While some cities make much of their 'tallest' buildings, Hong Kong is being advised to do the opposite by using underground space to cater for the pressing demand for land from the growing population in the next 40 years.
We may not have to live and work 30 metres underground. But we may commute and shop at depth to allow a less dense and greener environment on the surface, if a university's proposal to be submitted to the Development Bureau this month is realised. 'Urban sites will no longer be available in the coming years. Without reclamation, we have to come up with an alternative,' said Cheung Kwok-pun, a University of Hong Kong architecture professor who is leading a study sponsored by the university's development fund.
The study suggests constructing underground developments beneath reclaimed land along the harbour, covering about 410 hectares in West Kowloon, Kai Tak, Quarry Bay, Central and Wan Chai.
It proposes a five-storey basement under the reclaimed land, incorporating new commercial floor areas, a traffic network, car parking and an energy centre to support the needs of the underground facilities.
The underground developments would be connected by environmentally friendly transport such as a monorail, electric vehicles and even cross-harbour tunnels specially designed for pedestrians and cyclists.
'The linkages will provide synergy to second business districts like Kai Tak and West Kowloon and increase accessibility,' Cheung said. 'People will park their cars at the traffic hubs and ride on public transport.'
