Letters | Hong Kong yet to make the most of its iconic harbourfront
- The new Avenue of Stars is a thoughtful makeover that sets a high standard for Hong Kong’s public spaces
- The city’s spectacular harbourfront, set against a stunning backdrop of urban enterprise, should give unbroken access to all
If one runs a Google image search for Hong Kong, the top 50 pictures are of Victoria Harbour and the city’s iconic skyline. Visitors’ impressions of Hong Kong are often defined by that postcard-perfect vista of gleaming skyscrapers rising from the shining waters up the island’s lush green hills. No other major city in the world can boast that kind of astonishing contrast between jungle and concrete except, perhaps, Rio de Janeiro.
The revamped promenade is wider, greener (the trellis plants should be a highlight in the summer) and more user-friendly, compared with the bland, uninviting version of old.
With more benches, water features and soft lighting, the long walkway stretching from the old Kowloon-Canton Railway clock tower to Tsim Sha Tsui East is a practical yet smart design. Moving the handprints of Hong Kong’s movie stars and their story panels up to the railings (they used to be trodden on, à la the Hollywood version) is also more logical and more respectful.
