Three world-class planning teams unveiled their conceptual plans on Friday (Aug 20) for Hong Kong's West Kowloon Cultural District, where hope has been placed to put the city further into the center of the international art map.
The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority of the city unveiled three conceptual plan options on Friday for a three-month public comment period.
The options include "City Park" prepared by Foster + Partners, "Cultural Connect: Key to Sustained Vitality" by Rocco Design Architects, and "Project for a New Dimension" by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture.
Chief Secretary Henry Tang, also West Kowloon Cultural District Authority chairman, said the district is starting to take shape, and the credit should go to brilliant master planning teams as well as Hong Kong people and the arts and cultural stakeholders.
"Each conceptual plan presents a vision of how the district can be developed into a centerpiece for the city -- showing off Hong Kong's unique character, integrating seamlessly with its surroundings, making cultural connections beyond our borders, and becoming a part of our social fabric."
Noting the three options reflect public views collected in the stage one exercise, he encouraged people to carefully examine the options and express their views.
"The district aims to be one of the best of its kind in the world." he said.
The authority's consultation panel chairman Professor Stephen Cheung said the unveiling of the conceptual plans is an important milestone.
"We are looking forward to hearing what the public think as we move towards selecting a master plan for the district."
The conceptual plan options will be presented to the public in the form of scale models, interactive 3D models, photomontages and animated videos. They will be available for viewing and comment during a series of exhibitions and public forums, and on the authority's website.
The district, to serve as an engine to propel the growth of Hong Kong's culture and creative industries, is being introduced to the world in the Hong Kong Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo.
The authority is also collaborating with the Hong Kong Institute of Architects to showcase the three plans at the Venice Biennale 12th International Architecture Exhibition through exhibition and a special forum, to benefit from the ideas and views of some of the world's top architects and artists.
