Cultural-Connect
Key to Sustained Vitality

THE DESIGN OF THE WKCD MASTER PLAN STARTS WITH TWO SEEMINGLY UNRELATED QUESTIONS:

1. HAVE WE EVER WONDERED WHY WE ARE FASCINATED BY 「清明上河圖」(QINGMING RIVERSIDE)?
2. WHY EXACTLY DO WE WANT A WKCD?

We want a WEST KOWLOON, not because we want to glorify certain icons, but because we want a place where different programs, different people, different activities can come together simultaneously, in the same space and at the same time.

Similarly what strikes us in Qingming Riverside is not any “iconic” architecture, but an energy that radiates from the people’s activities.

The aim of the WEST KOWLOON master plan is about creating this energy which is conducive to a spirit of exploration and discovery.

DESIGN CONCEPT

LAYERED ORGANISATION
The City Link - closely integrated with the city’s life for creativity and culture
The Cultural Core - concentration of cultural venues
The Green Terrain - an undulating landscaped zone along the harbour

URBAN GRID
Human scale street-grid extended from adjacent neighbourhoods and orientated to capture vistas across the harbour.
HKCEC, IFC, TAMAR, PEAK POWER

3D PUBLIC SPACE
3-Dimensional public space as diverse stages for public art.
CORE ARTS & CULTURAL FACILITIES (CACFs)
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE

ORGANIC DEVELOPMENT
An open development framework for phased, flexible and organic growth.

Phase 1A+1B
Public open spaces for temporary uses

MULTIPLE CONNECTIVITY

WKCD breaks the isolation by pedestrian, tram, rail, vehicular, bicycle and ferry links to and from different directions.

Two footbridges above Austin Road connect with the Elements and Kowloon Station. Visitors from the XRL Station are greeted by the M+ Forecourt, from where they disperse into the streets and alleys of WKCD. Towards the eastern end of the District edged upon Canton Road, a network of pedestrian decks draw visitors from Yaumatei, Jordon, Kowloon Park and Tsim Sha Tsui into the District.

The District is also well-served by multiple public transportation systems including buses, taxis, ferries, the XRL, the Airport Express and MTR. Hopping onto a tram that runs from the Star Ferry Pier to the District along Canton Road would be a pleasant alternative. In addition, water taxis bring visitors from Tsim Sha Tsui, North Point, Central and Wanchai directly to the heart of WKCD.

WKCD is also conveniently plugged into the public road network. Multiple vehicular access points are provided along the northern edge on Austin Road and number 3 Expressway. Major drop-off points and parking facilities are conveniently located for all venues.

Cycling is encouraged in WKCD with dedicated cycle track and cycles racks along the promenade. The track is intended to be connected beyond WKCD to link up with a city-wide network in the future

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3D PUBLIC SPACE

The Master Plan :
Like a scroll, it entices one to explore and to discover;
Does not solely glorify icons, but also celebrates streets/squares/gardens embedded in the urban fabric.

THEATRE STEPS
BANYAN FORUM
SUSPENDED FOOTBRIDGE
HARBOUR PARK
PLAZA FOR A BLACK BOX THEATRE
TRAMWAY
MUSIC FORECOURT
XIQU SQUARE
ART-VENUE
ALLEY
THE PROMENADE
MARKET PLACE

GREEN LIVING

URBAN ECOLOGY
An ecology of utilization of renewable energy, reduction of resourcesconsumption and adoption of water and waste recycling.

URBAN OASIS

Over 40% of the site is designed as green space andgreen roofs to reduce urban heat island effect.

URBAN COMFORT
Extensive greenery, traditional colonnades and arcades, and the innovativeenvironmental shade are all integrated to have a pleasant environment.

CULTURAL FACILITIES

PUBLIC CREATIVES = PUBLIC ART + PUBLIC DESIGN + PUBLIC EVENT + PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

“Public Creatives” is an initiative within an overall cultural framework. The initiative aims to foster opportunities for showcasing our local artistic talents, complements audience-building and supports art education. Synergizing the artistic, functional and commercial potentials of our visual art and creative industries, it brings together public art, public design and public event through various forms of direct public engagement. “Public Creatives” and WKCD are reciprocally beneficial to each other – WKCD becomes the stage for local artists while their works enrich the qualities of the urban spaces in the District.

TO EXPAND THE CULTURAL ATMOSPHERE WITHIN HONG KONG
The cultural venues of WKCD represent a diverse range of thematic interests and disciplines. By virtue of their dispositions in the proposed Conceptual Plan, the venues radiate with elements of corresponding thematic references that are dispersed and intermingled throughout the new cultural district. Such conceptual mix of the “Self in the Others” becomes a public art strategy that can be carried beyond the bounds of WKCD on to the rest of Hong Kong.

MASTER URBAN DESIGN PLAN

LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN

MASTER LAYOUT PLAN
The Master Plan is organised in 3 layers from the City (north) to the Harbour (South), namely: the city link, the cultural cover and the green terrain.

In the City Link, working from East (Conton Road) to West, there are one block for workspaces, a residential block, the Headquarters for Art Organisation or International Cultural Institutes, four more blocks for residential, a Hotel block in front of the Theatre Square. Across the West Cross Harbour Tunnel, next to the typhoon shelter is another hotel, and then four more residential blocks in a row marking the boundary of WKCD.

In the Cultural Core, working from East (Canton Road) to West, there is the Xiqu Centre with the Xiqu Square to its south. Further to the West, there is a Medium-sized Theatre, then the Humanities Centre, Black Box Theatre, M+ and the Central Square. To the north of the Central Square the M+ Forecount lays adjacent to the XRL Plaza. To the south is the Music forecourt. To the West of the Central Square is the Concert Hall/Chamber Music Hall. Two Black Box Theatres are further to the West. The Great Theatre 1 and the Theatre Complex embracing the Theater Square are located in front of the ICC. The Children Museum and the Community Art College are further West bordering onto the Harbour Park. Mega Performance Venue is located at the Western End, marking the end of the Park.

In the Green Terrain, from East to West are the RDE with their accessible roof garden, the Exhibition Centre, the Promenade and the Filtration Garden, then the Music Forecourt. A pier in the form of pontoon is reached from the Music Forecourt via a draw bridge. More pontoons are on the water-edge for exhibitions, installations and performances. Theatre Steps are located to the south of the Theatre Square. Along the Promenade further to the West is the Market Place. Before reaching the Market Place, a swimming pool is floating in the Harbour next to a slipway. Form the Market Place, the Great Theatre 2 is on the Harbour Front with a pier for Water Taxi to its West. Embracing the Great Theatre on three sides is the Harbour Park. To the northern end of the Harbour Park, the landscaped roof of the Mega Performance Venue is turned into a public forum-the Banyan Forum, with a suspended bridge-walk over the Harbour.

USES AND PROGRAMMES
CACFs AND OACFs
CACFs and OACFs are clustered around major open spaces to generate synergy between art forms with the public. They are capable of being operated individually or as a group to suit cultural policy.

RETAIL AND DINING
Street-based retail shops energise the public realm with trades and festivities.
Diverse dining outlets enjoy scenic harbour views and offerunique dining-performance ambience.

CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT
Alongside with the shops and restaurants are a series cultural/entertainment venues: Pop Culture Centre, Martial Art Centre, Video/Animation Centre, Culinary School...

CITY LIFE
A 24-hour district for all people at all times with allkinds of activities. Artists and creative entrepreneurs areencouraged to work and live in the district.

INDICATIVE PLANS
BASEMENT LEVEL -1.0mPD
PLAN AT TRAMWAY +5.5 mPD
PLAN AT ART VENUE +12.0/+17.5mPD
MIDDLE DEVELOPMENT LEVEL +50mPD

OUR HOPE…
SYNERGY BETWEEN CULTURAL FACILITIES AND POLICIES
Cultural facilities and cultural policies are mutually dependant.
Our design philosophy of Cultural-Connect is conceived to address four major aspects of our Cultural Vision for WKCD. The physical proposals are an embodiment of functional adaptability, programmatic feasibility and design practicality.

1.EDUCATION
Education is the foundation of culture. Different educational facilities are proposed at different locations within the Plan, such as Children’s Museum, M+ Resources and Education Programmes, Community Art College, Practice Facilities of Xiqu Centre, Artists-in-residence Programmes...
Our strategy aims to create a framework that caters for the needs of all people covering high and popular arts, traditional and avant-garde, local and overseas. Not only does it cater for cultural practitioners but also the audience and the education communities. The multi-level, multi-layer institutions will groom local talents for the future to come.

2,INCUBATION
There are different accommodations reserved as incubators for cultural practitioners in the Plan, such as Incubator Centre, Wide Range of Public, Spaces and Outdoor Squares, Experimental Black Box Theatres, Flexible Art Spaces, Multi-purpose Workspaces…
Incubator programmes for up-and-coming cultural practitioners are quintessential to harnessing the potentials of our society’s artistic talents in the long term.

3. EXCHANGE
Hong Kong is one of the world’s most open societies. We envisage WKCD will be a regional platform for international exchange, research, assimilation and experimentation. Convention facilities and multi-purpose workspaces are located next to the XRL Station. They are intended for art organisations and International Cultural Institutions. Community Art College and the Artists-in-residence programmes will promote exchange between local and overseas cultural practitioners.

4. GOVERNANCE
Our design facilitates the participation of both local and overseas management companies, independent and conglomerate agencies, large and small groups, who could potentially coexist in different permutations of management styles. The venue disposition concept allows the future management in WKCD to be innovative and flexible.

Health depends on a robust and un-impeded field of invisible paths through one’s body 「經脈」.

The WKCD will establish that un-impeded cultural-urban field that ensures fluidity and connectivity. Connectivity between art forms, between life and culture, space and movement, inside and outside, art and community, Hong Kong, South China and overseas.

Ultimately this would bring about not just brief flashes of brilliance, but long-term and sustained vitality.

CONCEPTUAL PLAN CONSULTANT:
Rocco Design Architects Ltd.

ENGINEERING CONSULTANT:
Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd.

TRAFFIC CONSULTANT:
MVA Hong Kong Ltd.

PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONSULTANT:
EDAW (Ltd.)

PUBLIC ART CONSULTANT:
Freeman Lau, Kurt Chan, Michel De Boer

PERFORMING ARTS PLANNING CONSULTANT:
Positive Solutions

THEATRE PLANNING CONSULTANT:
Theatreplan LLP

VISUAL ARTS FACILITIES PLANNING CONSULTANT:
Lord Cultural Resources

FINANCIAL EVALUATION CONSULTANT:
GHK (HK) Ltd.

LAND AND PROPERTY CONSULTANT:
Professional Property Services Ltd., CBRE

QUANTITY SURVEYING CONSULTANT:
Davis Langdon & Seah

PANEL DESIGN:
CoDesign Ltd.

ILLUSTRATION:
Siu Sai Shun

PUBLIC ARTWORK:
Anthony Gormley, Hung Keung, Kwok Mang Ho, Michael Lau, Wong Tin Yan, Ho Siu Kee

CULTURAL ADVISORS:
Philip Dodd, John Howkins, Desmond Hui & Jane J. Zheng, Leung Man Tao, Edward Lam