PEDESTRIAN FOOTBRIDGE Central Market
My project is for the design of a new performance space at the end of the pedestrian footbridge connecting into Central Market. This footbridge is part of the central - mid-levels escalator network - the longest covered route of such nature in the world with a daily traffic count exceeding 85,000 people.
SCALE 1:1000
SCALE 1:1000
The chosen stretch of the network interests me as there are always different buskers there who occupy this public space for performances, attracting locals and tourists alike.
SITE PHOTO Central Market located between Jubilee Street, Queen Victoria Street, Queen's Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central, it was the first wet market in Hong Kong.
B
A
PLAN 1:750
ELEVATION A 1:750
SECTION 1:750
ELEVATION B 1:750
M
g n i app
t n e t n I n g
i s e &D
To better understand the site circumstances, my observations were translated to initial mappings, where I mapped out the performance and background sound levels recorded during a performance on the bridge. This was overlaid also with a mapping of people flow - which compares the speed traveled by different types of people, including family, office workers, and tourists. During performances, the sound generated by the busker diffuses around the open space and is disturbed by the background traffic noise. The gathering of crowds during performances also cause obstruction to flows and hence crowds do not last. The designated seating area is massively under-used and does not have any relation to the performance area.
Residence Commercial Restaurant Government
PLAN 1:750
People Flow
PLAN 1:750
Other
Family
Office Worker
Tourists 0 M/min 90M/min 60M/min 30M/min
Background Noise
0 －3 －6 －9 －12 －15 －18 －21 db －21 －18 －15 －12 －9 －6 －3 0
41000 hz 32 Bit Mono Length 1:46.7
PLAN 1:750
During Performance
0 －3 －6 －9 －12 －15 －18 －21 db －21 －18 －15 －12 －9 －6 －3 0
41000 hz 32 Bit Mono Length 1:46.7
PLAN 1:750
Overall sound effect
PLAN 1:750
Are there any possibilities to improve the sound quality of the performances and better relate the seating areas to the performance area so as to improve the visitor experience, both for the audience and the general bridge users? My intent is to maximise the use of the existing rooftop of the public toilets adjacent to the footbridge to create a more generous platform for performers and spectators, at the same time minimising obstruction to people flow.
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN For my further development , I would like to redesign the circulation of the bridge, extended it to encourage passerby stay for a longer time,and using the rooftop of the small building for performer using, to increase the connection to the street people and bridge people.
Case
Studi
es
There are several precedents that I studied in designing this proposal - including the Highline in New York - a 1.45 mile long elevated park that has various feature spaces along its length. One of which floats above 10th Avenue Square - where there is an amphitheater space where visitors can step down into to enjoy the depth of field of the avenue. Another feature space is at West 26th Street, where a frame was introduced on a platform with seating area to offer visitors a framed view of the neighborhood. My chosen site - located at the middle of Queen's Road Central - has the potential to offer a similar experience to visitors, enriching the journey by offering a framed view of central and a quality public space.
Reference Project High Line (New York City)
The Cascade , Hong Kong Central
The Cirkelbroen design Bridge
High Line (New York City)
General Features Along the High Line, there are several key components to attract users to spend time and explore the complete park. At section 1, there are Gansevoort Overlook, Sundeck and Water Preserve, Chelsea Market Passage, Northern Spur Preserve and 10th Avenue Square. As the designers wanted to integrate the city with the park, the steel is cut away and replaced by glass, providing a view up 10th Avenue, and revealing High Line visitors to those on street level. Whereas at section 2, there are Street Lawn and Seating Steps, Falcone Flyover, 26 Street Viewing Spur, Radial Bench and 30th Street Cut-Out.
At 10th Avenue Square, which floats right over the avenue, the architects proposed an amphitheatre to bring visitors down into the structure, so that the High Line itself would form its own 8 ft high barrier.
Plant-filled amphitheatre proposed for the High Line's final stretch
Amphitheatre Style
Their approach is to cut into the structure and reveal it from the interior rather than just build onto it.
An amphitheatre or amphitheater is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports
WEST 35TH STREET
WEST 34TH STREET
WEST 32TH STREET
WEST 30TH STREET
The “green belt” that is the High Line Park is attracting not only nature lovers, photographers, performance artists and music groups, but also investors to Manhattan’s south-west.
WEST 28TH STREET
11TH AVENUE
10TH AVENUE
WEST 29TH STREET
WEST 26TH STREET
WEST 25TH STREET
WEST 23TH STREET
WEST 22TH STREET
The Layout plan of New York High Line 22th to 35th street. Behind the frame, a platform with wood benches will invite High Line visitors to sit and enjoy views of the surrounding neighborhood. Meanwhile, passers-by on the street will look up and see people framed in the Viewing Spur instead of advertisements.
POT TINGER STRE ET
WEST 22TH STREET
WEST 21TH STREET
OEUX
DES V
L
NTRA
CE ROAD
DES VOEUX RO AD CENTRAL
10TH AVENUE
WEST 20TH STREET
WEST 19TH STREET
WEST 17TH STREET
N’S QUEE
ROAD
QUEEN’S
RAL
CENT
ROAD CE N
WEST 16TH STREET
GAGE STREET
WEST 14TH STREET
PEELSTREET
REET T ST
WES
WEST 13TH STREET
DR
OO
D OA
W LLY
HO
LITTLE WEST 12TH STREET
The Layout plan of New York High Line 12th to 22th street.
The Layout plan of Hong Kong Central-Mid-Levels Escalators.
TRAL
The windows also allow people on the street to look up at the people seated above as if they were being viewed on a wide three-dimensional television screen.
It has rows of amphitheatre-style seats and large picture windows that invite visitors to sit, picnic, talk with each other, and look at cars and trucks rushing below.
Extending the resting area to the main street, let people to stay outside longer and enjoy the view of central.
The Front elvation of New York High line ,26th street viewing spur.
Passers-by on the street will look up and see people performed at the roof top instead of advertisements.
The Site elvation of Hong Kong Central market and Central-Mid-Levels Escalators.
’S QUEEN
ROAD
CENTR
AL
Existing bridge is a busy main road for the people I would like to add one more bridge which extend from the first platform of the down stair, it can relieve congestion and create a quiet place for people to stay and enjoy the view of the queen's road central . Also separated the performance area and control the sound to stay inside the place.
TESTING MODEL
Central Market Design Feature
l a s o p o r
P n g i s e D
This Bauhaus style Central Market - with its strong horizontal lines and rounded corners - can be read as a building composed of stacked layers that share a pivotal corner. Conceptually, my design proposal for this new performance space is to be in-keeping with the design language - extending my reading of the form to studying spatial opportunities of interlocking forms that share the same pivotal corner.
My design intent, coupled with findings from earlier mappings, informed the composition of 5 interlocking forms, each with its own function. The main volume is the performance area where the audience can sit on the side to watch the shows. Other volumes include one that extends the existing seating area, one where there is a semi open space with bar tables and chairs, one which is completely enclosed but with a glazed wall to provide a framed view over Queen's Road Central, and one thats a staircase bringing people up from and down to street level.
45900
SEC 01
PLAN 1:300
4000
2400
glass ceiling
steel structure
SECTION 1:150
sub-support
existing structure
existing bridge
The composition retains the existing direct connection of the bridge but creates an interesting detour that allows people to slow down and enjoy the performances or simply take a break and get a new perspective of central. The new performance space is also designed to perform much better acoustically so as to prevent sound leakage and disruption with background noise. The performance space is designed to adapt to different performance scenarios - the space is surrounded by full height vertical glass louvres that can be closed to create an enclosed space for stronger sound reflections suitable for instrument based performances, or opened to create an open space for sound to spread - suitable for live singers. The space is designed around an existing tree which penetrates through to this space through a light-well.
PLAN 1:250
Circulation The composition retains the existing direct connection of the bridge but creates an interesting detour that allows people to slow down and enjoy the performances or simply take a break and get a new perspective of central.
PLAN 1:250
+5100 H +4800 H +4500 H +4000 H +3600 H
Leveling
PLAN 1:250
Resting area Bar table
Amphitheatre Panorama of Central
Zoning Plan
PLAN 1:250
Sub-support The floor and roof slabs are in-situ concrete - taking support from the existing and cantilevering beyond.
PLAN 1:250
Double Layer Sound Control The new performance space is also designed to perform much better acoustically so as to prevent sound leakage and disruption with background noise.
PLAN 1:250
Using Natural Night The space is designed around an existing tree which penetrates through to this space through a light-well.
Axonometric Drawing
The performance area where the audience can sit on the side to watch the shows.
The performance space is designed to adapt to different performance scenarios - the space is surrounded by full height vertical glass louvres that can be closed to create an enclosed space for stronger sound reflections - suitable for instrument based performances, or opened to create an open space for sound to spread - suitable for live singers.
Extends the existing seating area.
With the aim to blend in with the existing building as seamlessly as possible - the choice of material is concrete to be consistent with the existing building.
A semi open space with bar tables and chairs.
A staircase bringing people up from and down to street level.
A completely enclosed with a glazed wall to provide a framed view over Queen's Road Central.
PEDESTRIAN FOOTBRIDGE Central Market 15011294 D WU HOI YAN HALEY