Hong Kong building regulations stifle creativity, says architect
More than 70pc of design firm's projects are on the mainland versus only 20pc in Hong Kong
The mainland is less stifling and spurs greater creativity than Hong Kong, says the chairman of the world's fifth largest architecture firm.
"Hong Kong has a very rigid set of regulations, overly rigid, very complicated, very restrictive and prescriptive, which is mostly unfortunate," Aedas chairman Keith Griffiths told the South China Morning Post, adding that the rules are not only stricter than the mainland, but also stricter than Macau and Singapore.
"This very restrictive set of regulations creates an impediment to really good architecture in Hong Kong. It's a bit of a shame. We would like to see a more inclusive and open approach in Hong Kong regulations."
Griffiths said there are many examples of inadequate regulations in the city, such as lighting and ventilation rules for bathrooms.
"In the modern world, bathrooms are mechanically ventilated, so why do we have a regulation that says bathrooms have to be naturally ventilated in a modern building?"
Such rules results in "cruciform plans for residential tower blocks", which are, according to Griffiths, unsustainable and expensive to build.
Designing a project in Hong Kong is a very different process from doing so across the border, Griffiths noted.