Press Releases

17 July 2012

Shortlisted Design Teams Announced by West Kowloon Cultural District Authority for its First Arts Venue

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority ("WKCDA") announced today a shortlist of five design teams that have been invited to submit proposals for the design of the Xiqu Centre, one of the first landmark buildings for the West Kowloon Cultural District, scheduled for completion at the end of 2015.

The five shortlisted teams are (in alphabetical order):

•  BTA & RLP Company Limited
•  Foster + Partners with O Studio Architects
•  Mecanoo architecten / Leigh & Orange
•  Safdie Architects LLC
•  Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd. (in collaboration with Diamond and Schmitt)

(See Annex 1 for details on the design teams)

Over 50 architectural teams from all over the world expressed interest in being considered for the project. The teams were shortlisted through a selection exercise conducted by the WKCDA management assisted by an Independent Professional Advisor, and with the participation of the Jury Panel. The outcome was supported by an independent Steering Committee, which was set up to oversee the design competition, and approved by WKCDA's Development Committee and the Board.

Announcing the selected teams, Mr Louis Yu, Executive Director, Performing Arts, said, "There has been a fantastic response to our plans for the Xiqu Centre from design teams from across the world. We are working hard to find the right team to work with to fulfill our ambitions. The shortlisted teams will meet with representatives of the Chinese opera artform, engaging with stakeholders so we can conceive together a world-class building for Hong Kong and for the development and promotion of this important form of Chinese cultural heritage."

The shortlisted design teams will be invited to submit schematic designs of their concepts before 5 October, 2012. Entries from the shortlisted design teams will be assessed by a Jury Panel made up of prominent leaders in the relevant professional and arts and culture fields from Hong Kong, Mainland China and internationally. WKCDA's Development Committee member and Chairman of the Steering Committee, Mr LEE Shing See, is Convenor of the Jury Panel. (See Annex 2 for details of the Jury Panel)

The Panel, assisted by a Technical Committee, will examine the submissions, and conduct assessment through interviews, workshops, etc., to ascertain the individual team's ability. The teams will also be required to meet with relevant stakeholder and user groups before they set down to work on their designs. All submissions by the shortlisted design teams will be judged in accordance with the four broad categories of assessment guidelines:

•  Architectural Design Aspects
•  Technical Design Aspects
•  Sustainable Design Aspects
•  Ability to work together with the Client Team/ Consultants/ Stakeholders

The Jury Panel is expected to complete their assessment before the end of the year and recommend to WKCDA's Development Committee and the Board a team for consideration to be appointed to design and administer the Xiqu Centre project.

Shortlisted design teams will be provided with lists of nominated Theatre Planning Sub-consultants and Acoustic Sub-consultants for selection to collaborate in achieving the optimal theatrical and acoustic standards in their designs. The sub-consultants were shortlisted after a global invitation of Expression of Interests in March. (See Annex 3 for shortlisted sub-consultants)

Further details on the Design Competition are available on the WKCDA website:  http://www.wkcda.hk/en/architectural_competition/xiqucentre

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The West Kowloon Cultural District

The West Kowloon Cultural District is the largest cultural project in Hong Kong to date. Its vision is to provide a vibrant cultural quarter for the city; a vital platform for the local arts scene to interact, develop and collaborate; and major facilities to host and produce world-class exhibitions, performances and arts and cultural events.

The District will include 17 core arts and cultural venues and 30,000 square metres of space for arts education. It will be a low-density development, providing ample open green space and embracing two kilometres of a vibrant harbour-front promenade, 23 hectares of open space and a green avenue, and closely connected with the neighbourhood.

The project will be developed in phases. The venues to be commissioned in Phase 1 include the Xiqu Centre (main theatre and Tea House), a Freespace with an outdoor stage, phase I of M+ (a museum of 20^th-21^st century visual culture), a Lyric Theatre, a Centre for Contemporary Performance, Medium Theatre I, a Music Centre with a Concert and Recital Hall, a Musical Theatre, a Mega Performance Venue and an Exhibition Centre. A host of ancillary facilities including a Resident Company Centre, other creative learning facilities and a number of Arts Pavilions for visual arts exhibitions will also be constructed in this phase. Phase 2 will involve the commissioning of the Great Theatre, a small theatre as part of the Xiqu Centre, Medium Theatre II and phase II of the M+ development.

The development plan was submitted to the Town Planning Board for consideration in December 2011. Subject to the completion of the statutory planning process, construction works are scheduled for commencement in 2013.

The first cultural event initiated by WKCDA was the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre which was staged at the future site of the Xiqu Centre near Canton Road during the Chinese New Year in 2012.

The Xiqu Centre

The Xiqu Centre, scheduled for completion around the end of 2015, will be the first of 17 core arts and cultural venues to be opened within the District and one of 15 proposed performing arts venues. Occupying a prime site at the eastern edge of the District on the corner of Canton Road and Austin Road West, the Xiqu Centre will provide a gateway of access to the Cultural District. The competition covers the design of a 1,100-seat main theatre, a 400-seat small theatre, a Tea House for performances for audiences up to 280 and ancillary training and education facilities.

 Profile of shortlisted design teams

 (in alphabetical order)