Veteran architect Patrick Lau calls for public input into PLA berth design
Architect says there is a lack of trust over plans for the Central waterfront and how open the facility will be when the military is not using it
The People's Liberation Army berth on the Central waterfront should be redesigned to reflect the views of the public, a veteran landscape architect and harbourfront adviser says.
This would help regain trust and allay suspicions that it might not be open to the public when not in use by the military, Patrick Lau Hing-tat said.
"The public does not believe that the army will open the berth area to the public when it is not in use," said Lau, who helped to deal with a similar problem in the port city of Qingdao .
"A way out could be a more open design devised by both the government and the public."
His suggestion comes amid fears that the dream of a continuous promenade along the new waterfront created by reclamation in Central and Wan Chai will not be realised.
"How the area can accommodate the uses of both parties should be opened for public discussion," said Lau, chairman of Earthasia Design Group and member of both the Harbourfront Commission and the Town Planning Board.