Architecture students at the Chu Hai College of Higher Education put theory into practice as they competed to revitalise a social service organisation in an old community. Five groups of architecture students at the tertiary education institute took part in a competition to give a new look to the Christian Family Service Centre in Kwun Tong. An exhibition will be held at the centre from September 10 to 14 where models and graphical materials will be displayed. Feasibility studies will be carried out in the next few months and funds will be raised to implement the models. Chan Kit-ling, programme director of the centre's health services, said the centre sought help from young minds hoping they would inject fresh ideas to the redesign of the centre's 10-storey building. The proposal of the winning team combined the idea of helping local residents identify with the centre with practical suggestions to improve access for the disabled and the elderly to the basement of the building, Ms Chan said. Paul Chu, head of architecture at Chu Hai College, said the competition aimed to get students out of the classroom for them to be able to design with the users' needs in mind. Students also realised the importance of integrating a building into its surrounding community, he added. Roy Wong Ling-leong, a fourth year student who took part in the contest, said architectural designs should be closely related to society. 'In school we don't have to deal with clients. Here we spoke to the staff and the centre's users,' he said. 'It's only when you know what's needed that you can come up with a good design.'
