Breathing new life into corners of Hong Kong amid Covid-19 fatigue

The public response to various new or transformed spaces shows there is enthusiasm for the reimagining of urban pockets
The government and companies should do more placemaking or unorthodox projects to cheer up the public

Yolanda Ng

Published: 7:00pm, 15 May 2021

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The coronavirus pandemic has practically grounded most Hongkongers for well over a year, and an end to this de facto ban on holiday travel is nowhere in sight. As there are only so many malls to shop at and country parks to hike through, a slew of openings of new public spaces in recent months have helped combat pandemic fatigue, while showing how overlooked parts of the city can be revitalised.

The newest public space for play to open in Hong Kong is the music fountain on Kwun Tong Promenade. Although its launch last month was overshadowed by a comedian’s web-streamed public shower, the harbourfront facility appears to be a hit with children who will always welcome a chance to have a splashing good time in warm weather.

For a new local landmark from the district councils, the fountain has a relatively simple and practical design and it has not been met with complaints about questionable taste or aesthetics, unlike similar projects.

The most popular new public spaces refreshing Hong Kong in the past 12 months are a series of lively, inventively designed promenades on both sides of Victoria Harbour: at Kennedy Town, Wan Chai North and Tsuen Wan. Led by the Harbourfront Commission, these new shared spaces have turned previously underused sections of the shoreline in the city centre into buzzy spots of communal fun.

Common elements in these attractions are movable street furniture, uplifting decorations by art groups, minimal to no barriers – or even lawn that can be walked on – plus few rules and a surprising absence of security guards. Most importantly, the out-of-the-box designs for the spaces emerged from a bottom-up process of public engagement that attends to the needs and whims of users.

The innovative and experimental spirit of these projects creates an alchemy of surprise, unpredictability and versatility in neighbourhood spots and destinations. The “less is more” design philosophy, together with the flexible management approach, is a refreshing vote of trust in the ability of the pubic to use public spaces responsibly – and a subtle encouragement to play imaginatively.

Similarly, in the private sector, New World Development recently gave young designers a stage to display their creativity. The State Theatre complex was taken over for a nostalgia-hued exhibition of its past as a movie palace, before restoration work on the historic building begins.

Conservation of State Theatre a landmark project for Hong Kong

A neon installation depicting the building’s iconic parabolic arches, as well as the show’s atmospheric shadow play, swept Instagram. Moreover, the fact that New World Development, with the dynamic Adrian Cheng at the helm, has already gathered a trove of stories and artefacts related to the theatre inspires confidence that heritage conservation will be at the core of this urban redevelopment project, rather than an afterthought.

The popularity of the exhibition shows there is enthusiasm for the reimagining of urban pockets, especially among the young who increasingly want to experience culture in their leisure time.

Visitors to last month’s immersive exhibition, “Discover the State Theatre in All of Us”, were brought back to the golden age of the 68-year-old theatre. Photo: Felix Wong

The clear appeal of the various new or transformed spaces that have popped up around town is a prod to the government and companies to do more placemaking or unorthodox projects to cheer up the public.

Granted, effective leisure spaces can take years to plan and build, especially if they span districts. A promenade extending from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan will not open before 2024, while it will probably take more time for the cleaned up Kai Tak River to evolve into anything close to the celebrated Cheonggyecheon Stream restoration project in downtown Seoul. The opening of the M+ museum at the end of the year will be a more tangible highlight to look forward to.

In any case, showpiece projects are just one part of a vibrant cityscape. Fostering small-scale projects at the neighbourhood level is just as vital. The colourful Yi Pei Square Playground in Tsuen Wan, which opened in April, is a progressive model to replicate. Formerly known in the news as a triad den, Yi Pei Square is now a warm intergenerational space made possible by strong community buy-in and design input.

Civic spaces pick up life and charm as the public uses and responds to them. Government departments and district councils can win the support and trust of the public by actively facilitating this journey of experimentation and creation.

Yolanda Ng is a member of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board

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