| Jul 28, 2014
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Big lawn. Photo: WKCD Authority
After years of delays since the project's inception in 1998, the West Kowloon Cultural District selected distinguished architect Norman Foster's plan for West Kowloon Park in 2011. The concept focused on preserving greenery, while championing eco-friendly practices such as recycling and renewable energy. Commercial areas and arts-education facilities were to be scattered across the 19-hectare green sprawl, creating a rare, nature-oriented architectural approach in the dense urban neighborhood.
But Foster's leafy vision was axed when a new proposal—devised by a group of local and international companies—was chosen in 2012, and revealed last week on July 22. The new design features an arts pavilion, an outdoor stage for standing and seated events, and a lawn for outdoor activities—all connected by a "cultural boulevard."
Following the public announcement of the new concept, the design team says it hopes to create a new kind of public space for Hong Kong: "one devoted to the promotion and enjoyment of arts and culture, where daily life seamlessly integrates with cultural activity."
So what's the problem? Many Hongkongers are criticizing the new plan as a cost-cutting measure that was implemented once Foster's design was deemed financially impractical. Critics of the new design are disappointed by the lack of proposed greenery—it will have 25 percent less than the original plan—and the feeling of yet another concrete playground.
Others object to the hefty funding of inconveniently located cultural venues that are already in low demand. Even more criticize budget mismanagement of the original plan. "The park was the biggest selling point of the art hub project but few resources have been devoted to it," Patrick Lau Hing-tat, a Town Planning Board member, told the South China Morning Post.
Though it is unclear whether the design was chosen based on cost-efficiency, it's worth noting that new plan halves the cost of building the park from $2 billion to $1 billion. The WKCD Authority contends that the design was chosen based on a couple of factors, including the importance of the arts and the expertise of the team. The plan is to begin opening the park in a series of phases, starting in 2015.
