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SCMP Reporter

Architectural students from the University of Hong Kong scooped the top three prizes at an international design competition in Rome.

  Matthew Chan Chi-keung, Ringo Chan Siu-wing, Kelvin Li Man-kwong and Billy Tam Hon- wah took the Grand Prize in the ACSA/Otis Elevator International Student Design Competition.

    Their project was entitled 'Urban Housing Plus - City of Industrial Housing'.

 Two other groups of HKU students received honours awards for their innovative designs based on ideas to improve living conditions in an urban environment.

 Participants were asked to suggest changes that could improve the urban living and working environments with the use of elevators.

  The winning entry was a simulated urban renewal programme based on a run-down industrial area in Kwun Tong.

  Instead of tearing down all of the old and vacant industrial buildings and replacing them with new residential blocks, the group made use of what is known as the 'subtraction technique'.

  They demolished part of the buildings while keeping most of the major structures and replacing them with new blocks using glass to allow more sunlight and better ventilation.

  'We chose Kwun Tong as many factories in the area have moved out because of cheaper production costs in mainland China,' Mr Matthew Chan said.

  'Redeveloping the vacant industrial blocks into mixed commercial and residential zones to achieve self-containment was a challenging job.'     It was important to make use of existing resources, Mr Chan said.

  'This is the usual and economical practice in the SAR,' he said, adding that there had been a soaring demand for residential redevelopment in areas such as Kwun Tong.

  The district was chosen, he said, because of the challenges it presented.

  'We hope our idea will be used to solve similar global issues in redevelopment, especially in the mainland and in other heavily-industrialised countries that are experiencing a gradual shift of industries,' Mr Chan said.

  The group hoped the Government would rethink its redevelopment plans in older industrial areas by making use of existing buildings.



Designs by HK students provide boost to urban living conditions