City Spotlight | Top 10 Hong Kong Architecture Marvels (Part II)

By J.B.Browne

Low-Rise Fantasy

In Part 1, we explored some of Hong Kong's most impressive skyline skyscrapers as well as an upcoming shoreline superstar. For Part 2, we'll explore some of the low-rise splendor the city has to offer; street-level magic you might miss if you didn't know.

 

Asia Society Hong Kong Center (2012)

9 Justice Dr, Admiralty

To encourage the claim that Hong Kong is a city of contrasts – east meets west, old meets new – allow us to add a third; ex-colonial buildings renovated into public cultural spaces. Like Tai Kwun Centre For Heritage And Arts, an ex-colonial police station turned vibrant public space, Asia Society Hong Kong Center used to serve as Victoria Barracks, storing ammunition.

Nestled on the green slopes of Admiralty Mid-Levels, the site houses a bridge that zigzags through a rainforest that links the heritage buildings (built between 1853 and 1924) with a slew of venues and public facilities where one imagines dialogues about art, culture, and politics are exchanged. The thoughtful design by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects is an inspiration to the sensitivities of the space's history, restoring its rightful essence within a forward-thinking context.

Did you know?

The site will soon become a new landmark in the 'Green & Cultural Belt' of Hong Kong Island.

 

OPod Tube House

Tseun Wan, 2022

Not iPod but OPod — sleek, modern, low-cost micro-apartments, offering an alternative solution to Hong Kong's cramped living conditions. Designed by James Law Cybertecture, OPod 1 is a low-cost, 100 square foot home constructed from two lengths of concrete drainpipe as temporary accommodation for a person or small family. The pods offer smart storage, warm ambient lighting, and an en-suite bathroom with a shower. They also have a Smartphone-operated locking system and can easily be relocated by crane stacking on top of each other either in between buildings or vacant urban spaces. The pictures featured are mock-ups of how these stackable, typhoon-resistant units would look if used at scale—a serious attempt at solving a long-standing problem.

Did you know?

James Law Cybertechture, in partnership with Yan Chai Hospital, will be constructing the first Opod community in Tsuen Wan next year with around 120 units.

 

The Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre

18 Tat Hong Avenue, Kowloon Tong

New York architect Daniel Libeskind's abstract media center for the City University of Hong Kong was completed in 2010, winning numerous awards for its futuristic design. The academic building is architecture at its most elegant, featuring wrap-around glazed segments and asymmetrical windows that slice natural light into the walls of lecture halls, classrooms, and computer labs. Whether self-contained or open, each space is unique, designed to encourage spontaneous exchanges of collaboration.

Did you know?

The City University of Hong Kong is the first university in Asia to offer the highest level of training within the creative media fields.

 

West Kowloon Station

Jordan, Kowloon

Coming across more like a spaceship station on Mars, West Kowloon Station's unique architecture and beautiful cityscape make it a rockstar hotspot for visitors and travelers alike. Intentionally placed next to the West Kowloon Cultural District, the arching rooftop walkway and gardens were designed by Andrew Bromberg at Aedas and completed in 2018. Functionally, it is the new terminus of the 142 km stretch between Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong, providing a hub for national rail networks to Beijing 1,200 miles away. The giant curtain wall comprises over 4,000 irregular glass panels to maximize daylight inside, where creative artworks are displayed for a more enriching experience. Be warned. Should you embark on traveling this futuristic landmark, be prepared to feel "airporty" through strict border control rather than the ease of an underground station.

Did you know?

The curved ceiling is made of over 8,000 tonnes of steel which is almost the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

 

The Hong Kong Design Institute

3 King Ling Road, Tiu Keng Leng, Tseung Kwan O

Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) is a leading design institute by French architects Coldefy & Associés. The low-rise juggernaut features a "floating" glazed box supported by four lattice-steel towers that stand on a sloped grass-covered podium. An urban park fills the sizeable open roof area, while the sloping platform contains a cafe, sports hall, galleries, event spaces, and four auditoriums.

Did you know?

The jarring design of the colossal structure took influence from French-Hungarian urban planner Yona Friedman, the brains behind the 'spatial city' concept.

As he would refer himself, J.B. Browne is a half "foreign devil" living with anxiety relieved by purchase. HK-born Writer/Musician/Tinkerer.

 

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