Science Park container homes, on schedule for September, offer a Hong Kong test case for prefabrication’s possibilities
- Stacked using cranes, the prefabricated units eliminate the need for the city’s ageing construction force to work atop tall scaffolding
- Monthly rent for a furnished 248 sq ft unit is estimated at HK$9,000, about 40 per cent lower than the area market price
A prefabricated housing project catering to technology expats is moving toward its targeted September completion despite the coronavirus outbreak, and will be ready to take 500 tenants at a discount early next year, its creators say.
The use of cargo containers have already proven their use in the quick construction of quarantine sites in Hong Kong and mainland China, but the units in Science Park are serving as a further test of just how the concept can help the city cope with shortages of both housing and construction workers.
Since January, hundreds of modular units have been delivered from the mainland to Science Park in Sha Tin, where builders have piled them like Lego blocks up to 16 storeys high.
Each has been elaborately fitted with decorations and furniture including beds, desks, cupboards and toilets. The only thing yet to be added is water and electricity connections.
“Targeting technology expats, we hope these homes can cultivate a co-creation and community culture, and attract international talents coming to work,” Simon Wong Yuk-sun, chief project development officer of Science Park, said in an interview with the Post.
“Before, they had to look for hotels and flats, and now we can offer units that are located next to the park, and companies can even rent a co-living studio, putting colleagues together,” he added. “Tech experts, including academics, can also make short stays and give classes inside the building.”
The HK$800 million InnoCell project, announced in 2017, was developed on 31,000 sq ft site at the park, providing 500 beds ranging from solo and twin arrangements to suites to large co-living studios with shared kitchens and living areas.