in the late 21st century (2091-2100). Precisely, the annual number of hot nights (days with a minimum temperature of 28°C or above) and very hot days (days with a maximum
CLIMATE RISKS IN HONG KONG TODAY...
Urban Heat Island
Heavy Rainfall
Typhoons
Floods
Extreme weather
Unsustainable Use of Resource
Sea Level Rise
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SEA LEVEL RISE AND COASTAL PROTECTION On average, the annual mean sea level in Victoria Harbour rose at a rate of 30 mm per decade during 1954-2014. Under the high GHG concentration scenario, the annual mean sea level in Hong Kong and its adjacent waters is expected to rise by 0.32-0.53m by the mid21st century and 0.63-1.07m by the late century. About 15% of Hong Kong’s total land area is below mean sea level, and parts of these areas are pavements and densely populated. Coastal flooding may occur during rainstorms, storm surges and certain tidal conditions. Under the influence of climate change and rise in sea level, the frequency of occurrence of extreme sea level events and coastal flooding will likely increase. The wave height and wave loading experienced by coastal infrastructure may become more severe. In other words, Hong Kong can expect the risk of coastal flooding and also damage to coastal infrastructure to increase. Solutions: Hong Kong can create exceptional low-carbon outcomes that also improve the city’s livability. For example works related to adaptation projects, such as in flood control, can also incorporate low-carbon aspects that also create a more pleasant living environment and improve ecosystems, such as with the Yuen Long Bypass Floodway.
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Fig 7. Typhoon in Hong Kong (Tam, 2021)
EXTREME WEATHER Apart from high winds and heavy rain, storm surge is also a threat posed by approaching tropical cyclones. Over the last hundred years or so, several typhoons (e.g. in 1874, 1906, 1937 and 1962) had brought severe storm surges to Hong Kong, causing heavy casualties and damages. One of the main risk is an increase in sea flooding associated with storm surges caused by tropical cyclones. The extreme sea level brought by storm surges of the same typhoon will be higher when the mean sea level is raised. A sea level of 3.5 m CD30 that can cause serious flooding in certain areas in Hong Kong, such as what happened in 2008 with Typhoon Hagupit is a 1-in-50 year event today. It would however become a 1-in 5 year to 1-in-10 year event by 2021-40 and a potentially recurrent event every year by the end of the 21st century under the high greenhouse gases concentration scenarios. Then, the number of extremely wet years is expected to increase from 3 in 1885-2005 to about 12 in 2006-2100. Besides, the annual rainfall in late 21st century is expected to rise by about 180 mm. Extreme rainfall events will also become more frequent this century.
UNSUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES Climate change is likely to become one of the most significant drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide by the end of the century. Conserving natural terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems is therefore necessary because ecosystems play a key role in the global carbon cycle and in adapting to climate change, while also providing a wide range of ecosystem services that are essential for human well-being. Sustainable farming and fisheries Hong Kong imports the majority of its food. An increase in local supply of food can help reduce reliance on imported food and the carbon footprint of our food consumption, albeit to a modest extent. The government is considering a more proactive policy towards the modernisation and sustainable development of local agriculture, and recognises that it could help to diversify our local food supply, enhance its productivity, meet the market demand for domestically grown produce, create job opportunities, as well as help to reduce Hong Kong carbon footprint in the food supply chain.
Infography extracted from the Climate Action Plan (HKGOV, 2022)
Solutions: urban forests, sustainable farming and fisheries, develop the concept of Place ecology, water body revitalisation, ecosystem protection and enhancement strategies. 9
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FLOODING IN WEST KOWLOON
Fig 8. Flooding in Kowloon (Lowe, 2017)
West Kowloon being on the waterfront is particularly at risk of flooding due to both sea level rise and the increase risk of typhoons and storms. Data shows that the waterfront edge of the site could be submerged by as soon as 2030. Indeed, projections of a sea level rise by 1m are more likely to happen, givent hat the scenarios greenhouse gases concentrations could be even higher. As explained in the challenge page, the increasing temperatures will inevitably increase the frequency and strenghts of tropical cylcones in the area, causing a huge risk to the site and any potential future developments. According to CWR’s New Base Case Scenario in the recent co-authored CLSA report, Hong Kong is at risk of storm tides at 5.87m brought about by typhoons by as early as 2030. This would impact large swathes of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Therefore, this speculative project will be based on the idea that the site will be affected by flooding and that part or whole will inevitably be submerged in the near or far future. 2.91 SLR NASA SRTM map (30m grid) – moderate impact (long term CWR 2030: 5.87m of extreme storm tides (extreme weather events) 11
HOW TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE?
MITIGATION Climate change mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent emission of green house gases. Today, the impacts of climate change are already being felt, such as through heat waves and droughts, extreme storms, pressure on water resources and crop yields, damage to corals, sea level rise etc. International agreements on climate change are focusing on keeping warming below 2°C by 2100 with promoting low-carbon, cleaner-energy trajectory. In Hong Kong, the objective is to become carbon neutral by 2050. Fig 9. Pollution in Hong Kong (SCMP, 2019)
ADAPTATION Since the impacts of climate change is already evident, and even with much more aggressive mitigation action, there will be changes to ecosystems and damage to infrastructure brought about by extreme weather events. We have to anticipate the effects of climate change and take appropriate actions to prevent or minimise the damage they may cause, or take advantage of opportunities that may arise. The term ‘infrastructure’ includes energy, water, buildings, coastal structures, transport, emergency services, health, food, finance and communication. Fig 10. Drainage tunnel scheme (DSDGOV, 2017)
RESILIENCE The notion of resilience involves both mitigation and adaptation. There is a need to strengthen and empower a community’s capacity and capability to reduce carbon emissions, as well as cope and absorb climate change related stresses to maintain the functional operation of public services, and economic and social activities. The key focus of climate resilience is to address the vulnerabilities that Hong Kong faces as a community with regards to the consequences of climate change. Strengthening resilience involves transforming our planning, infrastructure and way of life in the face of climate change.
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Fig 11. Sustainable food production (Unsplash, 2019)
Fig 12. Typhoon Mangkhut (Wallace, 2018) 13
WEST KOWLOON RESILIENCY
To create a resilient future for West Kowloon by integrating people and local culture with ecological systems Resiliency does not mean 100% protection and insulation from challenges, but more the capacity to recover from and adapt to ongoing and varied challenges over time. A “resilient community” is one that can quickly recover, creatively adapt and absorb stresses without too much loss of investment. Climate change is one of the main factors that will affect and transform Hong Kong for the decades to come. With increased temperatures and the impact on rising sea level, the city is heading for a “hot, thirsty, sweaty and wet” future. More locally, in West Kowloon, with sea level projections and a probable increase of typhoons’ frequency, the site could be partially submerged as soon as 2030. However, one cannot simply summarise “resiliency in Hong Kong” to water’s edge ecology alone; the effort must equally embrace broader issues of cultural identity, economic investment, community enhancement, primary infrastructures enabling more flexible and agile forms of “bouncing back.”
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D.O.1 FLOOD MITIGATION
D.O.2 LIVING WITH NATURE
The first objective is a direct response to the most visible climate risk the site is facing. The objective is to futureproof the new development so that it is not affected, or to the minimum, in case of a flooding event. Two scenarios of flooding are taken into consideration: the continuous sea level rise that will submerge the site slowly over time, as well as the extreme events due to typhoons and high tides. To do this, a sponge city concept will be applied to the waterfront edge to mitigate the consequences of flooding. Also, flexible uses and layouts on the ground level will enable temporary flooding without affecting core functions. Finally, Hong Kong’s unique multi-level connectivity will be placed strategically to create adaptable and resilient open spaces, that work well regardless of the weather events.
Co-dwelling with nature is an essential component of a good urban design project when trying to achieve net zero carbon emissions, to reduce the effects of climate change from the source. Strategies can be implemented across all morphological layers, from creating an ecological park on the reclaimed land to implementing passive design features on buildings (louvres, insulation), streets (shading, ventilation) and landscape (SuDS). Most importantly, living with nature is about transforming lifestyle behaviours to create a more sustainable urban community. The development will therefore promote the use of locally sourced sustainable materials and incorporate sustainable circular processes in terms of food, and resource management.
D.O.3 PRESERVE AND ENHANCE LOCAL IDENTITY
D.O.4 IMPROVE HUMAN COMFORT
Continuing what has been developed in the group masterplan, it s necessary to integrate components of Hong Kong’s local identity in such a globalised and internationally connected site. Methods of tactical urbanism can be developed to engage local communities with the site and use local culture to attract outside visitors. Mainly, this project will look at reinventing existing HK typologies to meet the need of the 21st-century living and working, trying to embody Hong Kong’s lifestyle in a densified and vertical setting.
The last objective is to contribute to a livable highdensity environment. The scheme aims at improving the microclimate of the urban environment in Hong Kong, and the consequences of high-density urbanism such as the urban heat island effect. The design will provide active and passive shading to create highly walkable streets and public spaces, and the design will manipulate wind flow enabling evaporative cooling to lower temperatures and humidity. Access to green is a key issue in Hong Kong and should be improved across all subsystems to enhance the physical and mental health of Hong Kongers.
Sponge City
Flood Mitigation
Ecological Park
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Access to Green
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WEST KOWLOON RESILIENCY
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Multi-level Public realm
C ul Sustainable Materials
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Connection with context
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Evaporative Cooling
Shading
Tactical Urbanism Vertical Living Typologies
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PROPOSED BLOCK DESIGN A NEW URBAN TRANSECT
As a new urban transect, the proposal highlights the three skyline typologies with their character, shaping together an urban mountain. The design is respectful of both edges of the site: the low rise block compliments the fragility of the waterfront and the tower at the back of the site completed the existing skyline formed by Union Square and the ICC. D.O 3 Expanding on the concepts introduced in the overarching masterplan, the proposal suggests the interweaving of different layers of public spaces: a green open space bleeding into the site from the waterfront, a homogenous ground texture and a wooden elevated public movement network. Sketchy perspective of the three skylines, viewed from the waterfront
Section through the site - urban mountain 17
Photo top left The sponge park and wetland Photo bottom left The sponge park and wetlands during flooding
BLUE AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THE SPONGE PARK
The waterfront strategy is inspired by the Sponge City concept, developed in China in the early 2000s. Applying landscape urbanism principles, the sponge forms an integrated green and blue network that will participate in the flooding mitigation strategy of the site, protecting West Kowloon from extreme flooding while bringing back ecological value to this portion of reclaimed land.
The Sponge park acts as phase zero of the development in West Kowloon. Based on the Kings Cross model of development in London, the Sponge will be the first seed, that will drive the following phases of the development and will determine the success of the scheme. 18
1:500 Sponge Plan 0
Flooding Mitigation - The sponge city is a system composed of several green and blue strategies that contribute toward building a resilient and effective flooding mitigation strategy for the site. What if a flood could be something we embrace rather than fear? Instead of protecting the waterfront with hard infrastructures only (flood walls, piping and tunnel), the sponge will provide a soft absorbing surface to the coastline to soak up the excess water and slow down surface runoff. The landscaping acts like a sponge, with many ponds as holes that contain the water. The water is channelled in organic carved terrain through vegetation and wetlands slowing down water. In West Kowloon, to achieve this, the site edge and levels are reshaped to allow the sponge to be at a lower level than the built area. The soil removed in certain areas is placed back in other points to create a topography that will allow people to use the park during light flooding events. D.O 1 Ecological value - West Kowloon was built on reclaimed land, and has therefore a low ecological value. In fact, the reclamation process has led to highly probable land and water edge pollution. The Sponge, through its variety of spaces
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(vegetation, wetlands) had the added benefits of creating green spaces, parks and animal habitats, and purifying the surface run-off with plants removing polluting toxins and nutrients. To protect the water edge while connecting people with water, a gradient of human activity is created at ground level. The closer to the water, the higher the ecological value and the lower the human footfall and vice versa. A second movement layer is raised, on a boardwalk, allowing people to navigate through the park when flooded but also reducing the impact on biodiversity. D.O 2 Place identity - The sponge park has a key function in the development of the area, apart from its protective and ecological roles. In the first stage of the development, the sponge will incorporate principles of tactical urbanism, creating a sense of place from day 1 before construction even starts. Using local creative expression as a catalyst for change, the sponge will provide temporary and lightweight structures for learning, leisure or just relaxing within the sponge. That will make the sponge a destination on the waterfront of Hong Kong, that will remain in place for the rest of the project lifespan and even long after. D.O 3 19
Fig 13. The bridge at Yanweizhou park (Turenscape, 2014)
CASE STUDY YANWEIZHOU PARK BY TURENSCAPE Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China
It is one of the most famous case studies of Sponge City, where the flood mitigation strategy has given a new identity to the city, using a functional landscape as a poetic symbol. The bridge and paths connect the city with nature and connect the past to the future; the river currents, the flow of people, and the gravity of objects are all woven together to form a dynamic concord.
KEY LESSONS AND PRINCIPLES
Fig 14. Topography and terrain strategy (Turenscape, 2014) 20
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Adaptive Tactics to Preserve and Enhance the Remnant Habitats: The biodiversity of the area was adapted and enhanced through the addition of native wetland species.
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Cut-and-fill strategy to balance earthwork and by creating a water-resilient terraced river embankment that is covered with flood adapted native vegetation. Floodable pedestrian paths and pavilions are integrated with the planting terraces, which will be closed to the public during the short period of flooding.
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An elevated bridge above the 200-year flood level, while the ramps connecting the riparian wetland park can be submerged during the 20-year and larger floods. Floodwaters cover the park for a very short period of time. The bridge also hovers above the preserved patch of riparian wetland and allows visitors an intimate connection to nature within the city.
Fig 15. The park during flooding (Turenscape, 2014)
APPLICATION TO THE SITE
Experimental testing model to see how the proposed sponge park would react when water level rises. 21
CONNECT LANDSCAPE AND ARCHITECTURE TO SOLVE CLIMATIC AND CULTURAL ISSUES Section through the sponge 0 1
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Protected ecological edge 15
Cultural installations 22
Cultural
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Wetland waterfront
Elevate
CLICK THE LINK TO WATCH THE SPONGE FLOODED
https://youtu.be/EU05qxkWHk4
installations
Bioswales + park
Wooden construction
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Bamboo Forest
Building on stilts 23
Fig 16. Bamboo construction (Citymag, 2020)
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SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES
GROWING BAMBOO IN THE SPONGE
CONTRIBUTE TO CLEANING SOIL CAN BE HARVESTED QUICKLY
BAMBOO SCAFOLDINGS
RECYLED
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS - FACADES
CREATES A UNIQUE NATURAL EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS
TACTICAL URBANISM PAVILLON IN THE SPONGE PARK
The scheme promotes sustainable use of resources and the bamboo culture in the sponge park is a great example. A bamboo forest will be planted on the early day of the sponge par, to help decontaminate soil and form a new urban forest that will attract Hong Kongers. Parts can then be harvested, to be used in the building of scaffoldings (tradition) and tactical urbanism interventions to help create a sense of place from day 1. As the project develops, scaffoldings or unused pavilions can be recycled and the bamboo can be used as new architectural elements such as the facade of the tower. D.O 2 + D.O 3 25
Fig 17. Cities without ground (Frampton et al., 2012)
CITY WITHOUT GROUND MULTI-LEVEL CONNECTIVITY AND PUBLIC ACCESS Hong Kong is a city without ground. This is the case both spatially (built on steep slopes, the city has no ground plane) and culturally (there is no concept of ground). Density erases the ground in the city and redefines public-private relationships. Distance and time are distorted through compact networks of pedestrian infrastructure, public transport and natural topography in the urban landscape. These networks, though built independently and owned by different public and private actors, connecting to different functions and land uses, form a continuous space of diverse environments that serve as a fundamental public resource for the city.
Fig 18. Cities without ground (Frampton et al., 2012) 26
Aerial perspective highlighting the connection between different urban blocks
KEY LESSONS AND PRINCIPLES •
Segregated pedestrian routes, separating the movement of vehicular traffic from pedestrians. It meant that higher rent could be charged on the second-floor retail units, so developers began to do this on all of their projects.
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A vast system of connected lobbys, walkways, and tunnels that rise and fall without any apparent relationship to ground level.= How to create a link with ground level so that both are used efficienlty?
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The fluctuating size and mixed public/private nature of this infrastructure create a totally different atmosphere with different lighting, temperature, humidity, noise and smell that form unseen boundaries.
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.Improved human comfort in public spaces as it is possible to cross the city without ever leaving its air-conditioned environs. However, how can we use it with other strategies to create a more naturally controlled environment, in which people can walk and enjoy.
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Debates on the ownership of these spaces - neoliberal policies have led to the multiplication of privately owned public spaces raising questions in trm of inclusivity. 27
1:500 Ground floor Plan 0 28
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Ground floor land use
Ground floor street hierachy and connectivity
Flexible space
Retail-Commercial
Primary street (district)
Cultural
Market
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Tertiary street (blocks)
GROUND FLOOR STRATEGY Hong Kong’s ground level today is crowded due to heavy car traffic. Therefore it is often not used by people, as they prefer to walk through buildings or use elevated connections. To unravel this issue, the scheme in West Kowloon suggests a car-free environment that encourages active mobility and the use of excellent public transport connections to the site. The ground floor is reinstated as an active surface but innovates with landscaping by stitching together the natural waterfront with the existing urban fabric. D.O 2 + D.O 3 The ground plane is characterised by a mixed distribution of uses and functions, providing a sense of identity to each area while making sure the whole is activated throughout the day. In response to flooding, the ground floor is by definition resilient, offering spaces that are flexible in terms of uses and structure. Activities on the ground floor can easily change and acclimate to various changes, whether these transformations are climatic, economic or social. An adaptable ground level allows flooding to happen without disrupting the life of the neighbourhood. D.O 1
Fig 19. Pier 40 before and during flooding (DFA, 2018) 29
1:500 First floor Plan 0 30
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LEVEL ONE STRATEGY While the ground floor focuses on sewing the site together, in particular from the city to the top of the peninsula, the first floor is articulated around a stronger level of connections between blocks and especially from the waterfront, linking back to the high rise and the surrounding podiums. The elevated boardwalk offers various routes throughout the site improving permeability at the block level and opening up to new activities that were not directly accessible from the ground. This first floor is the new ground floor, giving access to key functions such as private residential and office lobbies. The raised circulation is what enables life to continue in the site in the case of flooding and is destined, if climate change effects are not mitigated on time, to become the main layer of circulation once the entire ground level of the city waterfront will be submerged. D.O 1
The first floor becomes the main public space when the ground is flooded 31
BLOCK TYPES & PUBLIC SPACES
Low-rise Mid-rise High-rise Block types
Public space - green oasis and hardscape 32
Types of public space
Sponge park
Water Park
Block Courtyard
Boardwalk pavillon
Green oasis
Skygardens
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LOW RISE AFFORDABLE CREATIVE QUARTER
The low-rise block takes inspiration from Hong Kong’s floating village tradition, raising the buildings above the sponge park on the waterfront. Designed in the group masterplan to tackle the lack of space for artists in the city, this block will act as a creative quarter providing affordable spaces to live and work for the arts community. Buildings revisit the ‘tong lau” typology with shops on the ground floor and apartments above, providing collaborative studios, galleries and ateliers for artists on the public level (+1) and living units on the private floors above. D.O 3 The connection with the waterfront is expressed through the landscape of the sponge park that extends below the buildings, suggesting a symbiotic relationship between nature and architecture to both protect from flooding and also foment creativity for the residents. Varying between 4-8 stories, it is a perimeter block on level +1 overlooking a central courtyard on both the ground and first floor. The block connects back with the rest of the buildings a +1, with the elevated boardwalk allowing pedestrians to move around, and walk towards the waterfront pavilions or the other surrounding blocks. D.O 1
Render of the low-rise facade, revealing the semi-open corrirdor and wooden framed structure 38
Fig 20. Tai O fishing village (Chensiyuan, 2015)
UPPER FLOORS
PRIVATE
The massing plays with height by lowering towards the water. It is the first skyline and need to reflect a sense of human scale.
2ND FLOOR Typical floor of the residential levels with dwellings for artists, a semi-open corridor and community spaces.
FIRST FLOOR
PUBLIC
Main public level, bringing together artists and visitors to create a creative space connects to adacing podiums and sponge installations.
GROUND FLOOR Blending the urban streetscape with natural sponge park - the waterfront extends under the block.
Land use, massing and connectivity
Retail-Commercial
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Fig 21. LoTex (Delhay, 2019)
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Fig 22. Craft Sake Week (Ireland, 2016)
The low rise is located directly on the waterfront and is, therefore, the most at risk of flooding in upcoming years or during the annual typhoons season. Therefore, the ground floor of the low rise is raised, allowing the mitigating sponge park to bleed into the site and create a deeper protective edge, letting flooding occur. But it also offers a unique sensory experience to visitors and residents, blending natural and urban sceneries: the views and sounds of the water from one side, the noise and smells of the hong kong streetlife on the other. The connection with green benefits the residents of the neighbourhood, offering a relaxing space from the busy city that helps improve their mental and physical well-being, especially since the lack of green space was highlighted by the covid-19 pandemic. D.O 1 + D.O 2
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GROUND FLOOR FLEXIBLE SPACE
Along the main street (green spine), the ground floor is activated through a multi-functional and adaptable space that can host a range of activities. Two waterproof cores will be used for storage and servicing, and temporary structures and furniture can fill the space, “flooding” it with activities. It can be used for example to promote local crafts that would have been produced upstairs by the artist’s workshops. When necessary, the space is given back to nature allowing water to inundate the ground floor. D.O 1 + D.O 3 41
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First floor zoom in plan
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Fig 23. Artist in his workshop (2015)
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shop BOH reta
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The first floor is the new active ground floor. Here it acts as a frontage on the street for creative expression. It consists of small plots dedicated to shops, studios, ateliers and galleries that introduce visitors to local art and crafts. The small size of plots, as well as the breaks within the block, form a very permeable structure that increases interactions among users. The units are serviced by the two cores that reach the ground level (also serving as a fire escape), although the definition of fronts and backs for most of them is rethought as they blur into each other. Indeed, studio and ateliers spaces open in the public space from all sides, with artists coming together inside but also outside to create. D.O 3
BOH il
unit
y
Within the block, the distinction between private and public is clear, with private cores on the first floor allowing to reach the residential levels above. The first floor is the main public level although it can only be accessed via the boardwalk from other blocks, creating a neighbourhood with a more relaxing atmosphere because it is less busy, a more intimate community within the middle of the block. D.O 4
47
0 1
5
10
15
20
Environmental section through the low-rise block typology
0 1 2
5
10
15
20
summer sun winter sun closed building
direct v
iew to
harbou
semi-open corridor
r 1200
na
tur
a
bamboo forest
open vie
bioswale flood mitigation
Protected
INTEGRATED SUSTAINABLE PASSIVE STRATEGIES
The block design integrates passive strategies that will create an enhanced microclimate, therefore improving human comfort. Indeed, the raised ground floor allows the prevailing wind from the waterfront to penetrate the site and give fresh air, not only to the courtyard space but also to the surrounding blocks. This goes a step further than aligning the street with the wind direction, which the urban planning policy in Hong Kong suggests. The airflow also enables the creation of a comfortable micro-climate in the semiopen corridors, giving an incentive for residents to use that space and gather. We can find open views of the waterfront from the public realm as well as the private dwellings, improving the visual and emotional connection with water and nature, for mental health and well-being. The recessed windows on the South facades, allow the winter sun to enter the apartment while blocking the summer sun angles, providing shaded balconies during the warmest months. D.O 2 + D.O 4
48
summer sun winter sun closed building
semi-open corridor
1200
cross ventilation 1200
improves micro-climate in building
1200
al
ve
la nti
tio
n
bioswale flood mitigation
ews to waterfront
courtyard
Fig 25. Logement collectif (AAVP, 2017) 49
Retail-Commercial
Workshops/ateliers
Cultural
Servicing/core
Residential
Workshops/ateliers
Overlal massing and land use distribution
Example of an apartment layout 50
0
1
2
3
4
5
Render of the semi-open corridor space providing a comfortable micro-climate for residents to use it as an extension of their dwelling
UPPER FLOORS LAND USE AND LAYOUT
The upper floors of the low-rise are dedicated to apartments and living units for artists and their families. Affordable housing is based on a modular system that allows for repetition in layout, cutting down construction costs and an organization that ensures optimal daylight conditions. Also, cheaper rents can be achieved through a two-way process where Artists attract visitors to the site in exchange for more affordable dwellings. The apartments are accessible via a semi-open corridor. This acts as a circulation space but is also a space fomenting interactions with neighbours and building strong social ties. The corridors contribute to creating a microclimate within the building. It is shaded provided extra space for residents to spill outwards on the space, and also gives a dual orientation allowing natural ventilation to occur through the block. D.O 2 + D.O 4 The environmentally friendly massive wood construction references the traditional Chinese materiality whilst supporting strong acoustic and tactile qualities. The façades language consists of the structural framework, the terraces, opaque walls and movable sun shading. The different elements form a façade expression that is both cohesive, repetitive and playful. D.O 3
51
MAIN STREET GREEN SPINE
1200
1200
1200
Section through the green spine 52
0
1
2
5
10
Fig 26. EcoDistrict Rouen (Devilliers et Associés, 2017)
Location of the street section
KEY FEATURES •
Flood Mitigation: the green spine is a key element of the flood mitigation strategy. During heavy rains or when the seawater level rises, the bioswale located at the centre of the street collects and absorbs excess water on the streets, and retains it until flood levels are back to normal. When the ground level is flooded, the upper-level connection allows pedestrians to continue navigating through the site. D.O 1
•
Living with nature: The street includes a large amount of greenery, that will act as shading, but also give visual access to nature to all users and residents, contributing to a better living environment. D.O 2
•
Preserve and Enhance local identity: Common features of Hong Kong building typologies are implemented such as multi-level connection, setback, and covered collonade, but are reinvented here to fit the needs of the new residents. The podiums or upper terraces usually left abandoned in Hong Kong are here used to their potential. D.O 3
•
Improve human comfort: passive strategies on building architecture (overhangs, setbacks) and the natural assets (vegetation, water bioswales) improve the quality of the environment, improving the micro-climate within the scheme. D.O 4 53
MID RISE MUNICIPAL
The mid-rise block typology is inspired by the municipal services building in Hong Kong. These buildings are a common feature of each district, creating a vertical mixed use with food markets, cultural/leisure and working spaces. Usually, these blocks are large, very closed off from the surrounding streets, and oriented inwards. Therefore, here the block is broken up into several buildings creating an outdoor space at its heart. This exterior space, shaded by the tall buildings, becomes a space where people sit, chat and eat. D.O 3 Food is a major component of the municipal building. Research has shown that Hong Kong’s food provision is vulnerable to climate change, and flooding in particular as this would impact the infrastructures used to deliver food to the city. Only three days of food provision in case of emergency are available. Therefore, with resilience in mind, the mid-rise will integrate a virtuous circular economy of food, as a prototype for future developments. The hydroponics farm, placed above the food market, will allow locally produced vegetables to be sold in the markets, and then consumed in the cooked food centre located on the 3rd floor. Also, on the ground floor, a kid zone will provide playful learning on how to grow food sustainably, closing the process by raising awareness for future generations. D.O 1 +
Fig 27. Kwun Chung Municipal Services Building (Lnsolwi, 2020)
D.O 2
GROW AND HARVEST
RECYCLE
SELL
WASTE
TRANSFORM
CONSUME 54
Fig 28. Agromainville farming (ABF Lab, 2015)
PRIVATE UPPER FLOORS
PRIVATE
Above the land use is more private with office and working spaces and apartments.
PUBLIC UPPER FLOORS Public land uses are distributed vertically including libraries, cultural spaces, food centre.
FIRST FLOOR
PUBLIC
Wet markets and vertical farming. Main public floor, with access to lobby spaces for residential and offices. Connects to the other podiums through the evelated public realm.
GROUND FLOOR Dry market and retail units like corner shops and cafes. Permeability at gf through the courtyard space.
Land use, massing and connectivity
Retail-Commercial
Private lobbies
Wet Market
Dry Market
Servicing/core
Farming 55
Service access
Access/Entrances
fruits
dry
Kids area lifts
lobb sports court = water retention tank
y
lifts BOH
hall load
WC
ing
courtyard
WC
vege
table
mark
et
BOH retai
land
scap
l BOH
pede s stre trian et
retai
l r
Bios
pede s stre trian et
56
Ground floor zoom in plan
wale
GROUND FLOOR DRY MARKET
y market
lobb
Serv
y
BOH ices
Private and public vertical circulation
BOH
Private cores Public cores Service lifts
corn er shop
ped
stair
The ground floor accommodates the dry market components of the neighbourhood market. It will include stalls for fruits and vegetables, and also some retail units for corner shops selling essential products. The central courtyard offers a space for Hong Kongers to gather and eat outdoor while enjoying the shade and breeze from passive strategies used to mitigate the micro-climate. We can note that at the south of the block, along the green spine, the ground floor still offers some adaptability in case of flooding, as it can be easily emptied allowing water in the worst case scenario to enter the space. The flexibility of the building will allow the dry markets to be relocated to another floor. D.O 1 +
case
BOH
D.O 4
etail
Circulation is key in these types of buildings, with a clear distinction needed for private and public access. For that reason, the public core will be used for public floors (markets, library, etc.) and a separate private core will be used by office workers or residents living above the. Also, servicing is located in a strategic location, very accessible from the street and courtyard and night use of this loading area will limit disruption for residents.
57
0 1
5
10
15
Access/Entrances
wet market fish lobby
covered boardwalk
lifts
BOH
lifts lobb
y
rmin
g
walk
walk
cal fa
oard
land
cove
red b
verti
red b
oard
cove
boardwalk
entrance
58
First floor zoom in plan
resta
uran
t
scap
ed s
BOH
tairc
ase
LEVEL ONE WET MARKET
wet market
s Fig 29. Cooked food centre (For Something More, 2017)
wet
On the first floor, the block is split even more by the elevated public realm and circulation, offering new options of gravel for people to join other parts of the scheme. This not only improves walkability through and around the block but also contributes to passive air ventilation by providing gaps within the “podium” floors. Above the dry markets, the first floor is dedicated to a wet market section, for meat and fish. It is also where the main lobbies for apartments and office spaces are located, as it is the most probable level from which you will arrive at the site. Food can be easily delivered to the higher market floors, through service lifts in the loading zone on ground level.
ket
ices
mar
Serv
wet m mea arket t
As introduced in the book, city without ground, the mid-rise block provides various micro-climate within the building with thresholds of temperature and humidity levels, that offer a diversified experience of walking through the block for users. Indeed, some spaces are open (courtyard), semi-open (parts of the first floor public realm), air-conditioned (lobbies, library) or even refrigerated (market areas). D.O 4
terra
ce
e
Fig 30. Gradient of micro-climate (Frampton et al., 2012) 59
0 1
5
10
15
Fig 31. Wet market in Hong Kong (Issa, 2020)
60
FLEXIBLE UPPER USES
The mid-rise is almost a self-sufficient and resilient block, where people can live, work, participate in recreational activities, buy essentials or even grow food. The municipal block also offers a vertical gradient of privacy, from very public functions on lower levels (including markets, libraries, and cultural spaces) to more private uses above (offices or dwellings). The upper floor plate of the buildings was designed to be flexible in terms of land use, allowing offices or residential units to use the same core and structural arrangements. This allows the building to be adaptable to the market, before construction (as learned in Kings Cross) or during the life of the buildings to accommodate long term changes in society - since covid-19, we question the need for office spaces as working from home might become the new norm. D.O 3 Dry Market
Retail-Commercial
Residential
Cultural
Wet Market and food
Recreational
Offices
Library
Massing and land use distribution
Office upper floor
Residential upper floor 61
0 1
2 3
4 5
Section through a secondary street 62
10
SECONDARY STREET
Fig 32. Green Spine (UNStudio, 2018)
Location of the street section
KEY FEATURES •
The street is surrounded by mid to high rise buildings, that can go up to 50 stories, therefore more setbacks are integrated within the block composition. Multiple setbacks create stepped floors and terraces, that can be used for public or private uses, bringing life to every floor of the podiums. The setbacks also emphasise a sense of human scale at the street level, improving the experience when walking through the development, and feeling less overwhelmed. D.O 3
•
A mixed variety of public land uses within the podiums, activating the streets throughout the day and night, with strong “eyes on the street” that improve the sense of belonging and the feeling of safety.
•
The central part of the street is designed with vegetation, large bushes and trees. That allows the street to be shaded, while also contributing to evaporative cooling of the public realm. This will improve the atmosphere condition within the street and podium connections, resulting in a comfortable environment where people can walk even during warm days. D.O 2 + D.O 4
63
HIGH RISE VERTICAL NEIGHBOURHOOD
The high rise block forms the tip of the urban mountain. It is a block sized building that reuses the common Kowloon podium typology, a podium with a tower above that is set back from the street. It also connects back to the city, creating a direct elevated link with the podium of Union Square and the ICC tower. That means people can now walk from the train station to the waterfront of West Kowloon without having to cross the street. Rising to 175m high, it grows from the bamboo theatre that composes the podium and the bamboo facade wraps around the tower to become the roof canopy of the bamboo theatre; revealing how a traditional cultural legacy can support the development of a modern neighbourhood. D.O 2 + D.O 3 The body of the tower twists, driven by two concepts. First, to provide natural daylight to most of the apartments and to minimise the number of units facing north, each floor place slightly rotates from one another by 1.8degrees. Then, there will be greenery on balconies or winter gardens along the tower giving the impression of a green spine climbing around the building, using greenery to link all the residents of the tower. D.O 4
A podium divided into two elements - a commercial part and a covered area to host cultural events. 64
From the podium a tower grows, with setback allowing ligjt to reach the street and improving the sense of human scale
Fig 33. Green Spine (UNStudio, 2018)
The facade of the tower extends to cover the cultural space and form the roof structure of the new bamboo theatre.
The tower is twisted at 90o as a subtle architectural gesture that helps with sun and wind conditions
PRIVATE - PUBLIC - PRIVATE
UPPER FLOORS The twisted tower, a high density living building, where public/amenities uses are mixed with the residential, so that people living on the higher floors are not excluded from the city.
FIRST FLOOR
PUBLIC
Connects to surrounding blocks and especially Union Square and ICC. Co working faciulities and lobby for above tower accessible from this floor.
GROUND FLOOR Cultural and commercial podium - bamboo theatre serves as the base for the high rise development
Land use, massing and connectivity
Retail-Commercial
Private lobbies
Wet Market
Servicing/core 65
Service access
Access/Entrances
existing main road
service lift
retail
manager office
Ba
collonade
BOH
podium lobby BOH
retail
BOH
retail
BOH
commercial
service corridor
air-conditioned hall
vip room green room changing room
WC
WC
BOH Main hall
covered sidewalk
pedestrian street
central planters
pedestrian street
66
Ground floor zoom in plan
Main entra
GROUND FLOOR BAMBOO THEATRE
Dance studio
agew
ay
ackstage
Fig 34. Bamboo theatre (Alberts, 2013)
pass
Stage
agew
ay
Seating
pass
Fig 35. 25 King Brisbane (Bates Smart, 2013)
The ground floor is composed of two elements: a commercial and a cultural podium, that will become a destination for visitors and residents, offering a space for performances (opera, concerts) and events in a permanent bamboo theatre. Today the bamboo theatre is an attraction that gets built and dismantled annually and became a symbol of West Kowloon. D.O3
ance to theatre
The use of mass timber construction for the high rise block directly reflects the old tradition of bamboo or wood construction in China, but with new sustainable techniques. We can also possibly imagine that the bamboo theatre and facade of the tower are built from bamboo grown and harvested in the sponge park! D.O 3 The space on the perimeter under the roof of the bamboo theatre provides a sheltered environment for pop-up retail and businesses that can not afford a permanent rental, benefiting from the visitors and tourists coming to watch a show at the theatre. D.O 4
0 1
2 3
4 5
10
67
Access/Entrances
bridge to union square
Service access
service lift
co-working
kitchen
BOH
retail
lobby
theatre bridge to mid-rise
retail
collonade
stairs to street
BOH
BOH
restaurant
covered boardwalk boardwalk
wet market - fish
entrance to market
wet market - meat
Ground floor zoom in plan 0 1
Office floor - open floor plan 68
Residential floor plans - 8 units with balconies/ wintergarden
2 3
4 5
skygardens floor with small retail units for corner shop or cafe
10
THE TOWER VERTICAL URBANISM
cultural
skygardens
retail
residential
Offices Massing and land use distribution
The first floor is more commercial providing small units for local businesses and co-working facilities that can be used by people coming to Hong Kong, or the business district for the day. From there we can access the main lobby for the tower above. The first floor is connected to the elevated public realm that runs through the site, and the space can easily be opened up to that public space blurring the boundary in and out. The tower above follows principles of vertical plot based urbanism, and gives access to amenities even when living on the 50th floor! It contains a mix of residential, retail, offices and sky gardens that are distributed throughout the tower, making sure each resident is at most 5 floors away from amenities. The tower is almost designed as if low rise neighbourhoods were stacked on top of each other. D.O3
69
CONCLUSION REFLECTIVE STATEMENT As stated at the beginning of this report, this project is a speculative design that looked into how we can, as urban designers, develop an urban environment that is more resilient for the future and can accommodate temporary or long term changes, in terms of climate but also socioeconomic factors. This project “West Kowloon Resiliency” provides a framework and detailed design for the West Kowloon peninsula, in the scenario of flooding that is most likely to happen in the future. The project innovates suggesting a new way of futureproofing our cities, here in Hong Kong, by combining landscaping and architectural components to resolve complex climatic and cultural issues. Bringing together nature and culture is what will allow our city to bounce back from future challenges. The design developed the three block typologies created within the group masterplan, and proposes different strategies that are unique to each block to tackle resiliency and its various aspects. To adapt and mitigate the flooding situation, the scheme introduced the sponge city concept within west Kowloon, a first in Hong Kong. Overall, the strategies introduced by the project are relatively new and have not been tested yet in the context of Hong Kong. The ambition is therefore to make this project become a prototype, an experiment that could later push other development in the city to innovate and build the city of the future. However given the scope of the project and large scale of the buildings, in their verticality, I believe more research and exeprimenting is needed, to challenge the proposed design and maybe test it using more quantitative methods.
70
Fig 36. Aerial view of the West Kowloon (n.d.)
71
